Why you should hang mirrors over your fireplaces – urges a Feng Shui expert

The appeal of a mirror, and its relationship to interior design, needs no introduction. This essential element is a feature interiors experts use relentlessly to reflect light around a room – and to make a space feel larger. 

But what do experts say about the impact of a mirror in terms of Feng Shui? 

Whether you have a fireplace in the bedroom – or you're learning more about living room feng shui – experts have shared that putting a mirror above your fireplace is one of the most powerful things you can do to impact the energy of your space. 

When used correctly, they say, putting a mirror above your fireplace can fill your room with positivity. Here's why – and how to amplify its features.

How does putting a mirror over a fireplace affect a space?

Simply put, putting a mirror over a fireplace can improve a room's chi (positive) energy; this, in turn, makes for a more harmonius and welcoming space.

Melissa Waite Stamps, a member of the International Feng Shui Guild, explains that, in Feng Shui, there are five elements: wood, fire, earth, water, and metal. 'One of the intentions in Feng Shui is to create a harmonious flow of energy between elements and qualities of Chi,' she says. 'Chi can be expressed in infinite ways, qualities, elements, colors, seasons of the year, Yin and Yang expressions, and other ways.' 

It is the impact of the different elements and Chi that makes this mirror placement so powerful. 

'A mirror is usually associated with the element of Water, which has to do with mystery, emotion, career, wealth, and the flow of business and commerce,' Melissa says. 

Meanwhile, the fireplace is (perhaps unsurprisingly) associated with the Fire element. 'Fire is creative, expansive; if burning too hot can burn itself and others. It is magnetic and compelling, self-expressive, and essential to life.'

In the teaching, Fire and Water elements usually conflict with one another. However, while this may initially sound problematic in terms of mirror ideas, Melissa explains there is nothing negative about putting one above your fireplace.

'With a deeper understanding of Feng Shui and the elements, you can work with the Chi to create positive outcomes. You want to amplify positive features,' she says. 

But what do you need to know?

How to style your mirror above your fireplace – to accentuate positive energy

Whether you're working with your living room, dining room, or bedroom Feng Shui – the secret to styling mirrors above your fireplace remains the same. Melissa urges you to reflect plants, flowers, or trees (where possible) in the reflection to 'feed' the element of Fire and improve the Creative Cycle.

If you have a mirror above a fireplace in the Career Gua (the center third of the front of your home) and it reflects your garden trees or garden, then it symbolizes the element of Water feeding the element of Wood (trees, plants, and flowers),' the expert explains. 'The Wood feeds the element of Fire. This is part of the Creative Cycle.'

If you are unable to reflect trees in your mirror, you can still achieve a similar effect by investing in the correct Feng Shui plants. Melissa recommends putting two curly bamboo plants or flowers in front of the mirror so that the energy of Wood is doubled by the mirror's reflection. This will create a similar cure.