The Design Journal

Claris MORENO backlit LED mirror over a vanity, an alternative to a medicine cabinet

Medicine Cabinet vs Mirror: Which Belongs Over Your Vanity?

Storage or width, light and shape? A plain comparison of the medicine cabinet and the mirror, with the wall checks that decide it.

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Claris EVOLUTION lighted makeup mirror, backlit, with a built-in 5x magnifier and LED ring over an oak vanity

Best Lighting for a Makeup Mirror: CRI and Colour Temperature

CRI 90+, 4000K and light from the front: the three numbers behind the best lighting for a makeup mirror, and the Claris mirrors built for the routine.

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Claris STONE smart bathroom mirror, backlit, with a wave motion sensor on the glass above a stone vanity

Smart Bathroom Mirror Features, Explained One by One

Sensor, dimming, heat, colour and magnification: what each smart bathroom mirror feature does, and which ones earn a place at the vanity.

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Hardwired LED mirror with a backlit offset round shape above a vessel basin, wall switch plate beside the vanity

Hardwired vs Plug-In LED Mirror: How to Choose the Install

A hardwired LED mirror hides its connection in the wall; a plug-in goes up any time. The rough-in, switches, anti-fog and dimming, side by side.

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COMO backlit mirror above a vessel sink on a floating vanity, showing vessel sink mirror height

Vessel Sink Mirror Height: How Sink and Vanity Change It

A vessel sink, a wall tap or a taller vanity moves the mirror. How to measure from the right point, with tables by sink type and vanity height.

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DIMO front-lit LED mirror narrower than a wide oak bathroom vanity

Should the Mirror Be Wider Than the Vanity? The Sizing Rule

Should the mirror be wider than the vanity? Usually not. The inset rule, the full-width look, and the few rooms where wider is right.

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BOCA front-lit mirror above a black marble double vanity

Vanity Lighting: Backlit Mirror vs Sconces, and When to Use Both

A backlit mirror lights the wall; sconces light the face from the sides. How to choose, the numbers for each, and when to use both.

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ALICE freestanding floor mirror with a bronze-toned glass panel on a pale stone cube base in a living room

How to Choose a Floor Mirror: Height, Stability and Glass

A floor mirror needs reflecting glass at least half your height, a way to stay upright, and glass worth looking into. The numbers, and the choices.

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VITA backlit mirror above a floating oak vanity with a marble top and a wall-mounted faucet

ADA Mirror Height: The 40 Inch Rule for Accessible Bathrooms

The ADA mirror height rule is 40 inches to the reflecting surface over a lavatory. Where to measure, how the numbers stack, and which sizes fit.

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