Are you ready for a mirror makeover?
When we were finishing up with our study renovation, I was looking for a mirror to hang over the petite french chest between the two windows. I remembered that I had an old mirror in the attic that had once belonged to my mother. I’ve carried it with us through all of our moves over the last twenty years, never hanging it because it didn’t fit my style, but not wanting to get rid of it because of my sentimental attachment.
Originally, the mirror was a part of a bedroom suite, but now, many years later, this mirror is all that remains.
Over the years, every time I would try to hang it somewhere, I wouldn’t be happy with it’s dark reddish finish, and I would always end up taking it down, and putting it in storage. As you can see in this “before” photo, it has beautiful frenchy lines and detail, but it was in desperate need of a makeover.
This little makeover was probably the quickest redo that I’ve ever done, taking less than two hours from start to finish.
In this photo, you can see the “after”.
I began by pulling out my stash of Pure & Original paint, and chose a very pale blue color, called Lagoon Water.
Because the painted area wasn’t very large, I didn’t use any layering of colors. I kept it very simple by only using one color.
The mirror has raised detail all the way around with an old gilded finish.
I wanted to keep that detailing, so I used a small 1” artist’s brush to paint in and around the carved scrolls and beading.
At the top of the mirror was an area that always made me think that something should be added there.
Since I was making this mirror over, I decided that now was the time to embellish this blank space with a bit of art, something that would resemble a painting.
I had an old an old coffee table book that I had picked up at an estate sale several years ago. It was filled with book plates of old master’s paintings.
Inside I found a partial print of The Miraculous Draught of Fishes c1519 by Raphael.
I used a section of this print and molded it into the empty spot at the top of the mirror and then cut it out to the correct shape.
Using Mod Podge, I adhered it in place.
There’s a tiny section of trim at the top that’s been missing for years, but with the added gilding, it’s not noticeable unless you look closely.
The colors in the print were perfect for the color of the mirror, and I loved the subject matter behind this beautiful art.
Because the original gilding had dulled over the years, I used Rub n Buff in antique gold, highlighting the detailed areas.
The last step was a coat of clear Italian liquid wax, letting it dry (which doesn’t take long at all), and buffing it to a low sheen.
The end result was perfect, and I love it’s new look.
I’m so happy that finally, after all of these years, my precious mama’s mirror has found a place in our home.
It looks splendid in my new office/study!
Cheers, Cindy
SOURCE LIST:(may contain affiliate links) Paint: Pure & Original Classico Paint in color Lagoon Water Wax: Pure & Original Italian Wax Rub n Buff in antique gold Mod Podge
Now you can enjoy your mother’s mirror. Happy you found a place and a desire to refinish it and make it yours! Lovely.
It’s beautiful! Great job
Thank you so much, Karen!
So very lovely! I am crazy about how this turned out! have a great weekend!
Thank you, Leticia!
AMAZING!!!
Thank you, Monique!
WOW!!! That is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! Excellent job.
Thank you, Mary!
Beautiful and so well done! You are quite clever and creative.
You are too kind! Thank you, Deb!
Love the new look. It’s nice that you were finally able to find a way to use your mom’s old mirror.
Thank you so much, Nancy!
Love the look of your mirror. Such a good idea putting the picture on it. Looks perfect in that area. I also like the fabric in your drapes. Buffalo checks are my favorite look. Cherry
It is simply gorgeous. What a clever lady you aare Ms Cindy. Thank you for your content.
So strange to read through all these comments talking about a hurricane and then do a double take when you realize that the storm in question is not our current dilemma, Dorian. Let’s hope everyone remains safe through this as well. The mirror is beautiful.
Oh my gosh! I love the mirror and have admired that chest for ages. You are my Hero(ine)! You are one talented lady. I paint furniture but definitely not on a par with you.
Love the mirror update. I was walking my dog when I found two Ethan Allen mirrors just sitting on the curbside. They were tall and fairly skinny and had long metal “legs” attached at the back. I’m guessing they were meant to go behind a low dresser. I hopped in the car as soon as I got home and went and picked them up. They had a medium wood finish that I knew I’d paint but I wasn’t sure what I’d do with the Chippendale styled top. My solution was to glue wood embellishments on the curved top that overlapped the part that didn’t fit my more French country decor. I painted them with ASCP and used gold gilding wax to highlight the details. Now they work in my home! One is in my living room and the other in my bedroom. They are very heavy for their size so I had to use anchors to hang them put they were worth the extra hassle!
