Hello, beautiful friends! I left y’all wondering what I did with the mirror to the oak dresser I shared on Thursday. Well today, I’m back sharing this repurposed antique dresser mirror!
Here is how it started:
I feel like these dressers are more versatile without the mirror. They can be used as additional storage in just about any room. Whereas, the mirror really indicates that it is more for a bedroom.
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
The mirror on this one was in terrible condition, so I knew I would not be keeping it. (Trust me, I will ALWAYS keep a mirror a mirror if it is in good shape.)
This one was not, so it was the first thing to go!
Remove the Mirror
To remove it, I had to pry off the back…this really shows the age of this piece:
Once I got the mirror out, I removed the swivel hardware that was holding the mirror to the harp in prep for paint.
I knew I wanted to turn the harp into a shelf as I’ve done HERE and HERE, so I hunted through my garage and found this chunky piece of a bed rail to use as the shelf:
Clean
Once I had it cut to size, I got to cleaning. I used White Lightning mixing one TBSP into a half gallon of warm water:
Once it was clean, I swapped my water for clean water and wiped away any remaining residue.
Prime for Bleed through
I had painted the matching dresser black, so I wasn’t really sure if it would bleed through, but sometimes older oak grain can bleed, so to be safe, I gave everything one coat of Bonding BOSS and let it dry for 24 hours:
Paint
Then, I followed up with a coat of Fluff:
Sand
To make everything buttery smooth and distress a little, I sanded all over with 220 grit sandpaper:
Time to put it all together!
Now, to assemble!
Here is the new shelf attached:
And here is how I attached it…
First, I found some wood screws in my stash:
I wanted to drill my screws through the top and down into the post that is perpendicular in that photo above.
Before drilling, I added a bit of wood glue to the shelf:
Then, after lining my two pieces up, I drilled a shallow hole on either side, slightly larger than the head of the screws:
That is so the heads of the screws will end up below the surface once screwed in place.
Next, I drilled a pilot hole for my screws using a drill bit that was just a bit narrower than they were:
Then, I screwed the screws in place:
Fill the Holes
Once I had my new shelf attached to the harp, I filled in the holes with Dixie Mud White:
Once that was dry and sanded, I touched up the top with paint.
Seal
Once the paint was dry, I sealed with Clear Coat in Satin using a Blue sponge applicator to apply it:
Replacing the Mirror
There was really no saving the mirror. It was really showing its age with damage and discoloration, so I used it as a template to cut a piece of thin plywood:
Decoupage Paper to the Rescue!
I painted that in the Fluff as well and then pulled out this gorgeous Angelic Rose Garden decoupage paper:
To flatten the folds in the paper, I took a hair dryer to it:
That worked great!
I cut the paper to fit my wood and then brushed on a layer of Decoupage Gel in Matte using a 2″ Foam brush:
Then, I smoothed out the decoupage paper over the top and added another layer of decoupage gel:
The Decoupage Gel is a sealer, so that part was done.
The only thing left to do was add it to the frame which I did using my Logan Point Driver:
I covered up the back with this pretty paper that I adhered to the frame using Matte Mod Podge, and then added the swivel hardware back:
HOWEVER, when I went to try to hang it to photograph it (I used D-ring hardware to hang it.), I realized the original swivel hardware made it sit out from the wall a bit, so I swapped that for some metal corner brackets that I hammered flat and painted in Fluff.
That worked out much better!
Repurposed Antique Dresser Mirror Reveal
Here is how I made this antique dresser mirror functional again:
I love that I was able to get a whole other piece out of that $5 dresser!
And this decoupage paper is so pretty!
Just a little bit of distressing goes a long way here…
A cute shelf can function in any room!
What do you think?
Is it better than the old mirror that was in there? Do y’all mind damaged mirrors if the frame is still pretty?
I’d love to know your thoughts on that!
And this Summer Trash-to-Treasure Haul is officially complete!!
Here is everything I’ve completed from this haul:
Painted Antique Oak Dresser
$5 Yard Sale Chalkboard Tray Makeover
$5 Yard Sale Desk Makeover
Vintage Bookcase Makeover
Two-Toned Painted Side Table
$5 Yard Sale Suitcase Makeover
Decoupaged Table Makeover
Child’s Chair Makeover
$15 Yard Sale Bench
I’ll be working in my booth this week and will be back on Thursday to share what I’ve done so far!
