ANTIQUE mirrors are popular items at auction houses because they're such a versatile and effective way of brightening up a home and adding instant elegance to a room.

Place a mirror well and it will open up a room, brighten a dark spot, or transform a blank wall into a stylish focal point.

A dull wall can be really livened up with antique or interestingly-shaped hand mirrors displayed in a group to give a real collector's feel to a room.

But while it's often a pleasurable experience to trawl through antique shops or scan the lots at auction, sometimes you just can't find that perfect mirror.

Here are some other sources you can turn to.

* The Old French Mirror Company sources 19th century mirrors from chateaux and manor houses. Mirrors start from £500.

* A huge overmantle mirror placed on the floor of a bedroom adds instant glamour and gives a decadent boudoir feel. The French Bedroom Company selection includes a double-framed Veronique white mirror, £120, or a regal floor-standing black Octavia Mirror with a carved emblem, £450.

* Graham & Green's interesting collection of mirrors includes the fashionable Venetian style. Top choice: a Flower & Parrot mirror decorated in either mother of pearl or white bone, £275.

* Marks & Spencer's Gold-effect Ornate mirror, £89; John Lewis's hand-finished white Filigree mirror, £250; or Laura Ashley's ornate gold or white square Beth mirror, £300.