In a small bathroom the mirror does more work than any other fixture. It is the one thing on the wall that adds space instead of taking it, and it decides how much light the room holds after dark. It is also where people most often go wrong, usually by choosing a small mirror for a small room.
This guide covers what actually fits a compact vanity, which shapes suit narrow walls, when a mirror cabinet is the better buy, and the handful of design choices that make a small bathroom feel considered rather than cramped. Every size quoted is one we make.
Updated 13 October 2026 · Written by Ella James, InVogue Mirrors & Bathware
Why Trust InVogue Mirrors & Bathware? InVogue is an Australian retailer trusted in over 20,000 homes, specialising in LED bathroom mirrors and mirror cabinets. The recommendations in this guide come from bathroom design principles — proportion, balance and light — rather than passing trends.
Quick Answer
Go for the widest size your vanity takes.
- 600 mm vanity: a 600 mm mirror, such as the Amalfi Ø600 round or the Positano 600 × 900 arch. One size down: oval (Riviera 450 × 900) or arch (Positano Cabinet 500 × 900).
- 750 mm vanity: up to 700 mm, such as a Ø700 round or the Portofino 700 × 900 oval; one size down is a 600 mm round, arch or oval such as the Amalfi.
- Frameless and backlit make the wall feel bigger; a frame works when it matches the tapware.
- Short on storage? Our cabinets are 117–122 mm deep, but check the door has room to swing.
In this guide
- The narrowest mirrors and cabinets we make
- What size mirror for a small vanity?
- Why a mirror makes a small room feel bigger
- Best shapes for small bathrooms
- Mirror or mirror cabinet?
- Frameless or framed?
- Lighting a small bathroom
- Making a small bathroom feel luxurious
- Different small spaces
- Common mistakes
- Frequently asked questions
- Designer's cheat sheet
The Narrowest Mirrors and Cabinets We Make
Start here if your vanity is 900 mm or less. The last column shows the narrowest vanity each one fits. Choose the largest one that fits within your vanity.
| Mirror or cabinet | Shape | Size (W × H, mm) | Depth | Fits vanities from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Riviera | Oval | 450 × 900 | Mirror | 450 mm |
| Riviera Cabinet | Oval | 450 × 1000 or 450 × 1150 | 118 mm | 450 mm |
| Positano Cabinet | Arch | 500 × 900 | 118 mm | 500 mm |
| The Onde | Organic | 590 × 850 | Mirror | 590 mm |
| The Amalfi | Round | Ø600 | Mirror | 600 mm |
| The Positano | Arch | 600 × 900 | Mirror | 600 mm |
| The Riviera | Oval | 600 × 1000 | Mirror | 600 mm |
| Milan Cabinet | Rectangle | 750 × 700 | 117 mm | 750 mm |
Sizes from our live product listings. Each size is the best fit on a vanity of its own width, and one size down on a wider one.
Designer Insight: our smallest round is 600 mm, so on a 600 mm vanity it fills the benchtop edge to edge, which is the best fit under our rule. If you'd like a little wall showing either side, or need storage, go one size down to the 450 mm Riviera oval or the 500 mm Positano Cabinet.
What Size Mirror for a Small Vanity?
We generally recommend the largest size that's no wider than your vanity. When in doubt, size up, if the space allows it; if a side wall, tiles or the door make it tight, go one size down. A mirror as wide as the vanity allows reflects more of the room and more light than a small one centred on a big patch of tile. In a small bathroom, bare wall either side of a little mirror reads as unused rather than restful.
| Vanity width | Largest that fits | One size down |
|---|---|---|
| 500 mm | Positano Cabinet 500 × 900; Riviera 450 × 900 mirror | Riviera Cabinet 450 |
| 600 mm | Amalfi Ø600; Positano 600 × 900; Riviera 600 × 1000; Positano Cabinet 500 × 900 for storage | Riviera 450 × 900; Riviera Cabinet 450 |
| 750 mm | Amalfi Ø700; Portofino 700 × 900; Milan or Madrid Cabinet 750 × 700 | Amalfi Ø600; Positano 600 × 900; Riviera 600 × 1000; Onde 590 × 850 |
| 900 mm | Florence or Venice 900 × 700; Milan or Madrid Cabinet 900 × 700 | Amalfi Ø800; Lucca 760 × 890; Amalfi Cabinet Ø800 |
For every width up to 1800 mm, and a walk-through of the fit check on our product pages, see how to choose the right mirror size for your vanity. On any mirror or cabinet page, type your vanity width into Check it fits your vanity and each size is labelled for you.
Why a Mirror Makes a Small Bathroom Feel Bigger
A mirror doubles whatever it faces. Point it at a window, the doorway or the longest line in the room and the bathroom borrows that depth. Point it at a blank tiled wall a metre away and it doubles a blank tiled wall.
So before you choose a size, stand in the doorway and look at where the mirror will go. If you can, place it where it catches the window or the view in from the door. If the vanity position is fixed, keep what the mirror reflects tidy: a clear benchtop and one material on the opposite wall do more for a small room than any mirror shape.