I’ve also been shopping, so a new haul is on the way woo hoo!
UPDATE: Come see my new and improved booth so far HERE now!!
XOXO,
Don’t Miss a Thing!
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Mary Kaiser says
WOW, it is beautiful, and I love that it is a shelf! I am so excited to see your booth space, and it is always fun to see your new haul!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! I was so excited to get a second piece out of that $5 I spent lol! Heading to my booth this morning woohoo! XOXO
Janice Redden says
Christy, the shelf is so pretty; had the mirror been reusable, a shelf with the mirror would be nice, as well; or a cork board, chalk board, half cork/half chalk board……any of your amazing creations!
Can’t wait to see your shop makeover and new haul….
Christy says
Thank you os much, Janice! I would definitely have kept the mirror had it been in good condition as they sell the best for me, but I’m glad I could still make it usable! XOXO
TERRY SULLIVAN says
The mirror makeover is lovely. But I would have put the mirror back in. Old mirrors are like copper. The “patina” creates an aged beauty. I have a few antique and vintage mirrors. I love the reflection of light.
Christy says
Thank you for your input, Terry! I always wonder if my buyers would mind the damages in older mirrors. I have a couple I may put in my booth and see how they go! XOXO
Christine says
Amazing transformation, you have such vision! And I’ve also ironed tissue/decoupage paper to get the creases out. A hair dryer is genius!
Christy says
Aww thank you, Christine! I appreciate that! Yes, an iron works great too! XOXO
Cheri says
I have removed the damaged silvering from old mirrors with toilet bowl cleaner (the blue gel) covered with Saran Warp. Let it sit overnight and it scraped right off! You will be left with a clear piece of beveled glass. Then have a mirror cut to the shape…the thinnest mirror the glass shop has. Place the new mirror behind the clear glass and reinstall. Voila! The old beveled mirror looks brand new!
Christy says
Ooh I like that idea!! I may have to give that a go, thank you, Cheri! XOXO
Deborah Mealus says
As always, your vision is “top shelf” (pun intended lol) and your execution of that vision is perfection! I am so impressed by the end results and I’m looking forward to seeing your shop on Thursday!
Christy says
Ha ha always appreciate a good pun! Thank you, Deborah! I was so thrilled to get two great pieces out of that $5 spent lol. See ya Thursday! XOXO
Debbie says
I love the look of antique mirrors. It adds to the vintage theme that I always
enjoy. I think it shows the true age of an item and I get positive comments
about the age of the item. Count me in for saving the mirror.
Christy says
Thank you so much for your input, Debbie! I always wonder if my buyers mind the imperfections in old mirrors. My Mom once told me they were creepy lol, so I think that is what I always have in my mind. XOXO
Sue says
I loved how this whole project from dresser to Mirror/Shelf turned out. Great upcycle and these pieces have a new life!
Christy says
Thank you, Sue! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one…I do love the feminine ones the best! XOXO
Carolyn says
I love what you did with both projects!!
A damaged mirror like that just looks yucky. So unless I could find someone to repair it I wouldn’t have saved it either.
Such lovely work as always!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Carolyn! I feel the same way! XOXO
Cletia says
Yayyy! So satisfying to see everything crossed off! This was a great odea to repurpose the mirror. It’s so beautiful!
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! It really is SO satisfying to complete a haul! Now I need to shop! XOXO
Cecilia says
So pretty! I love how it turned out! As for the old mirror, I guess it would depend on the look I was going for.
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! Good answer…if the damage wasn’t too bad, it might work! XOXO
Pam Carlton says
Great improvement! I could also see chalkboard, corkboard, or metal/magnets to turn it into an info center.
Christy says
Thank you< Pam! Great ideas! XOXO
Karolyn says
I so LOVE that!! Great idea that I am definitely going to use!! Thank you so much for sharing this with us….always love what you come up with…
Christy says
Aww thank you, Karolyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one!! XOXO
Lizzy says
It’s so pretty! I love the whole vignette.
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
This came out so pretty!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Debra! XOXO
Holly in Reno says
Hi Christy, I love it with the pretty decoupage paper. So unexpected. Would look lovely in a bedroom with perfume bottles on the shelf. Thanks so much, your pieces are always so inspiring.
