Oval mirrors buying guide
An oval mirror trades the corners of a rectangle for a continuous curve, and in a bathroom full of tiles, screens and straight vanity lines that is the whole point. This collection is broader than the word suggests. It holds true ovals, elongated capsules and pills, an oblong, a pivoting oval and a group of lit mirrors, so the first job is to decide which kind of curve you want. The practical call: choose the shape for the wall it will hang on, size the width against the vanity, centre it at eye level and fix it for its weight. The sections below take each step, with the source for each figure named in the text.
What counts as an oval here
A true oval is a smooth ellipse with no straight sides. The Marquis Oval is the clearest example, a frameless polished edge mirror in 600mm, 750mm, 900mm and 1200mm sizes, 25mm deep. The Thermogroup Oval Polished Edge Mirror is 600mm by 800mm or 900mm by 750mm, with 14mm glass, metal hangers, and a choice of portrait or horizontal hanging. The Turner Hastings Mayer Pivot Oval is 620mm by 538mm in chrome or brushed brass.
The collection also holds elongated shapes that sit next to the oval. The Marquis Capsule is 550mm by 900mm and the Marquis Luna is 456mm by 1000mm, both with soft edges. The Remer Modern Oblong is 460mm wide and 910mm or 1210mm high in a brushed nickel aluminium frame. The Marquis Otto and Hexa are geometric, and the Marquis Culare is a horizontal capsule at 1200mm by 650mm. Pills, which have straight sides and rounded ends, are covered on pill shape mirrors.
Why an oval
An Australian style guide says round and oval mirrors give a softer, more organic look than rectangular ones, and can make a small space appear larger. A UK bathroom retailer's guide describes the oval as elongating, and says it draws the eye upward and suits narrow vanities. A designer quoted by Homes and Gardens says a circular mirror adds softness and contrasts with the crisp angles of the vanity and the shower screen. The same logic applies to a tall oval, which adds softness and height together.
Houzz makes the room-level point: round mirrors suit pedestal basins and bathrooms with many hard surfaces. An oval does the same job in a more upright form. If the room is already curved, with a round basin, a freestanding bath and arched doors, a rectangle gives the eye somewhere to rest.
Oval, pill, round or arch
The soft shapes do different jobs. A round mirror is the same in every direction and suits a small wall or a pair over a double vanity. An oval gives the curve more length. A pill keeps straight sides and rounds only the ends, and the style guide describes it as an elongated oval. An arch has a flat bottom and curved top, which adds height and the sense of a doorway. For the alternatives see round mirrors, arched mirrors and rectangular mirrors.
The decision often comes down to the wall. A tall, narrow wall suits an upright oval or capsule, because it fills the height. A wide, low wall suits a horizontal oval, and the Thermogroup Cody oval and the Marquis Culare can hang that way. A vanity with a round basin pairs with an oval or round mirror. A room full of straight lines, tiles and screens benefits from a soft shape more than a room that is already curved.
Size against the vanity
Houzz gives the clearest width rule: when the mirror is not the same width as the vanity, make it 70 to 80 per cent as wide, and 60 to 70 per cent when sconces share the wall. On a 600mm vanity that is a mirror about 420mm to 480mm wide. On a 900mm vanity it is about 630mm to 720mm, and on a 1200mm vanity about 840mm to 960mm. The Australian style guide gives a second rule of thumb, that a mirror should be 50mm to 100mm narrower than the vanity, and says a single vanity is commonly 600mm to 900mm wide and a double vanity 1200mm to 1800mm.
The two rules give different answers, so choose by shape. With the Houzz rule, a 600mm Marquis Oval suits a vanity about 750mm to 855mm wide, a 750mm oval suits one about 940mm to 1070mm, and a 900mm oval suits one about 1125mm to 1285mm. The 1200mm oval suits a vanity about 1500mm to 1715mm wide. Under the narrower-by-50-to-100mm rule, the same ovals suit vanities between 650mm and 1300mm. Tape the outline to the wall before you order and look at it from the doorway.
Two mirrors over a double vanity
A double vanity gives you the choice between one wide mirror and two. The style guide says two identical mirrors over a double vanity create a balanced, symmetrical look and give each user their own space. Houzz says several tall, skinny mirrors give a vertical look, which suits high ceilings. The Australian height guide asks for at least 100mm between two mirrors.