What we see go wrong: a well-sized mirror reflecting a benchtop full of bottles. The mirror doubles the clutter too. This is the strongest argument for a mirror cabinet in a small room.
Best Mirror Shapes for Small Bathrooms
Tall, narrow shapes win on small vanities, because they add reflection upwards where you have wall to spare, rather than sideways where you don’t.
- Oval: the narrowest shape we make. The Riviera at 450 × 900 mm suits vanities under 600 mm, or a 600 mm vanity one size down, and gives a full-height reflection.
- Arch: adds height and a soft top line, and the curve suits a low ceiling. The Positano mirror is 600 × 900 mm; the Positano Cabinet is a 500 mm arch with storage.
- Round: softens a room of straight lines. Ours starts at 600 mm, so it suits vanities from 600 mm.
- Organic: a single statement piece. The Onde at 590 mm suits a 600 mm vanity, or a 750 mm one if you'd like wall showing either side; keep the rest of the room simple around it.
- Rectangle: the most glass for the width, but our rectangles start at 900 mm wide, so they suit vanities of 900 mm and up.
For the full comparison by style and ceiling height, see round vs arch vs rectangle bathroom mirrors.
Mirror or Mirror Cabinet in a Small Bathroom?
If the vanity has one drawer and the benchtop is already crowded, choose a cabinet. It clears the bench, which is what makes a small room look tidy, and it uses wall you were going to cover anyway. If the vanity already has good storage and the room is tight beside the basin, a plain mirror is simpler.
Two things to check with a cabinet in a small room:
- Depth. Our cabinets are 117–122 mm deep (118 mm for the Positano and Riviera cabinets). Make sure that clears your tap, which is why the bottom of the cabinet sits 100–200 mm above the top of the tap or splashback.
- Door swing. The Positano and Riviera cabinets each have a single door hinged on the left that opens to 110°. In a narrow room, that door needs space on the left, clear of a shower screen, side wall or towel rail. The Milan and Madrid at 750 mm have two doors that open outwards from the middle.
You can see the doors open over your own vanity before you buy: on any cabinet page, enter your vanity width in the fit check and press Open the doors. For more on choosing between the two, read mirror cabinet or bathroom mirror and our mirror cabinet buying guide. If the wall is deep enough to set the cabinet in, see recessed vs surface-mounted mirror cabinets.
Frameless or Framed?
Frameless is the safer default in a small room. With no frame line, the glass stops at the wall and the eye carries on past it. A frame adds a defined edge and some visual weight, which can be exactly right when it ties into the tapware: a brushed brass frame beside brushed brass taps reads as one decision rather than two.
Our framed mirrors include the Valencia and the framed Positano and Riviera at 600 × 900 mm, which suit vanities from 600 mm. If you go framed, match the finish to the tapware, not the vanity. Our tapware finishes guide explains the six finishes.
Lighting a Small Bathroom
One ceiling downlight is what makes most small bathrooms feel flat at night: it lights the top of your head and leaves shadows under your eyes. An LED mirror adds light at face height, and a backlit glow on the wall around the glass softens the edge so the wall reads as deeper.
If the room has no window, put task light first and choose a mirror with front lighting, or pair a backlit mirror with good ceiling light. If it has decent daylight, backlit adds atmosphere without losing much at the basin. Our frontlit vs backlit guide goes through both. Every LED mirror and cabinet we sell is hardwired and must be installed by a licensed electrician, who also confirms the zone and the RCD for your bathroom.
How to Make a Small Bathroom Feel Luxurious
Expensive-looking small bathrooms have less in them, not more. The rooms that feel calm usually share a few habits:
- Two or three materials, repeated. One tile on the floor and walls, one benchtop, one metal finish. Every extra material is another edge the eye stops at.
- One metal finish throughout. Taps, waste, towel rail and any mirror frame in the same finish. Mixing finishes takes more space to pull off than a small room has.
- A floating vanity. Seeing floor under the vanity makes the room read as bigger than a vanity that sits on the floor.
- A clear benchtop. Put daily things in a cabinet or drawer, and leave one or two objects out.
- Warm, layered light. A lit mirror plus a dimmer ceiling light looks more expensive than one bright downlight.
- A mirror sized to the vanity. As wide as the vanity allows, it looks planned; a small mirror looks like a leftover.
Different Small Spaces, Different Answers
| Space | What usually works | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Powder room | A 600 mm round or arch on a 600 mm vanity, or an oval one size down, backlit | Anything wider than the vanity |
| Small ensuite | A round up to 700 mm on a 750 mm vanity, or a 750 mm cabinet for storage | Cabinet door hitting the shower screen |
| Apartment bathroom | A cabinet to clear the benchtop, frameless | Hardwiring: plan the power point before the wall is sheeted |
| Narrow bathroom | A tall shape (oval, arch) placed to reflect the longest view | A wide mirror on a short wall crowding the side walls |
| Windowless bathroom | An LED mirror with good face-height light | Relying on one downlight |
Common Small Bathroom Mirror Mistakes
- Choosing a small mirror for a small room. It leaves bare tile either side and shrinks the vanity. Go as wide as the vanity allows.
