Mirror, Mirror, On the Wall

My second project for this weekend involved the mirror in our foyer.

"Before" Mirror

Both the mirror and the sconces were gifted to us years ago.  They don't really match our style but I was grateful to have something to hang in the space.  Large mirrors can be fairly expensive so I am glad I have this one.  My long term plans involve replacing the sconces all together and then reframing the mirror.  In the meantime I figured I would try to revamp what we have.  I started with the mirror.

I started by getting blue painter's tape and masking the edge of the mirror as to get a clean line.  (This close-up allows for a better shot of the mirror frame.  It is very ornate and traditional.  I think it had some sort of faux-finish on it.  It was brown with gold tones throughout. Bleh.)

I then laid a few pieces of notebook paper down to cover the rest of the mirror.  I made sure when I applied the first layer of painter's tape to be careful and get right to the edge.  When I went back with the layer of notebook paper I didn't have to be that careful.  I just made sure no mirror was showing.

Using a can of Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint, I did five thin coats from several different angles.  I wanted to make sure all the edges were covered.  I let the paint dry for a couple hours and then brought it inside.

This is a close-up of the final product.  I went with ORB because it is basically black, which muted some of the ornate woodwork, but it has a fleck of metallic in it so it doesn't look boring.  It is still a traditionally styled mirror but the more modern finish switches it up.

This is the final product.  The change is subtle but noticeable.  I think it will be even better once I can replace those sconces.  The point of the project was this:  For the cost of a can of spray paint ($5) I was able to make a little lemonade.  If you have something that you don't really like but you can't afford to fully replace right now (whether it's a mirror like me, a chair you no longer love, etc) try to come up with ways to revamp it into something new.  A new coat of paint or a throw pillow may have you smiling for a lot longer than you thought.