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You’ll never hear us complain about a generously-sized bathroom window… unless it comes in between us and our skincare routine. When it’s straight in front of the sink, everything else must work around it, including a critical part of the ritual: the mirror. Luckily, there are many designers out there who have faced this exact problem and come up with clever setups that don’t compromise on natural light. Here are eight of our favorite fixes for an off-center, too-tall, or awkwardly-placed bathroom window.
Hover the Mirror in Front
Designer Emily Henderson and her architect, Anne Usher, originally planned to hang mirrors in this bathroom from the ceiling or side of the vanity so they could be pivoted out of the way when not in use. But the ceiling was vaulted, not to mention there were already lights up there. So instead, they used the wood window frames as their anchor, attaching the Kohler mirrors via custom welded backs.
Let It Slide for Privacy
Privacy was of the utmost importance to Seattle-based photographer Deb Achak—her bathroom overlooks a busy street corner. The mirrors on either side of her vanity window are situated on a sliding track, so she can block the opening off completely when she doesn’t want to worry about neighbors peering in.
Aim for the Gaps
This L.A. space, designed by Robert Diaz, is proof there really is no right way to tackle an awkward bathroom window layout. The thick marble vanity, which spans the entire space, including the windows, is bolted into the plaster-coated walls. From there, it made the most sense to hang the mirrors over the wall-mounted faucets, which fall between the two extra-tall openings.
Shoo It Off to the Side
For close quarters, simply mount your mirror on the surface adjacent to the sink. Designer Sarah Solis was able to fit a generously sized option using this strategy in a Laurel Canyon powder bathroom.
Drop It Down to Strike a Balance
The safe decision in Corbett Tuck’s bathroom would have been to put the vanity on the wall to the right or make the single window shorter so that both mirrors could hang on the wall. But those choices seemed like settling. Instead, she evened things out by suspending one of the mirrors from a wood beam right below the ceiling.
Consider Mirrors That Aren’t From a Home Store
Ceilings too short for a floating mirror to go right in front of the window? Use one that’s got an articulating arm. Hot tip: You don’t have to scour the aisles at The Home Depot for this fix. In this Oregon home, architect Don Cantillo used a rearview mirror designed for a semi-truck.
Put Up a Wall Solely for the Mirror
This room would have been a totally transparent box had Cape Town architect Philip Olmesdahl not added a strip of mirror that stretches from the top of the stone vanity to the ceiling.
Mix and Match Sizes
The Grit and Polish’s Cathy and Garrett Poshusta opted for not one but two unconventional mirrors in their farmhouse bathroom: an accordion magnifying option and a large rectangular swivel style. Now no one has to compromise on their routine—or the view.