Season of Light

As the calendar turns to December, the season of light arrives. These early dark nights stir our longing for cozy homes filled with warmth, glow, and just a touch of twinkle. What is it about lights that captivates us? We gather in town squares to marvel at trees aglow. We drive through The Villages, delighting in houses adorned with strands of brilliant lights. At home, we fuss over the placement of each bulb and candle, making sure the tree shines just right. Truth be told, I sometimes wish every street were strung with tiny lights all year long. One way to carry that light into the new year is by inviting mirrors into your spaces. Mirrors don’t create light, they extend it, doubling the sparkle, stretching the glow, and reminding us that brightness grows when reflected. As the saying goes, “Hang one candle and you have a flame. Place a mirror behind it and you have a constellation.” So, let’s peek into two dining rooms, where the addition of a bold mirror can extend the joy beyond December. Somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

  •  Modified Williamsburg Model
The Williamsburg model was beautifully modified with an expansive addition: the entire back of the home was opened to create a spacious living room and a third full bathroom. This transformation also enlarged the dining room, leaving one striking feature, a single, expansive wall. The challenge was how to give this wall visual cohesion and elevate the overall space. Initially, the homeowner placed several pieces of furniture along the wall, but the effect lacked unity. What the room needed was a design element that could both unify the space and introduce light. The solution was large mirrors, an often-underrated tool in design. Mirrors not only amplify natural light but also add architectural interest and a sense of grandeur. We installed three oversized arched mirrors, each 72 inches high by 48 inches wide, carefully spaced to allow for elegant wall sconces between them. The sconces provide a soft, ambient glow in the evenings, complementing the mirrors’ daytime brilliance. The repetition and balance of these mirrors create scale, symmetry, and cohesion, transforming the wall into a focal point. The result is an elevated, inviting dining room that feels both luminous and architecturally refined.

  •  Gardenia Dining Room
This dining room embraces a modern aesthetic that celebrates the use of mirrors. A large mirror was installed on the wall opposite the kitchen window, allowing natural light from the kitchen to reflect back into the dining space. Measuring 78 inches by 78 inches, the mirror is an impressive statement piece, securely mounted on a French cleat. Its presence transforms the room, not only amplifying the light but also reflecting the bold, graphic artwork displayed above the buffet. The result is a dining area that feels elevated and visually dynamic.

  •  Lily Dining room
The mirrors that were original to the home were not tall enough. When looking into them, the view of the golf course was partially cut off at the top, leaving the eye wanting more. To solve this, we purchased loft mirrors designed to resemble large warehouse windows. These mirrors are available in different heights, and we selected ones that measure 20 inches wide by 60 inches high. Four mirrors were installed one inch apart to fully reflect the large and vast view of the golf course. With the larger mirrors, the view became complete and the wall was filled with additional light. The space felt bigger, brighter, and more refined. A mirror can never be too large, as mirrors reflect light and the more mirror there is, the more light the room receives. The result was a light-filled transformation that elevated the entire space.

  •  Trending in the new year
Mirrors are no longer just accessories, they’re architectural. Whether used to bounce light, expand perceived space, or act as sculptural art, they’re redefining interiors in 2026. Homeowners and designers alike increasingly treat mirrors as “second windows” that elevate both modern and traditional spaces.
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Dining Room After Images Below