Hang mirrors on the north or east walls so that they face south or west; Vastu treats north and east as the light, receiving directions and a mirror there "doubles" them. Avoid mirrors on the south and south-west walls and anywhere they reflect the bed, the main door, the stove or the toilet door. In a bedroom keep mirrors off the wall facing the bed or cover them at night; in a bathroom put the mirror on the north or east wall above the basin; in a dining room a mirror reflecting the table is considered good; in the kitchen and pooja room avoid mirrors altogether. Square or rectangular mirrors at least 4 to 5 feet above the floor, unbroken and clean, are the standard.
Mirrors are one of the few Vastu elements you can move in an afternoon, which is why consultants reach for them first, both as a problem and as a remedy. The rules are simple once you know the principle: a mirror reflects and multiplies whatever it faces, and it belongs on the walls of the directions you want to strengthen. This guide gives the best and worst directions, room-by-room placement for the bedroom, bathroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, pooja room, study, office and shop, the special case of the south wall, shapes, heights and framing, the mirrors people forget (wardrobe doors, TV screens, glass tables), remedies when a mirror cannot move, and a quick audit you can do with a compass in ten minutes.
Best and worst walls for a mirror
| Mirror on this wall | It faces | Vastu view | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| North wall | South | Best | Reflects and multiplies the north, Kubera's zone; feng shui reads it as water reflecting water |
| East wall | West | Best | Reflects the morning light and the east's health and growth |
| North-east wall | South-west | Good | Brightens the lightest corner; ideal for a bathroom mirror |
| West wall | East | Acceptable | Neutral; fine for a dressing mirror if the bed is not reflected |
| North-west wall | South-east | Acceptable | Neutral |
| South-east wall | North-west | Avoid | Fire zone; a mirror is a water element and is said to disturb it |
| South wall | North | Avoid | Reflects the north's energy back out, in the tradition; associated with loss |
| South-west wall | North-east | Avoid strongly | The stability zone; mirrors are said to make it unstable |
A simple way to remember it: mirrors go on the walls you would want a window in (north and east) and stay off the walls you would want solid (south and south-west).
Mirror in the bedroom
- The one rule: no mirror should reflect the bed, or the sleepers, from any angle. This is the most consistent rule across Vastu and feng shui.
- Place a dressing mirror on the north or east wall, at right angles to the bed rather than facing it, or inside a wardrobe door that stays closed.
- Wardrobe doors with full-height mirrors facing the bed are the commonest problem in Ahmedabad flats. Fix: a curtain on a thin rod, a fabric cover at night, a decorative film, or swap the mirrored door to the wardrobe end away from the bed.
- No mirror on the ceiling or on the headboard wall.
- A TV screen facing the bed acts as a mirror when off; cover it or place it at an angle.
- Couples' bedroom: the rule is applied most strictly here; see the sleeping direction guide for the rest of the bedroom layout.
Remedy if the mirror must face the bed
Cover it while sleeping (a curtain or a cloth), tilt it slightly so the reflection misses the bed, or move the bed a few inches so that the sleeper's reflection is cut off. Any of the three satisfies most consultants.
Mirror in the bathroom
- Above the washbasin, on the north or east wall of the bathroom. If the basin is on another wall, keep the mirror as small as practical.
- The mirror should not reflect the toilet seat. Position it so the WC is out of frame, or use a cabinet mirror.
- Keep bathroom mirrors spotless; a fogged or spotted mirror is read as neglect. Ventilate the bathroom.
- Avoid a mirror on the bathroom door facing into the bedroom.
- The bathroom door should stay closed, which also keeps its mirror out of the bedroom's line of sight.
Mirror in the living room
- On the north or east wall, at least 4 to 5 feet from the floor, reflecting something pleasant: a plant, a window with a view, the dining table, a piece of art.
- Not facing the main door. A mirror opposite the entrance is said to bounce what enters straight back out; see the entrance guide.
- Not reflecting the staircase or a toilet door.
- Large mirrors are fine on the north and east if they are framed and whole; avoid mirror-tile mosaics that fragment the reflection.
- Mirror facing a beautiful north or east window is a classic "brightening" remedy for a dark living room.
Mirror in the dining room
The one room where a mirror is actively encouraged: a mirror on the north or east wall that reflects the dining table is said to double the food and the family's prosperity. Keep it above table height, and make sure it does not also reflect the kitchen stove or a toilet door.
Mirror in the kitchen
Avoided. The kitchen belongs to the fire element and a mirror (water) reflecting the stove is considered a conflict; practically, a mirror near cooking gets greasy and the reflection of flames is disliked. Glossy tiles and steel are fine; a decorative mirror facing the burners is not. If the kitchen has a mirror-finish cabinet facing the stove, the usual advice is a matte film. The kitchen Vastu guide covers the rest.
