The creative use of mirrors can brighten and beautify any commercial space.
Throughout history, a mirror has cast more than just one’s own reflections. In Greek mythology, the handsome Narcissus was notorious for staring at his likeness in a pool of water for hours at a time. Not only was the word “narcissism” created in his honor, but so was the challenge of creating a portable reflective device, so that other Greeks could gaze at themselves whenever they desired.
The first glass mirrors can be traced back to the 3rd century A.D., then grew in popularity in Egypt, Germany, and Asia. In medieval Japan, mirrors were considered sacred; they were used to dispel evil spirits in Shinto shrines, and as a means of speaking to the gods. Bram Stoker’s classic horror novel, Dracula, introduced the concept that vampires could be detected by their lack of reflection in a mirror. Extremely helpful tidbit if you were a vampire hunter.
The glassblowing method of making mirrors started in the 14th century. Soon after, mirrors were used during satanic rituals and witchcraft. Some believed that the devil himself was waiting on the other side of the reflective glass. On a less demonic note, Spanish and French spies used mirrors to code and decode secret messages.
Over time, mirrors became less about the occult and espionage, and more about making interior spaces look more spacious and brighter. When placed at certain angles, a mirror can bounce light off its surface and illuminate dark sections of a room, especially if placed opposite a sun-facing window. That’s why mirrors are very often placed in commercial spaces, so customers can benefit from the warm, inviting glow that reflected light can provide. People like to shop in places that feel open, comfortable, and inviting. In short, mirrors can help provide a better retail buying experience in any space.
How Are Mirrors Made
The first mirrors were originally made of sheets of shiny, polished metal. In the 17th century, a technique called “silvering” was created, which coated the back of a glass panel with melted silver. These early mirrors inevitably warped, which then rippled or distorted the image, like those zany mirrors in a carnival fun house. That problem eventually smoothed itself out.
Before 1940, some mirror makers used mercury instead of silver because it spread more evenly over the glass surface. But as we now know, mercury turned out to be a toxic material. Presently, aluminum is the most used metallic mirror coating. Silicon oxides and silicon nitrides are sometimes applied to scientific-grade mirrors because these coatings are more scratch resistant.
Commercial mirrors are designed to be far more structurally sound than a standard mirror intended for residential use. This is because in a commercial setting, many more people will use the restroom or shower, and interact with the mirror than would be the case in a residential environment. It’s important that the mirror is protected, as well as laminated to be shatter resistant.
For commercial settings, there are many reflective surface options available, including standard tempered mirror, as well as aluminum, acrylic, laminated, polycarbonate, and others.
Where are the best places to put commercial mirrors?
Adding commercial mirrors to public spaces can enhance the beauty of many interior retail environments. Well-lit rooms with paneled mirrors can expand the appearance of most spaces, making them look less boxy. Corridors can also benefit from the targeted use of mirrors, which can make tight hallways seem wider and airier.
Mirrors are available in all shapes, sizes, and shades, and can be used as a design feature in many hospitality spaces, including restaurants, hotels, casinos, and more. Glazed mirrors can come in a variety of visually striking colors and can help guide your customers’ eyes to any desired focal point.
The most common locations where adding mirrors can positively enhance the customer and human experience are:
- Elevators
- Bathrooms
- Entrances to buildings
- Hotels
- Office spaces
- Beauty salons
- Bars and restaurants
- Gyms and fitness centers
- Dressing rooms
- Dance studios
What are the benefits of commercial mirrors?
Using mirrors can provide many benefits for residents and visitors of retail, commercial and hospitality spaces.
Psychological Benefits
Studies have shown that placing mirrors within elevators in commercial and office buildings provides important psychological benefits for people, for several reasons. Inside an elevator, mirrors alleviate anxiety and relief from claustrophobia by creating the illusion of being in a bigger and less confined space. They also increase the safety of an elevator ride, by making visible what other passengers are doing. That visibility can also enhance the safety of someone in a wheelchair or while transporting bulky objects. And lastly, they create a distraction for elevator riders who can entertain themselves by checking out themselves or other passengers.
