Ultimate Bathroom Mirrors Size, Height, and Style Guide: How to Choose the Right Bathroom Mirror

Most of us gaze into the bathroom mirror at least once, if not several, times a day. When you choose a bathroom vanity mirror that fits your personal style, you create an inviting atmosphere that transforms your bathroom into a stylish and functional oasis. 

In this guide, we’ll share practical tips on how to choose a bathroom mirror, including a vanity mirror size guide. We will also discuss how lighting can work with bathroom mirrors to help with functionality and create a pleasing overall ambiance.

Want some inspiration before diving into the details?

Bathroom Vanity Mirrors 

Bathroom vanity mirrors offer a large reflective surface, enhancing visibility for daily grooming tasks like makeup and hairstyling. Available in various stylish designs, these mirrors can serve as a focal point in bathroom decor. Their straightforward installation and sleek appearance provide a tidy and attractive alternative to bulkier medicine cabinets, making them an appealing choice for customers looking to enhance the aesthetics of their bathrooms.

Medicine Cabinets

If your bathroom is on the small side, you may want to switch from a separate hanging mirror to one or more storage options with mirrored cabinets to save space. Choosing a mirrored medicine cabinet provides both functionality and aesthetic appeal, allowing for efficient use of space without sacrificing style. If two people will be sharing the bathroom, having both a separate mirror and a mirrored medicine cabinet can be beneficial when it comes to daily routines.

Makeup Mirrors

For putting on makeup or shaving, a makeup mirror will contribute significantly to functional space. Having a separate makeup mirror in addition to your main bathroom mirror, especially one with a magnifying glass, will be more functional for seeing small details. If your bathroom has a lot of shadows, consider a makeup mirror with lights. There are even mirrors with artificial lighting that mimic natural light, called natural light mirrors, that many consider the best type of vanity mirror for makeup.

We’ll talk about choosing bathroom vanity mirrors, as those tend to be the most prominent, and with the vanity, often are a focal point. You will want a mirror that is big enough to work well for your grooming routines, but not so big that it takes over your space — in other words, you want to create the right balance in the room. That means measuring everything around where the mirror will go.

1. Measure your vanity and sink. Ideally, your bathroom vanity mirror(s) will be the same width or slightly smaller (by 1 to 2 inches) than the vanity and wider than the sink by at least 2 inches. 

2. Measure the wall space around the vanity. You’ll want to leave a comfortable amount of space between the vanity mirror and any side walls and the ceiling to avoid a cramped look. For example, if you have 64 inches of wall space on your vanity wall and a vanity size (width) of 48 inches, a vanity mirror that’s 42 inches wide would create the right balance and leave enough room on your walls for accent lighting. 

3. Factor in any shelving, lighting, or artwork on the walls. Take into account any light fixtures you already have, or anything else that will come between the mirror and the side walls. Leave enough room around the mirror so things don’t look crowded. If you have a shower to the side of the vanity, treat that as a wall when you measure.

Below is a vanity mirror size guide to help you plan. Of course, you don’t have to stick to it exactly, but it’ll give you a starting point. Keep in mind that this is based on having bare walls around the vanity.

Suggested vanity mirror sizes (widths) for popular vanity sizes:

• 24 inches vanity – 20-24 inches mirror
• 30 inches vanity – 26-30 inches mirror
• 36 inches vanity – 32-36 inches mirror
• 42 inches vanity – 38-42 inches mirror
• 48 inches vanity – 44-48 inches mirror
• 60 inches vanity – 56-60 inches mirror
• 72 inches vanity – 68-72 inches mirror

Determining the appropriate height for your mirror(s) will depend on how tall you are, how tall your vanity is, and how high the ceiling is in your bathroom space. 

When it comes to how high to hang a bathroom mirror, the standard bathroom mirror height is about 5 feet from the floor and at least a few inches above the vanity countertop so it works for your eye level. It also should be proportional to the vanity height.

Tip: If you prefer a framed mirror, remember to measure the mirror based on the outside edges of the frame, and the bottom edge in particular so it doesn’t crowd your vanity.

