If you’re looking for an easy, budget-friendly way to create a statement piece for your walls, painting a framed mirror is the way to go.
You may have one already that has a unique design but the original finish isn’t working for you anymore – or you can find them pretty easily while thrifting. I got both of these mirrors last summer from yard sales and finally decided to give them a new look for the market.
Any time you’re painting a mirror, tape around the edges first with FrogTape. It just takes a few minutes and it will make your painting go more quickly and a lot less messy!
Both mirrors were painted in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. The left one was painted in French Linen and then dry brushed in Old White (learn more about dry brushing in last week’s buffet makeover post).
The carvings are so pretty when highlighted with a different color!
The other mirror was painted in Pure White and then the edges were gently sanded to add more definition to the lines and curves.
I did not prime either of the mirrors first – I knew they’d end up distressed anyway and wasn’t going for a perfectly smooth look. I finished them off with General Finishes high performance topcoat.
Another tip about painting mirrors: If you do get a little paint on the actual mirror, dab a Q-tip in nail polish remover and gently rub away your paint mistake. (Chalk Paint will come off even more easily than latex, with just a damp cloth.) Just don’t let the paint sit and dry for too long before you clean it off.
Click the picture below to discover more creative ideas for updating a mirror:
What do you think of these painted mirrors? What are some ways you’ve updated a mirror before? I’d love to know – leave me a comment below.
– Jen
You may also like these painted framed mirror makeovers:
Donna Huisinga says
Both of these are very nice.
Beth says
Love the makeovers! I have a question. I had mirror very similar to the grey one (without the cut outs) and did almost exactly the same makeover (great minds!). The problem I have had is that the frame is plastic and the mirror is very thick so it is really heavy. I find these old heavy mirrors hard to sell because of the weight and how to hang them safely. I have a beautiful wood framed mirror (31×44) but it weights about 40 lbs. How do you deal with hanging such heavy pieces? Thanks for sharing all your great work and ideas!