Narrow shapes suit this layout. The 456mm Luna, the 550mm Capsule and the 460mm Remer Oblong are narrow enough to pair over two basins without crowding. Centre each mirror on its basin, check the gap, and plan the fixings for both. If the mirrors are lit, plan the supply for both before the wall is closed.
Height on the wall
Hang the mirror so its centre meets your eyes. An Australian height guide puts the centre at 1500mm to 1650mm from the floor, with 100mm to 200mm between the tap and the base of the mirror and the top edge at least 100mm below the ceiling. Houzz says a mirror needs to reach about 30cm above and below the eye line of its users.
An oval has no flat base, so it looks lower than its measurements suggest. Work it through for a common size. A 900mm tall oval centred at 1600mm covers 1150mm to 2050mm, which clears the tap zone and leaves 350mm under a 2400mm ceiling. A 600mm tall oval centred at the same height covers 1300mm to 1900mm, which still covers the eye line of most adults. The height guide notes that average eye level runs from 1600mm to 1750mm, so measure the people who use the basin.
Working through the narrow shapes
The Houzz rule can be turned around to show which vanity each narrow shape suits. At 70 to 80 per cent, a 456mm Luna suits a vanity about 570mm to 650mm wide, a 500mm Marquis Otto suits one about 625mm to 715mm, and a 550mm Capsule suits one about 690mm to 785mm. A 460mm Remer oblong suits a vanity about 575mm to 655mm. Where sconces share the wall the rule drops to 60 to 70 per cent, and a 550mm Capsule then suits a vanity about 785mm to 915mm wide.
A worked height example
The Australian height guide gives a worked example: on an 850mm vanity with a 175mm basin mixer, the base of the mirror falls between 1125mm and 1225mm from the floor. A 910mm Remer oblong with its base at 1125mm reaches 2035mm, and at 1225mm it reaches 2135mm. The 1210mm oblong is taller: at a base of 1125mm it reaches 2335mm, which leaves only 65mm under a 2400mm ceiling, short of the 100mm the guide asks for. A tall oval or oblong needs its top edge checked as well as its base.
Upright or sideways
The listings say which way each mirror hangs. The Thermogroup oval can hang in portrait or horizontal orientation, the Marquis Culare is horizontal, and the Otti LED Noosa frameless and the 900mm by 600mm versions can go either way. The Remer oblong and the 900mm by 450mm Noosa are vertical only. A mirror hung sideways changes the wall it suits, so settle the direction before the vanity is ordered, and check the orientation line on the listing because the fixing and the wiring depend on it.
Small bathrooms and powder rooms
A humidity guide says a mirror 600mm to 900mm tall suits most single vanities, and suggests keeping 150mm to 200mm clear above a mirror from cabinets or exhaust fans. A narrow oval or capsule fits a compact vanity without crowding the corners. The Australian style guide says round and oval mirrors can make a small space appear larger, which is a reason to choose a curve where the room is tight. Allow for wall lights: when sconces share the wall, the width falls to 60 to 70 per cent of the vanity, so a narrow shape leaves room beside it for the light.
Geometric shapes
The Marquis Otto and Hexa sit beside the ovals for the same narrow walls. The Otto is 500mm by 900mm and the Hexa is 445mm by 1000mm, and the listings sit them with the ovals as narrow, upright shapes. The sizing and height rules above apply to them in the same way. For the whole group see Marquis mirrors.
Frames and finishes
A frameless oval reads as shape and glass only. The Marquis Oval and Thermogroup Cody oval have polished edges, and the Marquis Capsule and Luna have soft edges. A frame adds a line. The Remer Modern Oblong has a brushed nickel aluminium frame, and the Otti LED Noosa comes in black, white or brushed gold metal frames as well as frameless. A UK retailer's guide describes three frame weights: frameless for a clean look that keeps light and space open, thin-edged for definition without dominating, and thick-framed to anchor the vanity area.
The UK guide goes finish by finish. Brushed brass and gold match brass taps and contrast with black fittings, black cuts through pale tiles and matches black brassware, and chrome suits traditional and modern bathrooms alike. The pivot oval in chrome or brushed brass, the Remer oblong in brushed nickel and the Noosa in black, white or brushed gold give a choice in each family, so pick the finish before the shape if the tapware is already chosen.
Finish is the decision tapware answers. The same guide says to match the mirror finish to taps and accessories for a cohesive look, or contrast on purpose. For brushed nickel see brushed nickel tapware, for black black taps, and for gold or brass brushed brass taps. To compare framed with frameless, see framed mirrors and frameless mirrors.
