Hello, lovely friends! I’m back on this first day of October with not one, but TWO easy mirror makeovers! There were several pieces that I threw into my latest Fill up the Booth Haul to get them out of our garage where they had been stacked in the back for forever.
These two mirrors were in that stack of pieces:
I’ve included a few affiliate links so you can find the products I love.
Easy Mirror Makeover #1
Mirror #1 is this huge gold mirror circa 1975 according to a stamp on the back:
It was actually marked down from $19.98 to $9.98 at the thrift store.
It is super heavy, and that’s probably why I stalled so long on redoing it.
Jack removed both of the mirrors from their frames for me and vacuumed all the details on this one.
Paint
I went with a simple Cotton white on this one, applying it with my Belle Brush:
It took three coats for solid coverage.
Don’t forget to flip it over and paint in the groove that holds the mirror as that area will be reflected in the mirror.
Sand
I then sanded with 220 grit sandpaper (wrapped around an old sanding sponge to make it easier to handle):
Before sealing, I vacuumed once more with my shop vac.
Seal
To seal, I find it is much easier to hit all these details with a clear spray sealer like Rustoleum clear satin or matte spray:
I reassembled the mirror using my Logan Point Driver and covered the back in pretty paper, and this makeover was complete!
Mirror Makeover #1 Reveal
Here is how this super simple makeover ended up:
Clean and bright, and clearly too large for my staging dresser, but it would be great above a mantle or with a larger dresser.
From a distance it’s hard to see the detail, but a little distressing goes a long way to highlight the detail, and this is a look that sells well for me.
And here’s a peek at the back covered in this pretty paper:
Super simple and very sellable now!
Easy Mirror Makeover #2
Mirror number two started out like this:
I paid a bit more for it than I usually do at $12, but I liked the raised detail.
Jack cleaned this one for me and I was able to get to the fun part!
Paint
This one was not in the best shape to start and it had this crackled finish to it:
I decided to go totally opposite and use Caviar which is a true, perfect black:
I knew it would camouflage any imperfections.
Two coats did the trick. I chose not to sand this one, but I did go over the finish with a finishing pad to smooth it out.
Seal
To seal, I mixed a drop or two of Caviar into my Satin Clear Coat…
And then I applied it to the frame using a sponge applicator:
Gilding wax
To highlight those raised details, I applied Gold Gilding Wax:
Gilding wax is oil based, so ideally, you want to add that last.
If you get any overages, you can remove it with a little odorless mineral spirits (It’s actually still stinky!):
I reassembled the mirror using my Logan Point Driver once again to secure it into the frame. I got a picture for y’all this time:
You can also secure it back in place with small nails hammered in like the points above. Just be sure there is something protecting your mirror.
Then, I made the back pretty also with this paper and added D ring hanging hardware:
Mirror Makeover #2 Reveal
Black is always a win!
I first planned to remove the raised detail since it didn’t look that good before, and possibly add a transfer to the frame.
I’m so glad I went with the gilding wax to highlight it instead!
Subtle, but elegant…
And you can see I cleaned up the overages in between the detail with the mineral spirits as well.
And that’s two easy mirror makeovers and two more items crossed off the to-do list!!
See any you may have missed or want to revisit below:
Hutch Makeover with Silk Mineral Paint
Flatware Chest Makeover
Upcycled Antique Dresser Mirror
The Easiest Way to Update Old Artwork
Flatware Box Upcycled with Decoupage Paper
Painting the Smalls #29
Painted Baskets
Chest on Chest Dresser
Step End Table Makeover
Yard Sale Game Table Makeover
Bench and Mirror Makeovers
All I have left is a round of smalls, a dresser, and a basket from this haul, and that’s it!!
I’ll have a replay for you on Thursday though because I’ll be working on this:
That’s just for the skeleton dinner party!! See the last skeleton party I shared in 2022 HERE!!
It is officially Spooktober, and it’s my favorite!
I’ll be back with this thrifty replay for you on Tuesday:
UPDATE: See how this beauty looks now HERE.
Love y’all!
XOXO,
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Mary Kaiser says
I love both of them so much! The white will go with anything, in any room and the black is so elegant! Both will sell fast from your booth! How fun that Jack is home and will be able to help with spooktober!!
Christy says
Thank you. Mary! I only have one mirror in my booth right now, so these will be nice additions! And yes!! He was a huge help in getting it all down from the attic and I plan to put him to work today too ha ha! Hope your week is off to a great start! XOXO
Ellen Shook says
Two more winners, to my eyes, the proportions look well together in the staging photo with the white one. I am a fan of oversized mirrors. All the top tier designers do it, so there you go!