In addition, mirrors placed in elevator boarding areas have been shown to reduce impatience caused by riders waiting long times for busy elevators to arrive.
Enhanced Natural Lighting
Reflecting natural sunlight off commercial mirrors can help employees feel less stress and increase job performance. This feat can be accomplished by installing full wall mirrors, which can maximize a room’s natural luminance.
Expanded Perception of Room Size
Mirrors can make any room seem larger than the space’s actual square footage. An open retail space allows customers to feel more welcome. For employees, a more spacious workplace can help improve productivity and well-being.
Create Privacy between Offices and Perception of Spaciousness
Designing individual enclosed offices from previously open-floor environments can be a challenge. The resulting offices are often small, and close to each other. One solution is to line an interior office wall with a mirror to make it feel larger. To create privacy between offices, the wall bordering the hallway could also be mirrored, to block seeing in, and to make the hallway feel less narrow.
Showcase Decorative Interior Décor
Commercial mirrored wall panels can be as decorative as framed photos, paintings, or other forms of wall-hanging art. These wall panels are available in a wide variety of visually pleasing designs, colors, and shades.
Keeping Mirrors Free from Graffiti
In public spaces, an ongoing headache for commercial property owners and managers is the proliferation of unwanted graffiti on walls, glass, and mirrors. Cleaning graffitied surfaces is expensive and time-consuming. There are several solutions available to choose from.
- Install anti-graffiti mirrored glass. This type of mirror can protect surfaces from spray paint, corrosion, discoloration, scratches, etching, and everyday wear and tear. The glass comes from the manufacturer with this feature included.
- Buy mirrored glass to which anti-graffiti coatings have been applied at the fabricators. Many exterior coatings are acid resistant and clean easily, and protect mirrored surfaces in commercial restrooms, large windows, plus train, subway, and bus terminal spaces, and much more.
- Hire professionals to apply anti-graffiti film to the exte
Commercial Mirrors Lights Up the Las Vegas Strip and LAX
Giroux Glass has been at the forefront of new and innovative commercial mirror installation and design. Recently, we helped luxury streetwear retailer, Amiri, shine even more brightly at the Wynn/Encore Resort in Las Vegas. The store’s customized mirrors we installed have helped highlight the high-end retailer’s clothes, shoes, and accessories for their customers, and created a more spacious and welcoming shopping venue.
Also in Las Vegas, we adorned the futuristic bar in Resorts World’s upscale restaurant, Bar Zazu, with decorative mirrors and movable electronic art. Giroux Glass partnered with construction firm, W.A. Richardson Builders and glass manufacturer, Pulp Studio, to source, fabricate, and install the glass and mirrors in the eatery. We managed all the glazing and installation. The bar’s stunning back wall mirror pieces were individually created, utilizing both straight and curved glass that conformed to the twisty contours of the wall itself. Every mirror was custom-measured and individually ordered. Colored fuchsia, annealed, laminated mirrors were used in the lounge to beautifully contrast with the surrounding dark blue substrates, adding intrigue and allure to the space.
At the Delta Sky Club at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), we helped Delta Air Lines’ club members experience a more dynamic lounge ambiance with customized, imported decorative glass in the men’s and women’s shower areas. The design touches include curved ceiling detailing reminiscent of the look and feel of the Pacific Ocean. This project was part of Delta Air Lines’ $2.3 billion facility expansion, to create a brighter, more modern presence at LAX. At 30,000 square feet, this is the largest Sky Club at any Delta Air Lines terminal. The mirrors ranged in size from 11″ x 102″ to 59″ x 102″. We also installed 23 full-length restroom mirrors, with polished aluminum channels around the perimeter. Made in Italy, these oversized, decorative, bronze-tinted mirrors line the main shower corridor, creating a warm and inviting setting for its Delta Sky Club members.
In conclusion, commercial mirrors can help building owners, architects and engineers, and construction professionals beautify and protect any public space. From mirror tinting to anti-graffiti glass, commercial mirrors can enhance natural lighting, expand room sizes, increase office space privacy, decrease anxiety, enhance safety, and create more attractive interior décors. Mirrors are no longer used just for self-reflection. Narcissus would be proud.