- Choosing one wider than the vanity. It happens most where the size steps are big: a 700 mm round on a 600 mm vanity hangs past the benchtop. Stop at 600 mm.
- Ignoring the door swing. A single-door cabinet beside a shower screen can open into it. Check which side the hinge is on.
- Tiling around the old mirror. If tiles are cut to the old mirror, a new cabinet may not fit the space. Choose the mirror before the tiler sets out; our order of trades guide shows when.
- A heavy frame in a mixed finish. A frame that matches nothing else in the room adds weight for no reason.
- One downlight and no mirror light. The room feels smaller at night than it does by day.
Expert Designer Recommendations
| If you have… | We’d choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A 600 mm powder room vanity | Riviera 450 × 900 | One size down from a 600 mm round, so a little wall shows either side, with a full-height reflection. |
| A 600 mm vanity that needs storage | Positano Cabinet 500 × 900 | The largest cabinet that fits a 600 mm vanity: an arch, 118 mm deep. |
| A 750 mm ensuite vanity | Amalfi Ø600 or Positano 600 × 900 | One size down from a 700 mm round, so a little wall shows either side; round to soften, arch for height. |
| A 900 mm vanity in a tight ensuite | Milan or Madrid Cabinet 750 × 700 | One size down from the 900, so the outer doors have room to open in a tight ensuite; 117 mm deep. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What size mirror for a small bathroom vanity?
We generally recommend the largest size that's no wider than your vanity. When in doubt, size up, if the space allows it; if a side wall, tiles or the door make it tight, go one size down. On a 600 mm vanity that is a 600 mm mirror such as the Amalfi round or Positano arch, or the Positano Cabinet at 500 mm if you need storage. On a 750 mm vanity it is the 700 mm Amalfi or Portofino.
What is the best mirror for a small powder room?
A tall, narrow shape usually works best, because a powder room vanity is often 600 mm or less. A 600 mm round like the Amalfi fills a 600 mm vanity and softens the room nicely. The Riviera oval at 450 × 900 mm is one size down and still gives a full-height reflection.
What mirror makes a small bathroom look bigger?
Size it as wide as the vanity allows. Hang it where it reflects a window, the doorway or the longest view in the room. A frameless edge helps, because there is no frame line to stop the eye, and a backlit glow on the wall behind it adds a sense of depth.
Should a small bathroom have a large mirror?
Yes, within the vanity width. A small mirror in a small room leaves bare wall that makes the vanity look lonely, while a mirror as wide as the vanity reflects more light and more of the room. We don't usually recommend going wider than the vanity: it crowds side walls and screens without adding much.
Can you put a mirror cabinet in a small bathroom?
Yes, and it often makes the biggest difference, because it clears the benchtop. Our cabinets are 117–122 mm deep. Before you order, check the door swing: the Positano and Riviera cabinets each have one door hinged on the left that opens to 110°, so it needs clear space on that side.
Do LED mirrors make a bathroom look bigger?
A backlit LED mirror helps. The glow on the wall around the glass softens the edge of the mirror and makes the wall read as deeper than it is. It also lets you rely less on a single ceiling light, which is what makes many small bathrooms feel flat and boxy at night.
Round or oval mirror for a small bathroom?
Oval for vanities under 600 mm, round from 600 mm up. Our smallest round, the Amalfi, is 600 mm across, which fills a 600 mm vanity edge to edge; choose the oval if you'd like wall showing either side. The Riviera oval is 450 mm wide, so it fits narrow vanities and gives more height than a round of the same width.
How do you make a small bathroom look luxurious?
Use fewer materials and repeat them, keep the benchtop clear, choose a floating vanity so more floor shows, and use warm, layered light instead of one bright downlight. Then size the mirror properly: as wide as the vanity allows, frameless or with a frame that matches the tapware finish.
Designer’s Cheat Sheet
Designer’s Cheat Sheet
- ✔ Width → as wide as the vanity, one size down if tight
- ✔ 600 mm vanity → a 600 mm round or arch; oval or arch cabinet one size down
- ✔ 750 mm vanity → a 700 mm round, or a 750 mm cabinet
- ✔ Need storage → a cabinet, 117–122 mm deep; check the door swing
- ✔ Feel bigger → frameless, backlit, reflecting a window or the doorway
- ✔ Feel luxurious → fewer materials, one metal finish, a clear benchtop
Conclusion
In a small bathroom, the right mirror is the biggest one the vanity can carry, in a tall shape if the vanity is narrow, with a cabinet if the benchtop is crowded. Get that right and the other choices, frame, light and finish, are easy to make around it.
Where To Next?
- Exact sizes: How to Choose the Right Mirror Size for Your Vanity
- Hanging it: How High Should You Hang a Bathroom Mirror?
- Storage: The Ultimate Mirror Cabinet Buying Guide
- Swapping out an old mirror: How to Replace a Bathroom Mirror with an LED Mirror
- Shop: Oval & Irregular, Arch and Round mirrors, or Mirror Cabinets
Need help? Ask us with a photo.
Send us a photo of your vanity and wall, or your plans, and we’ll tell you which sizes fit, or call 1300 221 495.