Christy says
Well there you go! It’s the perfect size then ha ha! Thank you, my friend! XOXO
Kathy W says
Christy – I love both mirrors!! So pretty!! I can see why the white mirror sells well for you. The light distressing makes all the difference!!! Beautiful!! And, there is just something about the black and gold combination that really elevates a makeover. I am sure both will sell well for you in your booth. I have a quick question. Do you add your items to your booth as soon as they are finished or do you allow them to “cure” first?? Just curious. Thank you for all your inspiration and your gorgeous makeovers!!
Christy says
Thank you, my friend! I only have one mirror in my booth at the moment, so I’m excited to get these in there, but I do allow things to sit at home for a bit before taking them over. I especially do that with furniture…one to two weeks usually. I may be able to get away with taking these over sooner. Great question! XOXO
Kathy W says
Christy – Thank you so much for your reply.
Kathy
Christy says
You’re welcome! XOXO
Cecilia says
Wow, those mirrors are big! But I love that. They look great. Ooo, I love your Halloween decor. I’ve been waiting….????
Christy says
They are big! It’s hard to tell in before photos sometimes lol. Thank you! And yes…it is time woohoo!! XOXO
Nana Diana says
Easy and sweet makeovers. I really like the black one with the gold embellisment. Nice job. Happy Haunting around your place! xo Diana
Christy says
Thank you, Diana! I bet I could work that black one into my Halloween decorating!! XOXO
christy mittag says
I am in love with each and every one of your diy projects! It is obvious that a lot of love and thought go in to each item. If you can share, is there a method you use to determine the selling price when you add them to your booth? Thanks again for another informative post!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Christy!! I wrote a couple of posts on pricing. You can see the first one here: https://www.confessionsofaserialdiyer.com/how-to-price-items-for-resale/ And then I link to one just for the smalls at the bottom. I hope that helps! XOXO
Holly in Reno says
Thanks so much for your piece on pricing. We’ve been struggling with that. Your house will be so fun with all the Halloween ????
Christy says
My pleasure! I am on day two of decorating today…almost done! XOXO
Gloria Rauch says
Hi Christy
I found you on Facebook but not email. I resubscribed to see if I can follow you there again as well.
Christy says
Oh no…your account now is still saying it was delivered but unopened, and it is now showing that the hutch was opened but not clicked through to the post… weird! Okay, let’s see if resubscribing does the trick. Fingers crossed! XOXO
Mary C King says
Love both of them, but you know I have a fondness for Cotton!
Christy says
Thank you, Mary! Me too, my friend, me too! XOXO
Jackie C says
I love both of these! They are fabulous. Sometimes simplicity is the best!
Christy says
Thank you, Jackie! I agree! XOXO
Marcie Lovett says
Aren’t you glad you dug those out of the garage, Christy? ???? More room for Halloween decor ???? I can see why you put them off, they weren’t terribly inspiring before. I couldn’t even see the details on the first one. Now they’re both updated and ready to be reloved.
Christy says
Yes, I am so glad I finally got them done! My garage is a hodgepodge of Halloween containers at the moment. How did you know?? Ha ha! Thank you, Marcie! XOXO
Cyndi says
I love both of these! One thing I noticed…the “leaves” on the black one kind of remind me of thistle leaves. I thought that was apropos since I believe your mom is Scottish (right?), and the thistle is the national flower of Scotland. 🙂 Anyway, you did beautiful jobs on both mirrors!
Christy says
Thank you, Cyndi! And yes, she sure is! Thank you for pointing that out! XOXO
Lizzy says
So pretty. I love old mirrors!
Christy says
Thank you, Lizzy! I always check out the mirrors at the thrift store…there are so many pretty ones out there! XOXO
Cyndel says
I don’t know which I love more — the gilded black mirror or the 3 skeletons crouching in the bin.
Christy says
HA HA HA HA! Thank you, my friend! XOXO
Michele M. says
They look amazing. Love what you did with the black one – such a unique idea. Glad you kept the raised parts – makes it so unique. Well done, C.
Christy says
Thank you, Michele! I kept thinking about you and your mirror, so I tried to be really careful with those! XOXO
ROBIN GREEN says
CAN’T WAIT FOR YOUR HALLOWEEN. I WAIT EVERY YEAR TO SEE YOUR DISPLAY.
SO, EXCITED!!
Christy says
Yay!!! I’m just about done decorating! Woohoo! XOXO
p says
Ohhh…. My fave is the black mirror. Such a great contrast to your staging.
The raised floral design is unique. Love it !!
Wooooh. Now thats a lot of Halloween deco. Happy decorating !
Boooo
Christy says
Thank you, P! The black is my favorite too! I had a blast decorating, and I think I’m all set for Halloween now! XOXO