What a great story, Nancy!!
The mirror is beautiful! The colors you used are stunning! It looks so elegant!
The end result is awesome. Love everything you do. Please please, could you share your paint layering technique? I have an armoire just waiting for your tips to spur me on. Many thanks.
Cindy,
Ypu have done it again,your talent never ceases to amaze. The mirror is beautiful ❤️
Perfect Cindy. So glad your mothers mirror is in a place of prominence in your home. It turned out beautifully. It might miss a small piece of molding but it doesn’t miss out on beauty and memory. And it fits perfectly between the windows. Your mother would be proud,
Thank you for your sweet words, Alice!
Love what you did with the mirror but I am head over heels in love with the drapes! Info please & thank you.
Hi Sherry! Here’s the link: https://www.babybedding.com/gray-buffalo-check-drape-panel
Happy Birthday Cindy..do something fabulous for you!! The mirror is stunning!!
Thanks, Pamela!
Happy Birthday! Love this mirror. Have a great day.
Thank you, Linda!
Happy Birthday Cindy! Beautiful mirror!
Thank you so much, Mary!!
Happy Birthday sweetie!!! Do buy something special for yourself!
Thank you, Shelley! I’m hoping to find something special!
Absolutely beautiful!
Thank you, Toni!
Absolutely Gorgeous!
Thank you, Debbie!
Lovely the way you enhanced the mirror instead of a total do over and kept some of the original to shine through!!
Thank you, Sandra!
Love this transformation. I think it might be one of my favorites. So glad your boys are safe. We moved into our Tuscan home on the ranch. Was able to use some of my things, but still when I see what you have done, I still prefer your look!
Aw, thank you so much, Linda!
OMGoodness, Cindy you did an AMAZING job! The mirror is just gorgeous now and I am sure your dear Mother is so happy you brought it back to life! I am also glad to hear your boys are OK. My son lives in Ft. Lauderdale and evacuated to Ga. where he still is….going a little stir crazy:) Thanking God none of our friends or relatives had major damage.
Thank you, Pinky! My sweet mama would love the new look! She loved changing things up and was always making over something! We are so grateful that our boys are ok, and I know you’re worried about yours! Irma has left so much destruction! Praying for your sweet boy!
Cindy, he is fine and the house is OK just alot of debris in the yard. No power yet so he went to a friends last night who has power to sleep. Counting our blessings that he was spared any real loss!!!!
Oh, Pinky, so glad to hear that he’s safe! The power being lost and debris in the yard are just minor inconveniences, and can be fixed. I know you are relieved!
Wonderful transformation. Love this mirror makeover. It looks beautiful now.
Thank you!
Thank God your boys are okay!
The mirror is beautiful now – great job!
Thank you, Rhonda!
Oh my…what a transformation! I love it! You did a “spot on” job! Thanks for sharing. Leticia
Thank you for commenting, Leticia!
Fabulous makeover, Cindy and I’m so glad your boys are safe. We still have power, but not sure it will stay on. We are experiencing strong gusts and we have one very large old tree that has fallen over into two other trees holding it up. They may not last. Our power went out for a minute and I was sure that was it, but it came back on quickly to our surprise. Still have strong gust until around 11 pm.
I hope you stay safe, Kim! Irma’s wrath has affected so many people!
Grateful to God that your sons are physically okay…no electricity is a huge inconvenience which brings problems of its own, and things are temporal, but lives are most important. 🙂 The mirror is beautiful…as all your work is, Cindy! I love your creativity in using the Old Masters artwork…gorgeous! So, I also have a Q for you: Would you recommend P&O paint for kitchen cabinets? I rec’d their color sample sheet a couple mos ago, and love their colors options. I AM going to use some type of chalk paint, but haven’t seen many reviews on the P&O paint, yet their Classico mixture sounds enticing. 🙂 Just curious of your thoughts/recommendation? Thank you!
Thank you, Roxie! Yes, P&O Classico would be fabulous for kitchen cabinets. I would use their sealer over the top though. But the paint is very durable and the color selection is wonderful.
Thanks so much, Cindy! I think I’m going to order their sampler pack and go from there! Blessings to you! <3
Thank you, Roxie! You will love this paint!
Cindy, So glad your boys are safe. And..you could not have found a more perfect mirror to enhance that chest! It just looks beautiful there. What a difference a few hours make. I am always amazed ~ and delighted ~ at the power of paint.
