Category Archives: Bathroom tips

Could An Ultra Slimline Mirror Be The Right Choice For Your Bathroom?

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We are great believers here at Illuminated Mirrors in the notion that a bathroom mirror is never “just” a bathroom mirror. After all, even some of the smallest and easiest-to-miss details and features of a light mirror for the bathroom can make a significant difference to how the given mirror looks in the space, and the support it provides to the user’s lifestyle.

You may be reading this because you are in the market for a new bathroom mirror as a resident, or perhaps an interior designer attempting to realise someone else’s dream bathroom space. Regardless, you might have given a lot of thought to the all-round aesthetic of whatever mirror you specify, as well as its dimensions, and whether to opt for landscape or portrait orientation.

But why might you prioritise ordering an ultra slim light mirror for a bathroom? Below, we have set out some of the potential reasons:

  • A slim bathroom mirror can be great for saving space. In bathrooms that are particularly small and narrow, a mirror in “standard” thickness may easily overwhelm the rest of the room. You might be eager to introduce a sense of light and depth to the bathroom with your chosen mirror, but you may not want it to look bulky or inelegant.
  • A slimline bathroom mirror often looks great. In an age in which our smartphones and tablet computers seem to be constantly shedding the pounds while piling on ever-increasing slickness and sophistication, today’s super-slimline bathroom mirrors also get in on this spirit. If you desire a sleek, contemporary look for your bathroom, you might be convinced that an ultra-slim mirror would be the ultimate choice.
  • A slim bathroom mirror can pack in considerable functionality. We’ve come a long way from the days when a slim bathroom mirror was automatically a basic mirror as far as its features were concerned. Our own ultra slim bar LED mirrors at Illuminated Mirrors can incorporate elements like built-in demister pads, sensor switches, and up-to-the-minute lighting technology, to help provide the most convenient experiences.
  • A slimline bathroom mirror can be expertly engineered for the utmost durability. Not so long ago, an obvious argument against investing in an ultra-slim bathroom mirror might have been its susceptibility to breakage. Today’s leading ultra-slim bathroom mirrors, however – made from robust materials such as aluminium, and engineered to the most exacting standards – can be just as tough as the thicker models on the market.

What are the possibilities when you turn to us for a slim bathroom mirror?

Whether you are seeking to specify a mirror for your own bathroom or someone else’s – the latter as an interior designer or contractor – you can expect all the options from our team at Illuminated Mirrors.

That might mean ordering an ultra-slim backlit mirror boasting such features as touch sensor on/off operation and LED temperature control. Or perhaps you are most drawn to our ultra slim dot mirrors with their classic point lights in various styles, or 360° edge-lit mirrors, which incorporate lights carefully positioned around the mirror’s edge to create a clean, even light?

Even super-slim non-illuminated mirrors can be ordered from our team, their overall depth of just 18mm belying their sheer refinement. So, even if you aren’t specifically in the market for a light mirror for your bathroom, we can present exciting options.

Our commitment to an all-round bespoke design service means you can have the very greatest confidence in our team realising the ultimate bathroom mirror for your needs. So, please don’t wait to reach out to us to discuss in greater detail how we could serve your highest expectations when it comes to this imperative element of your bathroom.

perfectly sized bathroom mirror

A Guide To Choosing The Right Size For Your Bathroom Mirror

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It might be tempting for many observers to imagine that the “right” dimensions for a bathroom mirror would simply be whatever dimensions fill the available space, while still allowing the mirror to be used for whatever practical purposes it was bought for.

If, however, you are in the market for made-to-measure bathroom mirrors and lights like those we are proud to design, manufacture, and supply here at Illuminated Mirrors, you will wish to spend a bit more time thinking about your custom mirror’s size.

Our bespoke bathroom mirrors can be produced in any size up to a maximum of 2.5 metres x 3.4 metres. So, you don’t have to settle for whatever “standard” dimensions a given bathroom mirror may be immediately available in.

This, though, will necessitate you thinking carefully about factors such as:

How large your bathroom space is

It might seem an “obvious” starting point, but it is an important one, nonetheless; grab a measuring tape, and work out the dimensions of the wall where you intend to have your bathroom mirror mounted. You won’t necessarily be trying to use up all the space, but it will give you a sense of what you have available to play with.

While you still have your measuring tape in hand, be sure to note your vanity unit’s width, too. A commonly cited “rule of thumb” is that a bathroom mirror should be wider than the sink it is positioned above, but should not exceed the width of the vanity unit.