Christy says
Thank you, Holly! I appreciate that so much. And I love the idea to display your perfume bottles! XOXO
Rhonda says
I love what you did with this piece. It’s beautiful as is all your pieces. I actually love old mirrors and have even antiqued them to make them look old. I think it’s a personal preference. Can’t wait to see what’s next in your stash!♥️
Christy says
Thank you, Rhonda! And I appreciate the input…I have a couple of pretty framed mirrors that have some age to them that have a lot of wear on the mirrors. I may try to sell them as is and see how they do! XOXO
Melanie Beavis says
I would have kept the old mirror, too. But if you haven’t thrown it away, perhaps it could be re-purposed elsewhere. Tray top, etc.? I love to see your projects.
Melanie
Christy says
Thank you, Melanie! I have kept the mirror and I love the idea to repurpose it for a try top! Now you have me thinking!! XOXO
Vicki says
What a pretty shelf!! It turned out great.
However, I am in the ‘old mirror’ camp……I love a mirror that shows its age and has a great patina!
But I also love what you did with this one 🙂
Christy says
Thank you, Vicki! I’m so glad I asked as I didn’t realize y’all wouldn’t mind an old mirror. I will keep that in mind for a couple I have in my garage. XOXO
Cyndi says
I loooove this! So pretty! An “antiqued” mirror (the technique where you spray glass with Looking Glass and vinegar drops) would be pretty in this too, but I love that decoupage paper!
Christy says
Thank you, Cyndi! Yes! And I have kept the mirror so maybe it will show up again lol! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
Not to pile on, but ???? – I also love old mirrors, especially if they’re for decoration more than function. You know your customers better than anyone, though, so that’s what matters. The flowered paper is very pretty and probably will appeal to a lot of people. I’m surprised you didn’t add hooks, which seems like a very Christy thing!
Christy says
Thank you, Marcie! I guess if the aged look was still pretty, but this one was just ugly lol. I am glad to know that y’all don’t mind old mirrors though. And I did consider hooks for the bottom, but in the end, I decided to keep it simple lol. XOXO
Ellen Shook says
Really cool idea, and I always love how you think outside the box! You always give me so many ideas. The only thing I might have done as another step (I know you love that particular idea) is to add a little caulk on that side between the shelf you added and the base which used to be the bottom. I am probably just being anal, but the gap is noticeable to me. The piece is really pretty, and I can see it being pretty in my own bathroom. Too bad you live so far away…
Christy says
Thank you, Ellen! Yes, the bedrail I used for the shelf was from an antique bed and was slightly warped, so there is a small gap. We’ll call it charm from uniting two old pieces lol. XOXO
Anita says
Love what you’ve done, Christy! I thought you might have added some hooks to the decoupaged section, for jewelry, perhaps. I know how much you like to add function with hooks. It is beautiful as is, though. Thanks for sharing.
Christy says
Thank you, Anita! I did consider adding them to the bottom, but in the end, I decided to keep it simple. XOXO
Michele M. says
This project is gorgeous and re-doing it into a shelf was brilliantly done. You always have the best visions! However – as with light distressing – I LOVED that old mirror and for me would prefer it. (In fact I bought a huge floor mirror from Ballard Designs years ago that cost $700 and my husband teased me for years about how I paid so much for “an old gross looking mirror.”) I ended up selling it after a few years when we made some renovations and it didn’t fit in the space right anymore. But yes, mirror for me – but I do like your florals very much, too.
Christy says
Thank you, Michele! I am so glad I asked as I have a couple of mirrors that have damage to the mirror that way that I may try to sell as is. The mirror in this one, although it was really hard to tell from the photo, was really ugly and had some yellow discoloration. I have kept it though, so maybe you will see it again lol! XOXO
Caye says
For gosh sakes, where do you come up with these great ideas, time and time again!!? I love your grand scheme and how you made both pieces work! Good job Christy! I love it.
See ya on Thursday.
Christy says
You are the sweetest, Caye, thank you! Reading your comment, I just realized that the two pieces I got from this one $5 find couldn’t have ended up more different from one another lol. See ya Thursday, my friend! XOXO
p says
I love the added shelf. Who knew that redesign would stand so well on it’s own ? You did !
Great creative eye. It’ll look nice in your new shop.
Christy says
Thank you, P! This was a fun one…I always enjoy the girly ones! XOXO
Sharon says
One of my very favorite makeovers you’ve done! I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!
Thanks for sharing your special creative talents!
Christy says
I’m so glad you like this one, Sharon! Thank you so much! XOXO