The Mirror reveals all

Marie Antoinette was extravagant, self-indulgent and arrogant, and to make up to her people for it, had her head cut off at the guillotine.

Before meeting her fate, she was punished for her excessive frivolity when the revolutionaries stormed Versailles and shattered the many mirrors adorning her bedroom walls. From the moment she was captured, she was categorically denied the use of a mirror.

Other lovers of reflection - particularly their own - have been Catherine de Medici, who had 119 mirrors installed in her palace apartments in Paris, and Louis XIV, who had 563 mirrors in his personal collection.

In those times, mirrors were associated with great wealth and indulgence, but with the advent of mass manufacturing, we can all use mirrors to great effect in decorating our spaces.

• Mirrors create the illusion of space and expand small areas. They also accentuate interesting angles and reflect sunlight, drawing the outside in. A huge mirror on an empty wall doubles the volume of a room and works especially well if there is a great view to reflect.
• Mirrors of the same shape repeated on different walls, reflecting parts of the room, give a strong sense of symmetry.
• A grouping of smaller mirrors of different shapes and sizes give an interesting rhythm to a wall and can be mixed with pieces of art, including drawings, paintings and photographs.
• Mirrors are particularly effective in narrow spaces and have an illusory widening effect. Long hallways can be made to feel lighter, brighter and roomier by covering an entire wall in a frameless mirror that will disappear into the edges.
• Leaning a tall mirror against a wall gives a laidback casual feel, and leaning small round mirrors, hand-held mirrors or mirror-covered objects on shelves dresses up a room.
• Used in the right space, you can fake an extra window with either a framed, shuttered or plain mirror. This technique is also effective outdoors where a mirror can bring volume to a space or create the illusion of a gap in a garden wall. Shelterpop website's Laura Fenton suggests framing an outdoor mirror in ivy on an ivy-covered wall to complete the illusion.
• A mirror placed at the back of an unused fireplace with lighted pillar candles of different sizes placed in front is a good way to give a room a cosy feeling at night.
• Mirrored mosaic tiles are an inexpensive way to bring sparkling glamour to bathrooms, kitchens or individual pieces of furniture, including table tops or small cabinets. Slabs of mirror also bring new life to bedside table surfaces and cupboard doors.
• For a softer look, try antiqued mirrors with coatings or tints applied to make them look as if they have deteriorated with age.

Fenton emphasises that mirrors should be appropriately scaled to the piece of furniture they are placed above. Also, be mindful of what reflects in the mirror, she adds.