Thank you, Karen!
Love, love, love this! My kind of project. I really like the portion of the illustration you selected. Just perfect.
Thank you, Teddee!
You did a fabulous job! It looks wonderful and has a whole new life! So rewarding!
Thank you, Linda!
Cindy…so relieved your boys are ok. Because Florida was so well prepared, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Love the mirror makeover–stunning! It’s even better because it was a family heirloom. We have finally learned to keep things from the past instead of getting rid of them. Hugs, Pat
Thank you, Pat! Yes, Florida does a wonderful job of preparing it’s people.
You’re a GENIOUS and a MAGICIAN all in one! The mirror is exquisite! ANOTHER job well done!
Aw, you’re so sweet, Mary. Thank you!
Pretty mirror make over. Our entire church, as are many I’m sure, prayed for all those in the hurricane’s path as well as those who are affected by the immense fires in Montana and in Canada’s western provinces. Prayers to all in need.
Thank you so much! We felt each and every one of those prayers!
First off…so glad your boys are ok!!! Having been thru ‘Sandy’ I know how worried you must have been. The mirror? Well…let me just say that it is one of the most stunning transformations I have ever seen. Thank you for taking us step by step thru the process…it gave me the motivation to try perhaps one day try something similar! (As soon as I saw the mirror I was wondering how the ‘artwork’ came to be….I loved how you used a photo from a book!!!)
Oops…grammer went a little haywire in my comment above….. ‘proofreading’ is really underrated, lol! Sorry about that….
Thank you, Susan! It was one of the easiest projects I’ve done!
The mirror is stunning! So glad your boys are ok.
Thank you, Debbie!
It is indeed gorgeous! You have brought this beautiful mirror back to life. What a great idea to place that portion of the print in that area. Your mom is smiling with great pleasure at what you had done to preserve this mirror! Got to get some of that paint and wax! Beautiful job Cindy and so happy that the boys are safe and sound!!!
Thank you, Shirley! Yes, my sweet mama would love this makeover! She was always re-doing things and loved to change things up. You will love this liquid Italian wax, it is so easy to work with! I will never use a paste wax again! We’re very grateful the boys are both safe and with minimal property damage, which can be fixed. I’m so happy to hear that your family came through it safely, as well!
The mirror is beautiful . You do wonderful work. I would love to live in your house! So happy your boys are safe. Have a blessed day….Gail
Aw, thank you so much, Gail!
Beautifully executed, as always. You inspire me so. Keeping your boys in my prayers.
Thank you, Jacki! Both the boys came through unscathed other than a small amount of property damage, which is easily fixed.
First…thank God your boys are safe!! You are so amazing what you can do! I would have just stored that mirror….it is beautiful!! Love your vignette on chest. Mirror looks great with chest. Talent!
Thank you, sweet Nancy!
Good morning Cindy! You have the Midas touch! The mirror looks wonderful and perfect in your beautiful study!! I could live in that room!!
Good to hear your sons are both OK!!
Celia
Thank you so much, Celia! The study is one of my favorite rooms now!
The mirror is stunning, well done! I will keep your boys in my prayers.
Thank you so much! Both boys are safe with minimal property damage! Very grateful this morning!
Love the mirror, it’s amazing what alittle paint can do! Beautiful!!!!
Thank you, Mary!
The mirror transformation is fabulous. You have inspired me to redo a mirror I keep putting off.
Wonderful, Patricia!
Splendid! You have a gift of turning the ugly into a thing of beauty.
Aw, thank you so much, Alice!
As always , this is a wonderful makeover. Rub and Buff is magic:)
I am glad your boys are safe!
Thank you, Laura!
Sitting here during the storm of “IRMA” and happy that I still have power! Love the mirror – AND – was wondering about your curtain rods holding your darling checked panels. Please tell me where I might purchase the rods?
Blessings and Thanks.
The curtain rods came from Hobby Lobby! Stay safe, Terry!
Lost power 1 minute after sending initial email:(. Glad your boys are safe!
Oh no, Terry! I hope your power gets back on soon!
Fantastic makeover. can’t believe the transformation. Looking at the before, I would never have given this mirror a second look.
Thank you, Carol! It’s taken me years to figure out what to do with it!
I love how you have a natural flair for painting furniture. I get intimidated just at the thought of painting a piece of furniture. The mirror just lovely.
Thank you, Denise! Painting furniture is really easy, you should try it!