Recalling my experiences in lifts as a child years ago, I don’t remember ever being able to see myself in any mirror in lifts. It could be that I did not have a vain bone in me, or (the more likely reason) that there just weren't mirrors in the lifts.
These days, however, even smaller, dingier-looking lifts have mirrors or reflective panels for walls. The lifts definitely look better and cleaner than they ever did back then.
But are mirrors in lifts more than just a sleek design choice?
Verdict:
TRUE
Sure, they look better, but mirrors and reflective panels in lifts actually serve a bigger purpose than just looking pretty.
Lifts did not start out as the cool boxes that zoom up and down that we know so well today. Back when they were gaining popularity, they apparently used to be slower, and felt much, much smaller due to the length of time one had to be in them to get to their respective floors.
Many experienced anxiousness and a heightened sense of claustrophobia. Imagine breaking out in cold sweat every time you had to get home from work.
So, to answer the question, it is a mix of human psychology, clever engineering and essential safety.
A mirror can make the space feel visually larger, reducing the boxed-in sensation. It doesn’t change the lift’s dimensions, of course—just our brain’s emotional reaction to them.
Another use of the mirrors is for users in wheelchairs, who may not have enough room to turn around comfortably. Mirrors help with reversing in or out safely without them having to guess what’s behind them.
Lift companies and building design explainers commonly cite this as a key purpose of mirrors, especially where platform lifts are used to improve access.
As a bonus, mirrors are excellent at making waiting feel shorter.
A widely repeated story in service-design circles describes a building where tenants complained about slow elevators.
Instead of rebuilding the system, management installed mirrors in the elevator boarding areas so people had something to look at. The complaints reportedly stopped.
References:
https://laughingsquid.com/why-
https://www.mentalfloss.com/
