Bathroom Mirror Update: A Simple Swap That Made a Big Difference

The upstairs hall bathroom had been largely overlooked for the past nine months—beyond throwing up a shower curtain when we moved in and the occasional toilet cleaning, it didn’t get much attention. From day one those plain, builder-basic mirrors were on our to-do list.

We framed out the mirror in our last hall bathroom, but this time we wanted something with a different shape and a bit more personality. Sherry kept an eye out for mirrors with interesting shapes—round, quatrefoil, or anything that felt special—so framing wasn’t the plan this time. Instead, we browsed thrift stores, HomeGoods, and Ikea until we found two matching mirrors we liked. We found a pair at HomeGoods that worked perfectly for this room. Clara immediately approved, saying, “I like it because it’s like a shiny necklace!”

Removing the old mirrors was straightforward. I unscrewed the top mirror clips and carefully slid the old mirror out of place. The new mirrors had two D-hooks on the back, which made hanging them simple and secure. Here’s how we did it:

1. Temporarily taped a mark on the side of the mirror to indicate where the screw on the back would sit.
2. Measured the distance from the mirror’s edge to the D-hook so we could transfer that location to the wall.
3. Measured the distance between the two D-hooks to ensure the screws on the wall matched the spacing exactly.

With the mirror held in place, Sherry directed while I adjusted the position so it was centered and at a good height above the countertop. I used my initial tape mark to show where the top screw needed to land, then adjusted inward by the measured inset so the screw would catch the D-ring properly.

To transfer the second screw location I used a combination yardstick/level. The level ensured both marks were at the same height and the yardstick helped position the second mark at the correct distance from the first. After drilling anchors and setting screws in both spots, it was just a matter of hooking the D-hooks over the screws and letting the mirrors hang.

One nice surprise: although the mirrors look heavy and metallic, they’re actually fairly lightweight. The finish gives them a substantial look while keeping them easy to handle—so hanging them didn’t require a third pair of hands or heavy-duty hardware.

Clara immediately treated the new mirrors like treasures. Her new favorite activity is playing in the sink and admiring herself in the shiny frames; she’s convinced the update is solely for her. It’s sweet to see how much a simple change can delight a child—she keeps getting distracted by her reflection like a little magpie drawn to anything gold and sparkly.

There’s still more to do in this bathroom—new lights, new faucets, replacing the shell-shaped sinks, and eventually a tile update or even a fully tiled wall behind the mirrors. But swapping out the mirrors was a small, affordable upgrade that made the room feel more finished and thoughtfully designed.

Anyone else working on a quick bathroom refresh? Replacing mirrors is one of those easy projects that can change the look of a space without a huge investment. And if you have kids, beware—once the mirrors are pretty, they may spend a little too much time practicing their best poses in the sink.