I’ve got this thing for wall mirrors in sets of three.  Come to think of it, I try to display anything in sets of three.  To me, in décor, odd numbers reign, and trios are just more interesting than pairs. 

So I found this set of mirrors last week at the local Goodwill that called out my name.  “Kate, over here, over here !”   Alas, the poor downtrodden mirrors had been sitting in a corner all by themselves.  Apparently, from what history I could gather, these mirrors used to belong to a dresser, but sadly had been abandoned by their bigger mate.  But oh, the potential within !  You know I have a soft spot for hidden potential, so naturally I brought said mirrors home with me.   

What inspired me was the statement wall mirrors I’ve been observing for quite some time in décor mags and retail catalogs.  (Oh, Ballard Designs, you tempt me so!)  I had to have my own version, I just wasn’t prepared to pay so many pennies for making such a dramatic statement.  I’ve long been in love with these from Ballard, but at $199 dollars a pair, I wince.

So for $25 dollars, I found this thrift store version.  Here’s a look BEFORE the makeover:

And AFTER I glammed her up a bit:

You like? 

Friends, here’s how I did it. 

Step One:  This took some advance preparation.  I removed the back wood panel, which was actually a piece of thick cardboard with a faux burled wood grain print on top.  I then took this faux panel to a local glass shop and asked them to make a mirror in the same shape.  I was inspired by Eddie’s secretary revamp, where he replaced his glass panels with mirror.  For $20 dollars, I had a new mirror made for the upper arch. 

Arch Before:

Arch After:

Step Two:  I gave the mirrors a quick sanding to remove any varnish.

Step Three:  I removed all the brackets, which was a hint tricky, because I had to carefully lift up the supports behind the mirror.  But as you know, CG is not easily deterred.  I then hammered down the mirror supports, then I patched the holes on the sides of the mirrors with wood filler.

Step Four:  I primed the mirrors with two coats of spray primer, then allowed it to dry.  

Step Five:  I painted the mirrors with my ultimate favorite spray paint, Rustoleum’s ‘Heirloom White’.  I find that a spray finish is so much smoother than a brush finish, when applied properly.  So whenever possible, I opt for spray paint. 

Step Six:  I attached ‘D ring’ hangers to the rear of the mirrors.  Hey, it’s another opportunity to use power tools, which is always fun for me.  There’s just something about the roar of a power screwdriver that makes me want to grunt in a very unladylike fashion, just like Tim the Tool Man Taylor. 

Step Seven:  I used silicone rubber sealant, leftover from this project, to adhere my new mirror to the paneled arch. 

Viola !  A new trio of creamy white mirrors opposite the windows in my living room.  They pull tons of light into my space ! 

Granted, my living room is a serious work in progress.  It is an extra space we acquired with the remodel from years back, but it has been half finished for quite some time.  It’s just one of those spaces that I keep looking at, but can’t quite perfect to my satisfaction.  A wad of cash would help.  But the mirrors will do for now.

I love how the new mirrors play off the existing white fireplace mantle, the crown moulding, and my white chair, that I revamped in this earlier post. 

Here’s a glance at the less than finished sitting area.  Please disregard the obvious missing lamp shade from the lamp I acquired here.  I am also playing around with turquoise blue and gold decor.

Ultimately, I am very pleased with this mirror’s transformation.  The total cost of the mirrors, the replacement arch mirror, the paint, and the hangers cost me about $55 dollars !  But it’s a heck of a lot less expensive than retail plus shipping ! 

You see, there are hidden treasures out there.  So keep your eyes open !

Tags: heirloom white, mirror, spray paint, thrift store find

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 5th, 2009 at and is filed under Before & After, DIY, Drab to Fab, My Home, Remodel Woes, Rescued & Revamped, Spray Paint: My BFF, Thrift Store Transformations, Works in Progress. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.