The pivot oval
The Turner Hastings Mayer Pivot Oval suits a classic bathroom. The listing describes a heritage style oval with decorative finials, a pivot function that tilts the mirror to the best viewing angle, a thick-plated bevelled mirror, a chrome surround, and concealed wall brackets. It measures 620mm by 538mm, so it is a compact mirror for a narrow wall. It also comes in brushed brass. See also Turner Hastings mirrors.
Glass and edges
Edges matter in a bathroom. An architecture publication's humidity guide says moisture gets into a mirror through the edges and through tiny scratches in the protective paint on the back, and that copper-free or edge-sealed glass slows the oxidation that causes black spots. The Thermogroup listings describe a commercial strength vinyl backing, copper-free glass, and edges sealed so the silvering does not creep in. The Remer listing gives copper-free glass for corrosion resistance. The humidity guide adds that frames and fixings should be checked once a year for rust, swelling or deterioration.
Lit ovals and the Otti LED Noosa
The Otti LED Noosa is the lit group in this collection. The listings give a backlit LED strip, a motion sensor that switches the light without touching it, adjustable colour temperature at 3000K, 4000K or 6000K, and a 5mm anti-fog copper-free mirror. They state IP44 and SAA approval, 40W, and plug-in or hardwired installation. Sizes are 900mm by 450mm, 900mm by 600mm, 1200mm by 750mm and 1500mm by 750mm. The 900mm by 450mm metal frame mirror is vertical only, while others hang vertically or horizontally.
A lighting guide for bathrooms recommends light at the sides of the mirror and not only overhead, because overhead light alone casts shadows on the face. A mirror that supplies the light from behind the glass does that without extra fittings. For the full group, see LED mirrors, and for the guide to light and power see mirrors.
Reading a listing
The listings carry the same fields in the same order. Start with the overall width and height, then the depth, which on this collection runs from about 25mm on the Marquis ovals and 40mm on the Remer oblong to about 43mm on the lit mirrors. Next read the orientation line, then the wall mounting line, which names hangers, brackets or tongue brackets. For lit mirrors read the colour temperature line, the wattage and the installation line, which says plug-in, hardwired or both. Finally download the specification sheet and installation instructions where they are offered, and read both before you choose the fixings.
Fixing an oval mirror
The listings describe the fixing for each mirror. The Thermogroup oval comes with metal hangers, the Remer oblong with wall brackets, the Turner Hastings Mayer with concealed brackets, and the Otti LED Noosa with brackets and fittings. A hanging guide gives the load rule: divide the mirror's weight by the number of fixing points, and choose fixings rated above it. It adds that studs are the most secure fixing, cavity anchors suit plasterboard without a stud, and that mirrors over 100cm should be lifted by two people, which covers the 1200mm and 1500mm sizes. The Remer listing gives 5kg for the 910mm oblong, which shows how light the small mirrors are.
Care and cleaning
A stockist's care sheet for an LED demister mirror says to clean with a soft microfibre or lint-free cloth rinsed in warm water and wrung out, then wipe gently with a soft dry cloth. It advises against glass cleaner, window cleaner and chemical agents, because they can damage the silver coating. Keep liquid off the edges, and wipe the curve where dust collects.
Matching the oval to the room
Start with the vanity and the wall, because they decide more than the finish. A narrow vanity under a tall wall points to an upright oval or capsule, which the UK guide says suits narrow vanities and draws the eye up. A wide vanity under a low wall points to a horizontal oval or two matching mirrors. A classic bathroom with a pedestal basin and chrome tapware points to the pivot oval, and a modern one with black tapware points to a black-framed Noosa or a frameless oval.
Putting it together
- Narrow vanity: a 600mm oval or a narrow capsule, which sits inside the width rules.
- Double vanity: two narrow mirrors, one over each basin, at least 100mm apart.
- Long vanity: a horizontal oval or the 1200mm Marquis Oval.
- Classic bathroom: the Mayer pivot oval in chrome or brushed brass.
- Only an overhead light: a lit mirror, with a licensed electrician for the hardwired versions.
- Rectilinear room: an oval or capsule for softness against crisp angles.
The final check is the same for every mirror: width against the vanity, height against the eye line, finish against the tapware and fixings against the weight. For the brands in this collection, see Marquis mirrors, Thermogroup mirrors and Otti mirrors, or browse wall mirrors.
