Once a largely practical accessory, mirrors have become a canvas for experimentation with form, material, and light. Contemporary designers are moving beyond conventional frames and flat reflective surfaces, creating sculptural objects that change how we see both ourselves and the spaces around us.
During an opening talk for the inaugural Walker Design Triennial last month, Eleni Petaloti, co-founder of the New York- and Athens-based studio Object of Common Interest, explored how manipulating reflective surfaces can raise questions about memory—another form of reflection. Her observation points to the mirror’s potential beyond its everyday function. Unlike the digital screens that mediate so much of contemporary life, a physical mirror engages directly with its surroundings, responding to light, movement, and the viewer’s presence.
That relationship between object, environment, and viewer runs through the nine designs below. Some treat the frame as the primary sculptural element, while others manipulate the reflective surface itself through color, texture, and unconventional fabrication techniques. From tinted resins and cast bronze to glazed ceramics and hand-worked metals, these mirrors demonstrate how even a familiar household object can become a compelling piece of design.
Photography courtesy of Bower Studios
Roll & Hill × Bower Studios: Fringe
Collaborating with manufacturer Roll & Hill, Brooklyn-based Bower Studios pushes reflective glass toward sculptural territory with its new Fringe collection. Founders Danny Giannella and Tammer Hijazi explore rich dimensional layering using precise geometric arrangements, integrating warm timber frames that anchor multi-toned mirrored panels interspersed with subtle graphic outlines. This careful composition creates depth across flat planes by interlacing clean silhouettes with tactile nuance.
The Fringe collection is available at rollandhill.com starting at $3,960.
Photography courtesy of MoMA Design Store
MoMA Design Store × Ready To Hang: Jelly Ring Mirror
Produced for MoMA Design Store by New York-based Ready To Hang, the Jelly Ring Mirror introduces playful, almost childlike sculptural tension to functional home decor. Founder Jeffrey Renz extends his studio’s garment-inspired language by embedding smooth, hand-turned spherical elements around a rounded reflective plane. The resulting silhouette mimics an embrace or compressed form, establishing a subtle dialogue between rigid glass and organic curves. Produced in vibrantly colored glass, this playful wall ornament transforms a straightforward daily ritual into an unexpected visual encounter.
The Jelly Ring Mirror is available at store.moma.org for $995.
Photography courtesy of Salon 94
Salon 94 × Sabine Marcelis: Phase / Phase Vertical Mirrors
Debuted at Salon 94 Design in Manhattan, the Phase collection by Dutch designer Sabine Marcelis examines light dynamics through circular and vertical forms. Utilizing her signature ombré-hued cast resin, Marcelis creates subtly tinted surfaces that filter incoming light alongside reflections of the surrounding environment. The compositions change continuously depending on natural light conditions, reminiscent of quiet lunar cycles and shifting atmospheric moods. Rather than functioning as ordinary looking glasses, these luminous objects blend precise forms with fluid gradient tones, an effect Marcelis has explored in many other applications. The resulting objects invite quiet contemplation.
Inquire about the Phase collection at salon94design.com.
Photography courtesy of Mutina
Mutina × Ronan Bouroullec: Carrousel Dynamic Mirrors
French designer Ronan Bouroullec collaborated with Italian tile producer Mutina to create Carrousel, a series of limited-edition ceramic-framed mirrors offered in various sizes. Covered in high-gloss Gris or Orange glazes, these openwork borders interact dynamically with surrounding sunlight, scattering highlights across domestic rooms as much as the mirrored glass they hold. In his distinctly playful yet restrained style, Bouroullec emphasizes clean, minimalist geometry, showing how traditional ceramic techniques can yield sleek modern accents while retaining the slightly imperfect imprint of the human hand. The reflective glass paired with textured ceramic frames establishes a palpable material presence on the wall.
Carrousel is available at mutina.it. Price available upon request.
Photography courtesy of The Future Perfect
The Future Perfect × Studio RENS: Glass Ensemble
Eindhoven-based Studio RENS introduces Glass Ensemble at New York’s The Future Perfect, a series of mirrors made from fused sheets of upcycled glass. The expansive collection stems from an ongoing exploration of color theory, expressed, in this case, as layered reflective compositions. Designers Renee Mennen and Stefanie van Keijsteren combine the transparent material with colorful foils and polish the resulting surfaces to alter light transmission. Each piece functions as both a three-dimensional geometric accent and a practical mirror, creating subtle tonal shifts that evoke an emotional response.
Glass Ensemble is available at thefutureperfect.com, starting at $4,900.
Photography courtesy of Cristina Grajales Gallery
Cristina Grajales Gallery × Fernando Mastrangelo: The Divide
Presented at Cristina Grajales Gallery in New York as part of Fernando Mastrangelo’s recently debuted Territories collection, The Divide mirror combines raw earthlike textures with refined silvered glass. Mastrangelo casts crushed minerals, colored sand, and cement along the perimeter, creating a stark contrast with the smooth central plane. The subtly variegated gradients appear to erode, suggesting the natural strata of vulnerable coastal landscapes. The viewer sees their own reflection within this imagined yet plausible setting. By treating the frame as the primary expressive element of this functional sculpture, the designer turns a standard looking glass into a work of fine art.
Inquire about The Divide at mastrangelo.co.
Photography courtesy of Otras Formas
Otras Formas × Jennifer Choi: Seasons Mirror
Unveiled at New York showroom Otras Formas, the Seasons Mirror by designer Jennifer Choi presents a harmonious study in proportion and craft. Measuring 33 inches square, the wall-mounted piece features a sculpted wooden frame that contours smoothly around its central glass panel. Choi draws inspiration from natural cycles, translating organic shifts into fluid lines and warm tonal variations across carved timber surfaces.
The Seasons Mirror is available at www.otrasformas.co. Price available upon request.
Photography courtesy of Blu Dot
Blu Dot: Mojo Mirror
Introduced as part of Blu Dot’s recent releases, the Mojo reimagines classic floor-standing mirrors with a generous organic outline. Standing 79 inches tall, its fluid asymmetrical contours depart from conventional rectangular shapes to reflect the natural form of a roughly hewn rock. The undulating form transforms what’s ordinarily a dressing aid into a dramatic, room-defining centerpiece. The Minneapolis brand pairs accessible manufacturing with impressive proportions.
The Mojo is available at bludot.com for $1,250.
