Photo incl - do we want portrait or landscape mirror to make ceiling look higher please?

[RTKM007]

We are having a relatively plain mirror made for us, with a single beville around the edge, we are having it made cos we can't find one that we like online or in shops (we have been looking for over a year since the room was painted) then saw a local mirror shop made them to order, so hey presto here we are with the design sorted just the orientation of it

The problem we have is deciding if we want it to be portrait or landscape

We think we want the room to be made to look taller, so my guess is portrait

The area above the oak mantelpiece is 145 cm wide and 140 cm tall up to the coving

The mirror will probably be 100cm x 120cm

The room is quite large (about 28' long and 14' wide) with a large window at the end nearest the fireplace and French doors at other end, the fireplace is on the long wall (at sitting room end rather than in the middle iyswim - dining table is at other end of room)

We will go with MN opinion cos we can't decide

Thank you

I haven't seen anyone with a mirror above their mantlepiece for years. Are you sure?

Everyone I know with a mantlepiece has a mirror above it but they're all landscape so just because that's all I've ever seen I'd say portrait would look odd.

I have a mirror over the mantle but it's landscape, mine would look very odd portrait. Best bet would be to hold the mirror in place and decide which way you prefere before hanging.

You're not going to have much wall showing given the size of the mirror. I think if you go portrait it will draw your eye upwards so increase your perception of height.

With landscape I think the opposite will be the case and make the chimney breast/wall look wider.

Is the chimney wall 14'? I'd go for landscape to widen that side.

I have a mirror over the mantelpiece and it's portrait. It's a large mirror and we have high ceilings.

Similar to this in the photo. So I'd go for portrait.

Oke doke thank you for the replies

Yes I do deffo want a mirror above the mantle piece, I'm not sure if visitors would think it old fashioned but on each side of the fireplace are oak chests from 17th and 18th centuries so old fashioned is in keeping with the furniture

Our builder suggested we put our TV on the fireplace but that room isn't really going to be for watching TV we have a "den" that will be for TV, DVD player and DS' PS4, plus all the stuff it comes with.

The sitting room does have a TV in there but will only be used for, if DH wants to watch a rugby match while I am watching a film in den, rather than day to day iyswim

It is sort of going to be a grown up space for visitors to see rather than the den which is for day to day chilling (and all the accompanying clutter and wires and junk) that visitors won't see

The wall the fireplace is on is the long wall so about 28' long

So we don't really need to make that wall appear longer

I don't know the height of the ceiling but DH has to go on steps ladder to change the light bulbs

Along the rest of the wall will be photos and pictures, so on either side of the fireplace, 18' to the left and 5' to the right up to the French doors (to the left) and window (to the right)

Sorry about quality of the photo I did it late last night with iPad camera

Thank you so much everyone

Just shown DH the photo and he likes how that one looks

Having seen the one in that picture I've changed my mind they look loads better portrait.

Mirrors over the fireplace do suit some houses better than others, if you are going for a fairly traditional/ classic look, it's perfectly in keeping. I would try the mirror in place as often it's a matter of proportions rather than just orientation as to what looks right. I have landscape over my living room fireplace which has a picture rail above and a larger portrait one over my dining room one which doesn't . Both look right. Can't say which makes the room taller as my rooms all have 3.2m high ceilings, so they all look huge.
TVs above mantelpieces are a personal hate and often are too high to sit comfortably in a room.

Picture rail will make the ceilings look higher, then mirror below that

Portrait.

I had no idea a mirror above a fireplace was considered old fashioned!

I also think a portrait one would look best in that space.

Portrait is the way to go.

It will highlight the height of the room.

I'd also think about painting the chimney breast in a bold colour to accentuate the mirror.

Because it's a small surface area you can afford to use something really intense like midnight blue, a deep red or charcoal.

www.google.co.uk/search?q=charcoal+chimney+breast&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari#imgrc=wBMBnw1Ux2QKvM:

I wouldn't say it's old fashioned at all. Will just depend on the type of mirror.

I'd go for portrait too. Old fashioned? . What are all the on trend fashionistas putting over their fireplaces this season?
And why in earth does it matter?

In this case, portrait. It will look lovely.

TVs on the wall above the mantelpiece looks awful, especially in an older house.

The emphasis on fashion never fails to amaze me. We don't all redecorate and change furniture all the time just to keep in fashion. Have what you like and feel comfortable with.

I wouldn't be surprised if the fashion atm is to have nothing above the fire place.

Portrait definitely, but not too narrow.

I'm going circular with my chimney breasts

The fashion is probably to put a television above it instead of a mirror

You made me laugh with your circular breasts. When I read that, I was thinking you could have one of those curved TV's on it, the curves the wrong way though

Thank you everyone

You guys are really deffo brill

It is decided PORTRAIT

I think the new idea is to put a TV on the fireplace wall rather than a mirror.

Putting a bold colour on the fireplace did occur to me when we moved in but tbh the main thing then was to get rid of the awful huge red flowery wallpaper, so went for a pale pink to calm the room down

The huge flowers were horrible IMHO, the previous owners certainly went for strong colours, the kitchen was bright hot pink - the spare bedroom upstairs is still orange (and I mean bright orange) not decided on a colour yet so it is referred to as the orange room, the small bedroom was green and white striped wallpaper that is now a soft blue, DS room was dark diarrhoea brown, that is now sunshine yellow (his choice)

Anyway, you guys have all been amazing. DH is going to order it tomorrow so hopefully next week or week after, I will be able to show it to you in it's position

If you don't have a mirror over the fireplace, what on earth do you have?

OP, I'd say portrait, as it's not a long narrow mirror. That's what I have anyway.

Ah, a television. Urgh! Dreadful.