So, aiming for your mirror to be a few inches narrower than the vanity unit is probably a good formula. This will help ensure a balanced look in your bathroom, preventing the mirror from visually overpowering the space’s other furniture, fittings, and décor.

The visual connection between the mirror and other elements

There are, though, some other factors to consider. If, for instance, you are planning to have lights fitted on either side of your bathroom mirror, it would probably be logical to choose a thinner mirror than you may have otherwise done.

Make sure, too, that your mirror isn’t of a size that blocks or interferes with any light sources or fixtures already present. Remember that the larger a mirror is, the greater the amount of light it will reflect, thereby helping to make the space seem brighter and more spacious.

A mirror height that makes both aesthetic and practical sense

As with every other aspect of choosing a bathroom mirror, it is not just what instinctively “looks right” that you will need to account for when deciding on the ideal height for your mirror. So, again, a certain formula for deciding is a good idea.

That formula generally equates to choosing a mirror that is a few feet tall, preferably one foot above and below the eyeline of the typical person who will be using it.

Given that bathroom vanities tend to be around 32 inches to 36 inches tall, and mirrors are normally positioned approximately five to 10 inches above the taps, this would suggest that a bathroom mirror should be placed about 40 inches above the floor.

If your bathroom has an especially high ceiling, this might naturally alter your calculation for how tall your mirror should be, as you may wish to play to the proportions of the space.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when it comes to deciding on the optimal dimensions for a bathroom mirror!

Our own expertise in the creation of impressive bathroom mirrors and lights here at Illuminated Mirrors can help ensure you get the right results from this crucial element of your home. So, please feel free to contact us for an in-depth discussion of your preferences and needs.

5 reasons why a lighted mirror can make your bathroom more eco-friendly

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According to data collected by the Office for National Statistics in the summer of 2023, almost 90% of adults in Great Britain have made at least some eco-conscious changes to their lifestyles.

You may be surprised by how easily you can “green” your bathroom when you know how. Have you considered switching to recycled toilet paper, cleaning the bath, toilet and sink with biodegradable wipes, and using soap bars rather than liquid soap from plastic bottles?

Doing your bit for the environment doesn’t have to deny you a lighted mirror in your bathroom, either — as the following points show.  

Our products are truly built to last

10-year warranty across our product catalog

We select only high-quality components for inclusion in the bathroom mirrors we offer, which we make by hand to ensure we can keep watch over every stage of the assembly process.

This leaves us with so much confidence in the build quality of our mirrors, that most of them come with a 10-year guarantee.

We wouldn’t want you to have to replace a bathroom mirror only a few years after buying it — especially if it could risk ending up on a landfill as a result.

We use easily recyclable materials as standard

Once we have provided you with an illuminated mirror, your household will hopefully enjoy using it for far longer than even the 10-year guarantee period.

Nonetheless, if you decide to replace this mirror sooner (for example, because your aesthetic tastes change), it will be perfectly possible for many of its materials — including aluminium, electrical components, and the reflective glass — to be recycled via a recycling facility near you.

Our bathroom mirrors consume energy efficiently

Why is this the case? Well, the illumination on these mirrors comes from LED lights, which use 90% less energy than conventional incandescent lightbulbs.

Also, we equip all our LED mirrors with infrared on/off sensors. So, you can switch the lighting on or off just by waving a hand at the sensor. It’s all so easy that you are less likely to overlook switching off those lights before leaving the room.

We are sourcing more and more components locally

We have long relied heavily on Chinese parts due to their impressive quality. Over time, however, we have also established relations with more British suppliers.

Naturally, those components that we do order from the UK & European markets don’t have to be transported over as long a distance in order to reach our workshop. This all bodes well for our carbon footprint — and by extension, your own when you buy a bathroom mirror from our team.

We take a bespoke approach

When you initially ask us for a lighted bathroom mirror, you can specify the design you want for it. When we have this information at close hand right from the start of the manufacturing process, we can save ourselves from using more materials and other resources than strictly necessary.

To learn more about the green benefits you can reap from adding a lighted mirror to your bathroom, please contact us.

5 Features You Could Have Incorporated Into Your Next Bathroom Mirror

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A bathroom mirror doesn’t have to be a basic and merely “utilitarian” item – it can “reflect” the highest aspirations you have for your interior space, in more ways than one.

For a demonstration of what we mean, you might consider some of the features we can build into an LED mirror that we hand-craft for you. Whether you are a homeowner carrying out bathroom remodelling, or a trade customer, you will hopefully be inspired by these possibilities.

CCT LEDs give you the flexibility to switch between cool and warm lighting options.