Mirror in the pooja room
Avoided. Idols should not be reflected; it is considered disrespectful and confusing. Mirror-work on the mandir's back panel, common in shop-bought units, is best replaced with a plain or painted panel. See the pooja room guide.
Mirror in the study, home office and shop
- Study: no mirror facing the desk; a small mirror on the north or east wall to the side is acceptable.
- Home office: a mirror on the north wall behind or beside the desk reflecting the cash box or ledger is a traditional prosperity placement; nothing reflecting the door.
- Shop: mirrors on the north and east walls that reflect the stock or the cash counter are encouraged; mirrors facing the entrance or reflecting the cash counter towards the door are avoided. Convex security mirrors are practical, not Vastu objects, and are exempt in most consultants' view.
Can a mirror be placed on the south wall?
The tradition says no, because a mirror on the south wall faces north and is thought to send the north's energy back out. In practice many flats have only a south wall free. Options, in order of preference:
- Move the mirror to the north or east wall, even if it means a smaller mirror.
- Use a mirror inside a wardrobe door that stays closed.
- If the mirror must stay on the south wall, keep it small, framed in wood, positioned so it reflects a plant or a window rather than a door, bed or seating, and cover it at night.
- Never place a mirror on the south-west wall of the master bedroom.
Shape, size, height and frame
- Shape: square or rectangular preferred; round and oval are acceptable in living rooms; avoid irregular, broken-edge or "sunburst" mirrors with sharp rays in the bedroom.
- Size: large enough to reflect a whole head and shoulders; a mirror that "cuts off" the head is disliked.
- Height: bottom edge at least 4 to 5 feet above the floor for wall mirrors, so the reflection is of the room's upper, lighter half; full-length mirrors are fine on the north or east walls.
- Frame: wood or a light metal; avoid black frames on the north wall in some traditions.
- Condition: no cracks, chips, black spots or desilvering; replace damaged mirrors rather than "keeping them for now".
- Mirror tiles and mosaics: avoided; they fragment the reflection.
The mirrors people forget
- Wardrobe doors with mirrored panels.
- Glass-fronted cabinets and glossy TV screens facing the bed.
- Mirrored ceiling panels and false-ceiling glass.
- Glass dining or centre tables with reflective tops (acceptable; avoid ones that reflect the ceiling fan over the bed).
- Dressing tables with three-fold mirrors, which reflect in several directions at once.
- The bathroom mirror visible from the bed when the door is open.
Ten-minute mirror audit
- Find north from the centre of each room with a phone compass.
- List every reflective surface: mirrors, mirrored doors, glass cabinets, screens.
- For each, note the wall it hangs on and what it reflects.
- Anything reflecting a bed, the main door, the stove, a toilet or idols: move, tilt or cover it.
- Anything on a south or south-west wall: move it to north or east, or shrink and cover it.
- Replace cracked or spotted mirrors.
- Add one mirror on a north or east wall reflecting light, greenery or the dining table.
Frequently asked questions (વારંવાર પૂછાતા પ્રશ્નો)
Which direction is best for a mirror as per Vastu?
Mirrors should hang on the north or east walls so that they face south or west. The north-east wall is also good. Avoid the south, south-west and south-east walls.
Can a mirror face the bed?
No. A mirror reflecting the bed or the sleepers is the most consistently avoided placement in Vastu and feng shui. Move it to a side wall, put it inside a wardrobe door, or cover it at night.
Where should the mirror be placed in the bathroom?
Above the washbasin on the north or east wall, positioned so it does not reflect the toilet seat, and kept clean and unfogged.
Is a mirror in the dining room good?
Yes. A mirror on the north or east wall that reflects the dining table is considered to double food and prosperity. It should not also reflect the stove or a toilet door.
Can a mirror be placed on the south wall?
The tradition avoids it. If no other wall is available, keep it small, framed, reflecting a plant or window rather than a door or bed, and cover it at night. Never on the south-west wall of the master bedroom.
Should there be a mirror facing the main door?
No. A mirror opposite the entrance is said to send back what enters. Place mirrors on side walls instead, or where they reflect light and greenery.
Can I keep a mirror in the kitchen?
Avoid it, especially one that reflects the stove. Glossy tiles and steel surfaces are fine; a decorative mirror facing the burners is not.
Which shape of mirror is best?
Square or rectangular, framed in wood or light metal, whole and clean. Round and oval mirrors are fine in living rooms; avoid broken-edge, sunburst or mosaic mirrors in bedrooms.
How high should a mirror be hung?
With the bottom edge at least 4 to 5 feet above the floor for wall mirrors, so it reflects the room's lighter upper half and does not cut off a person's head. Full-length mirrors are fine on north or east walls.
Is a mirror in the pooja room allowed?
No. Idols should not be reflected. Replace mirror-work back panels in shop-bought mandirs with a plain or painted panel.
