which way shall i hang this mirror above mantle..pics on profile

[ggirl]

dh says he doesn't care
it was a bargain
there is still plastic round the mirror
it's oak
it doesn't go that well with the mantle but i am past caring now..

I think we will hang it so it is about 6" above the mantle if portrait and a bit higher if landscape

Definitely landscape

What is the rest of the room like furniture etc. I think the fireplace is ok! If it were mine I would nitromors the top to lighten it and then light sand and clear wax. It would look lovely with your mirror and 2 tall/huge church candles either end

the floor is oak , other furniture a mixture of oak and painted cream
walls cream
sofas , one cream, one green

large cream rug

sounds very cream but lots of colourful accessories and painting etc

You could get a fireplace to surround the bricks like the first one Just don't paint the bricks like the second one!

That is BRILLIANT idea!!

Can you buy kits to do that?

Obviously needs to be cut to the right sizes

I meant you should do exactly as I do, of course.........

Just rest it on the mantle gg - V boho

yy sounds good

am thinking of changing the whole sodding suround now

love mumsnet

I would take your measurements and look online for one that fits - if not I'd go to a fireplace shop and get their advice.

yes , I take it I need to rip the mantle shelf off ?

A carpenter handyman could make a simple surround that would fit properly

Don't rip it off yet. Measure not including the mantle and then price up. You don't want to rip it off and then find out it will be too expensive to do!

Decided yet?

My twopennorth - portrait because your fireplace is already short and dumpy and hanging that mirror landscape above it just accentuates the shortness and dumpiness of your fireplace. Portrait lifts it a little.

On t'other hand, if you get a nice fire surround with a higher mantelpiece, then go for landscape. :)

haven't ripped out yet

Have decided portrait...am looking at it now and liked what I saw walking back into the room.

I am so glad I asked here for opinions!!

The mantle seems very easy to remove anyway.not attached to the wall as I can slide a piece of paper the length of it

All excited now about a new look fireplace

Portrait. I thought you weren't supposed to hang mirrors above fireplaces, in case you set alight whilst gazing at yourself

have looked for a surround till my eyes are bleeding

am obsessed now

easily swap the mantle for this much nicer one??

Portrait definitely. I love the dark brown bricks though!

OK just to throw a spanner into the works - why do people put mirrors above their fireplaces? Is it so they can admire themselves before settling down to watch Coronation Street or what?? Have always been puzzled by this one.

In my case, Alinta, it was a room-expander. It just made my rather small living room look bigger - creation of illusion of space.
It can also be a good way to see the pictures on the wall above the seat you're sitting on (current situation - sofa is opposite fire place, can't hang my favourite pic anywhere except above sofa, but I can see it in the mirror so that's fine).

have found out the mantle is pine
a friend is going to plane it to get it back to original colour

but I will probably end up replacing it when I find the right one

thanks for yr help girls

Landscape.

YAY portrait.

Either just leave it resting on the mantelpiece or hang it where you can stand and comfortably see yourself without having to go right up to it.

Once the mantel is planed and sanded with fine sandpaper you can stain it to match anything you want, and gloss over if you want.

My big portrait mirror over the fireplace expands the space. I can also take a quick check of how I look before I go to answer the door (such is the layout). I can also light a candle or two there and the light is reflected. If I didn't have the mirror I would need something else equally big there, and I am picky about pictures, especially big ones that would be in my face a lot or on a wall where the eye is going to be drawn naturally.

if just resting, how do you make it safe?

You could have it leaning back against the wall very slightly or maybe use small tacks in the mantelpiece to keep it from sliding forward if you didn't want to rely on just the leaning. You couldn't just stand it upright I would imagine.