The mirror ceiling in the bathroom looks very original and stylish. It is not a frequently used element of bathroom design, since the installation of mirror plates is associated with certain difficulties.
Advantages and disadvantages
The advantage of the mirror ceiling is that thanks to it the interior looks much more interesting - the ceiling reflects all the objects in the room, giving the bathroom the illusion of an additional, “second” space.
At the same time, the mirror ceiling is unexpectedly practical solution. After all, it is in the bathroom that the finish must be carried out using moisture-resistant materials. To do this, use tiles and a special waterproof drywall (GVL). But all this looks familiar and traditional, while the mirror ceiling has, indeed, ideal properties for installation in the bathroom.
Mirror plates are 100% moisture resistant - even water directly on their surface will not damage the ceiling. Simply wipe the surface. In addition, modern mirror materials have a good margin of safety. They can be mounted on any surface and combined with other types of finishes.
Of the minuses of the mirror coating of the ceiling can be called its high cost. In addition, the mirror requires careful handling due to its fragility. Even a minor blow can lead to cracking, and replacing a mirror can be expensive depending on the material.
Mirrors are prone to contamination - any stains and dust are immediately evident. Such a coating will require regular wet cleaning. However, this will not create special difficulties.You can simply wipe it with a cloth from time to time to keep the surface clean.
Part of the drawback is the complexity of the installation, so it is important to consider the level of competence of the workers who will perform the installation.
Varieties
Today there are 4 types of mirror coatings for ceilings:
- gypsum-based mirror film;
- mirror plate;
- aluminum ceiling;
- mirror stretch ceiling.
The first option is easier with respect to installation. It is not particularly different from work with drywall, except that it requires careful handling of the mirror surface.
Mirror plates are a bit trickier to install. These panels are quite heavy, they will have to be installed together for two or three. If we are talking about mirror plates made of polystyrene, then the actual process of fixing them on a stretch ceiling is quite simple. They are attached to a special glue.
But mirror plates in the classic version, made of glass, it is much more difficult to fix it - this is a completely special technology. Most likely, you will have to order installation from specialists, and the plates themselves, as already mentioned, are expensive.
Depending on the specifics of the order, the surface of the mirror plates can be smooth or embossed, wavy.
Compared to glass aluminum ceiling coating may seem like a more practical solution. It does not break and does not rust. Modern aluminum coatings have suitable characteristics for use as a ceiling in the bathroom. They are reliable and unpretentious.
You can also choose option with stretch ceiling. The stretch ceiling is firmly included in the latest trends in interior design. It is fashionable and modern, although it should be understood that such a ceiling will not be completely mirrored. Its design uses a glossy film, the reflection on which will be blurred.
Installation
Before installation it is important to properly prepare the original surface. In this case, its old finish (wallpaper, painting) is usually removed using soapy water or an appropriate solvent. These works are necessary if you plan to mount a mirror coating directly on the ceiling surface.
There is another option. You can make a frame from a metal profile, and mount mirrors to it. Then the old coating from the ceiling does not need to be removed, it is enough to prime its surface.
The installation of the mirror coating itself is carried out using screws or glue. Screws are used if you first assembled the frame, or if the ceiling plane is mounted from aluminum mirror rails.
The frame and suspension system, mounted in front of the mirror coating itself, give great freedom in the design and choice of the shape of the mirror coating. But if you order work from builders, then keep in mind - such a design will cost you more than installing mirrors directly on the main ceiling.
To install mirror plates without a suspension system during installation, it is important to maintain a flat surface. A level or level is useful for this. This will provide a good appearance of the mirror coating.
Design options
When choosing a design, the main points to pay attention to are the color of the mirrors and decor. You can choose from a variety of shades on the market so that the color of the ceiling is in harmony with the overall interior design.
Popular color options found in most mirror coating stores are bronze, green, blue, pink, antique, gray.
Black mirrors are also used, which effectively shade the color of the walls and furniture. They are good with backlighting, as mirrors have excellent reflective characteristics.
As for the decor, There are several common ways to make design more complex and interesting: the use of plates of various shapes, mosaics and mirror strips (rails). Today, mirror panels with drawings, ornaments, and surfaces of complex shape (for example, wavy) are popular.
Mirror plates of various shapes go well with a wide variety of finishing materials. They add complexity to the design, while the same rectangular panels look boring. You can use round and hexagonal mirror elements, as well as vary the size of the plates - if only this would not create too big problems during installation.
The design with mirror stripes will also look quite original. Their feature is that they reflect objects only partially. Mirror strips in the interior of the bathroom will give it lightness and grace.
The richest choice of styles and design solutions is offered by mirror panels with drawings and ornaments. You can choose the shades and nature of the ornament to your liking. The bathrooms use a wide variety of decor options: both classic, for example, in the antique style, and modern.
When applying an ornament to a reflective coating, two techniques are used: a colored ornament or a colorless one. Colorless is applied without the use of varnish. Such an ornament will reflect the color of the backlight.
As for the color ornament, it is obtained by applying varnish to colorless and thereby achieving a special brightness, creating the impression of volume.
The original solution will be ceiling with a complex (non-smooth) surface. The waves on it, for example, in an interesting way refract light, scatter it.
You can also play with sharpness of reflection using coatings. with different reflectivity. It can be natural mirrors, as well as having the effect of light reflection. To create the illusion of soft diffusion of light, you can use matte mirror surfaces.
Mosaic is often used in the bathroom. This is a classic version of the design that was used in antiquity. Mirror mosaics are a great way to make the look of the ceiling more interesting.
But make sure that the ceiling at the same time retains the ability to realistically reflect objects and not distort them too much (in order to avoid the effect of chaotic reflections, as in a laughing room).
When using reflective mosaics and mirrors with a complex surface in the bathroom interior, it should be borne in mind that such elements will cast glare on the walls and floor. Perhaps, when choosing these types of design, it is worth making the rest of the interior somewhat more minimalistic, so as not to overload your bathroom visually.
Either you can use mirrors more moderately or apply the effect of a matte surface, as mentioned above.
Lighting
When the design is ready, you need to take care of an important element of the mirror ceiling - lighting.
Among lighting appliances for ceilings, spotlights and pendant lamps are distinguished. In addition, there are overhead and recessed spotlights. The practical difference between them is the distance between the mirror and the main ceiling; If you do not want to underestimate the mirror ceiling (more than 15 cm from the main one), then you need to use overhead lamps.
Spotlights are often used for bathrooms. Sometimes you can use a chandelier. In combination with a ceiling of a more complex shape, chandeliers are also used to emphasize its design (for example, with multi-level stretch ceilings).
In addition to those listed, panel lights and LED strips are used. As a rule, they are hidden in the ceiling structure to obtain a soft, diffuse backlight.
conclusions
Mirror ceiling - a stylish solution for the design of the bathroom. It also has practical properties.However, it should still be protected from pollution, frequent exposure to hot steam, especially from mechanical damage.
There are both ready-made sets of mirrors for installation on the market (in the form of a mirror film, polystyrene plates and classic mirrors), as well as proposals for the manufacture of panels to order. In the latter case, you can discuss with the masters the sizes and shapes of mirror products, their shades and decor, as well as installation options.