For ADA compliance: Hang the mirror so that the bottom edge is no higher than 40 inches off the floor and the top edge is at least 74 inches from the floor, as this is a comfortable height for those in wheelchairs and makes the mirror easily accessible to them. You might need to adjust your vanity or other elements to make this work, but working with these guidelines will help you choose the right mirror options.
For double sink vanity: When selecting mirror(s) to compliment your double sink vanity, measure the full length of your vanity to determine the size of your larger single mirror or two smaller mirrors to hang above each sink. If your double vanity is actually two pieces with space in between, you have two options: hang a mirror over each vanity or hang one mirror that spans both. If you want a single mirror to span both sinks, measure both vanities together as if they were one unit.

There are many options for bathroom mirror designs and it’s likely that you will find a color, finish, and shape that enhances your bathroom design while also fitting your aesthetic preferences and budget. 

Latest Trends for Bathroom Mirrors

If you’re wondering, “What are the latest trends for bathroom mirrors?” here's the latest Houzz research from the 2023 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study.

• 41% of homeowners install one bathroom mirror and 51% install two
• 20% choose a mirror with an LED light
• 69% of medicine cabinets have a mirror on the outside, which can act as the vanity mirror

Some other latest trends from around the web show the popularity of:

• Curved mirrors (oval, round, arched, and abstract shapes)
• Mirrors that have clean lines and create a sleek and modern look
• Mirrors with integrated lighting
• Frameless mirrors

If you’re wondering whether large mirrors, such as wall-to-wall bathroom mirrors have fallen out of style, the simple answer is yes because they tend to be too big to create balance and a comfortable environment.

As with every style that comes and goes, creating a bath design based on your own sense of style and personal preferences should always take precedence over the latest trends!

Shapes and Styles for Bathroom Vanity Mirrors

Most vanity mirrors come in one of three shapes:

1. Rectangular: Rectangular mirrors are the most popular option because they work nicely with most vanities, which also tend to be rectangular
2. Oval: Oval mirrors are usually used over a smaller single vanity, or for a double vanity with one oval mirror over each sink, although you’ll sometimes find an offset oval mirror over a larger vanity
3. Round: Circular mirrors are used similarly to oval mirrors and create a nice balance when many other pieces in the bath are linear. 

The shape that will work best depends on both the vanity and the overall style of your bathroom design. Here are a few ideas:

• Modern Style: Frameless rectangular mirror with integrated lighting
• Contemporary Style: Frameless round mirror, with or without lighting
• Traditional Style: Rectangular mirror with a beveled frame in polished metal or wood
• Transitional Style: Transitional mirrors depend on which styles you want to bridge
• Farmhouse Style: Rectangular mirror with a rustic wooden frame

Finishes for Framed Bathroom Vanity Mirrors

While matching the mirror frame finish to the finish of your sink handles and other fixtures creates a cohesive look, nowadays it’s perfectly acceptable to choose fixtures with different finishes as long as they complement one another — for instance, all warm tones or all cool tones. It comes down to the color palette of your bathroom design and your personal preferences. 

The most consistently popular options for finishes are:

• Black
• Gold
• White
• Brass
• Nickel
• Natural wood tones
• Bronze

You can find many other options for materials and finishes with treatments, including hammered, antiqued, shiny, or smooth.

When shopping for bathroom vanity mirrors, consider one of the most popular features on Houzz:

• Mirrors With Lights: Designed with integrated lighting to enhance visibility, ideal for grooming in low-light conditions.
• LED Mirrors: Offering bright, energy-saving illumination, LED mirrors are suitable for environmentally conscious users needing strong lighting for precise tasks.
• Fogless Mirrors: Equipped with anti-condensation technology to provide a clear view in steamy conditions, fogless mirrors are perfect for use during or after showers.
• Frameless Mirrors: With their sleek and modern design, frameless mirrors contribute to a sense of more space and minimalistic style.
• Beveled Glass: Featuring angled edges and elegance, beveled glass mirrors add a decorative touch to any bathroom setup.