CCT LED lighting

Did you know that all our mirrors now use CCT LED strip? This enables you to achieve cool and warm lighting on a single strip, as opposed to the previous situation with our backlit mirrors, where we had to ask customers to select either warm or cool lighting.

So, at any one time, you can take advantage of the more flattering warm light (which is great for selfies), or the more practical cool light, which gives truer colour in the reflection. The latter is perfect for the application of makeup, as what you see in your reflection in the cool light will be what others see when they “check out your look” in the street.

Rigel Shaver Edge Mirror
Bathroom mirrors with integrated shaver socket

A shaver socket

Achieving an immaculate shave will be important to you in a wide range of scenarios – whether you’re looking to make the best possible impression at that job interview, or getting yourself more than presentable for your son or daughter’s wedding.

Yes, an LED mirror from us can incorporate a discreet shaver socket for your utmost convenience.

Ambient K36s Shaver
Aura ambient underlighting/downlighting

Aura underlighting

It is a feature that you might not give a great amount of thought to including in your next bathroom mirror, until you realise just how profoundly such ambient illumination can infuse this part of your home with atmosphere.

With Illuminated Mirrors, you get eight different lighting colours to choose from. This enables you to bring to your bathroom the same pleasing vibe from the “mood lighting” you might already have installed elsewhere in your house, cultivating a sophisticated, “spa-like” environment.

Leon Audio Shaver
Play your favourite playlist directly through your mirror or cabinet

Audio Bluetooth capability

Once upon a time, if someone had suggested to you that your bathroom mirror could play your favourite music while you enjoy an evening soak, or even play an audiobook, you might have thought that person was referring to something they’d seen in The Jetsons.

Times change, of course; the next LED mirror you invest in for your bathroom could easily give you such multisensory experiences via a Bluetooth-connected device.

Creative engraving

You might have a vague familiarity with crude engraving, but we aren’t referring to that here; we’re talking about high-tech laser engraving.

Nothing less than the very best, most accurate finish is acceptable when it comes to etching a pattern onto the glass of an LED mirror for our latest customer. We can even incorporate optional coloured backlighting to maximise the visual impact of your bathroom mirror’s engraved design.

If any of the potential bathroom mirror features outlined above have got you thinking about how we could realise the perfect LED mirror for you, now might be the time to email the Illuminated Mirrors team to begin the discussion. You can also call us on 07893 952 606.

Tips If You Are Looking To Upgrade Your Bathroom’s Electrics

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As the familiar saying goes, water and electricity don’t mix. This is why, when you want to switch the main light in a bathroom on or off, you would typically do so by pulling a cord rather than pressing a standard switch.

However, what if some of your bathroom’s electrics need upgrading? Perhaps an electrician has advised you that an electric shower you have long had in the space should be replaced, or you want to add a light-up bathroom mirror?

Here are some tips that can help you to avoid nasty shocks — of the electric kind or otherwise.

Keep an eye out for IP (Ingress Protection) ratings

Of course, before adding any electrical fittings to your bathroom, you need to decide exactly what those fittings should be. Any that you do choose should come with what is known as an IP rating. The initialism stands for “Ingress Protection” and, in the rating, is followed by two numbers.

These numbers refer to how effectively the product guards against the ingress of solid particles and moisture, respectively. The higher the number, the lower the chance of ingress.

For example, a product rated “IP44” has been scored “4” for its protection against both types of ingress. The score itself means that the product won’t be penetrated by either particles up to 1mm in size, or water resulting from splashes — which you can obviously get a lot of in a bathroom!

Be careful where sockets are installed

Yes, electrical sockets are legally permitted in bathrooms. However, those power outlets must be placed over three metres away from the edge of the nearest bath or shower.

There is an exception to this strict rule when it comes to having a shaver charging point in the bathroom. However, this socket would still need to be far away enough from the bath or shower to be safe from water splashes.

So, if you do want to be able to regularly recharge your shaver while in the bathroom, you might be confused about exactly where the socket could go without coming across as unsightly.

One thing that you could do is order a light-up bathroom mirror from our team here at Illuminated Mirrors. Why? We would be able to create that mirror in a custom design for you.

There are many different flourishes and features you could choose from for your mirror. For a start, you have free rein over the mirror’s size and shape. Especially crucially, you could have an electric shaver socket built into the mirror as well.

This socket will be sited on the bottom-right edge of the mirror’s frame, which will make it easily accessible — no small boon when you are in a rush to get ready in the morning.

We are happy to report that we can deliver backlit bathroom mirrors to addresses across the UK. To find out more about the custom-built mirrors we offer, please contact us today [email protected].