Another thing I have is this awful oval mirror with a plastic frame. Honestly, I wouldn’t have given it a second glance except that the kids took all of the mirrors from my room and so I made myself a bet. I would give it one last shot and try to up-cycle this sad sack of a mirror and if I don’t like it, then I can still sell it at the yard sale. Now let’s see how I intend to save the plastic mirror from the clutches of the yard sale.
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What I Used:
The How To:
I also mixed the Neutral Gray into the Everlasting chalky finish paint to come up with this soft gray which I then applied to the 5 rope pieces going around the oval of the mirror.
Finally using the Raw Sienna mixture I painted over the scallops and the framed piece which was right next to the actual glass, on the right side of the image below.
You can still see lots of the white peeking out from underneath the brushstrokes.
And here they are on the top of the oval. It’s starting to look very shabby chic!
And now I have a new mirror!
Is it shabby chic? Does it look vintage? I don’t know what to call it. You can see the drop cloth pleated curtains that I made a few months ago, reflected in the mirror.
Oh and the object next to the oval mirror, on the right, is the farmhouse chippy mirror I refinished a few months ago. The actual mirror has fallen off – talk about Murphy’s Law, after all that work – but I will find a way to glue it back on.
And it’s certainly a much more robust frame that really shows off all those twists, turns and scallops.
I’ll be showing you more of the furniture as we go on. Or maybe I’ll even be brave and make a mood board. I’ve never made one before. Any advice on how to do it?
Maybe…
Ok now I need an honest opinion here. Should I keep this plastic oval mirror, or should I sell it at the yard sale?
And while we’re at it, do you want to see a mood board for this grey and peach bedroom?
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Mary,
Love how you updated this mirror. Fabulous job. Stop by Over The Moon party tomorrow since you are being featured.
Hugs,
Bev
Thank you so much Beverly.
WOW! I wish you could set up a camera and film people who are gonna come up to it and tap it and say, “Oh, it is JUST plastic. It looks SOOO real! Great save. The peach is an awesome idea. I know I’ve past by them in yard sales and GW; I’m gonna buy the next reasonably price (read cheap!) one I see. I love drybrushing…white and aqua for a beachy vibe…shades of brown for rattan…hmm!
You’ll have a lot of fun doing one Kathy. I really enjoyed all that dry-brushing. I hope you find one soon.
It looks great! I especially love the little empty frame beside it too!
Amber that used to be a mirror but then the glass part fell out. It still looks pretty though.
LOVE!! It looks like real basket weave now with a lot more dimension. Very chic.
Thanks Amy, it was either improvement or out the door it went.
This is such a beautiful upcycle!! You were featured on our Link up this week and we’d love to have you join us again! Our inspired Collection Link Up!
Thank you so much Haley. I will be coming over this week.
Mary this turned out beautifully! Thank you so much for linking up!
Awesome Mary. You’ve added detail and layers that a “flat” plastic frame could never get close too. It looks beautiful now and I really love the way you mixed the different effects to create a frame within a frame -hope that makes sense.
I think so Michelle. I really went all out and had fun with this one, thinking that if it worked fine, but if it didn’t that was fine too. I guess sometimes you get it right.
It’s a keeper as far as I’m concerned. It looks so different.
A mood board is easy, just get a bid ol’ piece of cardboard and start sticking pictures of things you like. Add some fabric, ribbon, buttons, old jewellery, photos …. whatever. If you call it a mood board then it is! Enjoy!
I like your idea Julie. I think I’ll take photos of what I have since I’ll be working with that and just create a virtual one on Pic Monkey.
The updated patina looks great! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm!
Thanks Cecilia, I couldn’t look at that plastic any more.
I’d definitely say, “Shabby Chic.”
I think I have to agree with you Michelle!
That looks amazing! I love it when people revive things from yard sales!
It is always a shame to just throw useful things away when you can give them a new look with a bit of paint.
Mary, I love the character and patina you gave your mirror. What a beautiful transformation. So fun to give an object a whole new life, and you’re always very good at that! It’s funny, we both posted mirror rehab projects this week on Waste Not Wednesday 🙂
I have more mirrors than I know what to do with Heidi!
I know exactly that burnt yellow colour your referring to and it’s awful. Your new vintage mirror looks wonderful Mary worth every dry brush stroke.
Don’t you just love being able to transform things with paint!
Great makeover, from drab to fab. Pinned
Thanks Anita this one really needed lots of love.
Yes love what you did and should be a keeper as not likely you would get the $$ if selling at a sale anyway. Question…….I bought one of these from a resale shop for cheap, however, the mirror has been impacted with specs of some kind – I think the mirror needs to be replaced……how else to address sprucing the mirror so I can then do what you did to the frame?
Hi Julie, I have never seen this done before. I think people usually try to age their mirrors not the other way around. However after some research I found these posts that addresses the problem of black spots.
https://abeautifulmess.com/2015/10/4-soloutions-for-dark-spots-on-vintage-mirrors.html
http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-black-spots-on-mirrors/
https://www.hometalk.com/24836536/q-suggestions-to-camouflauge-black-spot-on-mirror
Good luck!
What a great save and transformation Mary! Don’t you just love the power of paint!
I swear by the power of paint Sam. It’s transformative powers are extraordinary!!
This is a great makeover, Mary! I love the subtle details you added with the chalk paint. It creates a bit of drama and turns that plain old mirror into a vintage treasure. Beautiful!
Thanks so much Jelica. It definitely needed something it was so boring before.
Mary, I love how your mirror turned out. It looks like real wicker vs the fake plastic looking wicker!
Thank you so much Carol for that. I wasn’t even thinking of wicker when I was painting it, I was just trying to get rid of all that yellow.
Your mirror looks so good now, your kids will probably steal it too Mary! Ha! You’ve worked a miracle on it even though it is plastic, it’s still very cute. I like the mix of colors you used, and I would definitely keep it (if you can.)
Florence you are too funny. I will not let them steal it. Anyway if it isn’t blue or black they don’t want it. It fits in perfectly with my bedroom so that is where it is staying for now.
I’m glad you’re keeping it. It looks almost like a rattan piece now!
I think I gave you a rundown on how to do a moodboard, but if you need some more details let me know. It’s easy!
Doreen yes you did. I’ll have to go over it so I can finally be organized instead of flying by the seat of my pants.
Definitely a keeper. Too beautiful to sell…Can picture it in an entrance way….so creative, wish I was..
Agnes you are creative too, you just don’t know it yet. I only started getting good at this after I started my blog. 🙂
It looks great and I’d keep it. I have one just like it
that I’m going to paint, also.
That is really wonderful that you are also going to paint yours Penny. We have to banish all the ugly plastic from the world one project at a time.
Well I think it doesn’t look plastic anymore. Looks pretty.
I don’t know how to do a mood board online, but if you get a benefactor to pay the fares, I can lend you my moody teen, and mid week grumpy husband for a few days.
Won’t make it permanent due to tariffs 😉
Haha, you are so funny. I have a couple of those moody teens at home too. And a puppy that is going through his toddler phase. I think the mood board will be a breeze in contrast to that.
You did a fabulous job on this mirror, Mary. You’d never know it was plastic now! I think it’s a keeper 🙂 You’re a brave woman tackling another room makeover so soon after finishing the girl’s room. Yes, I’d love to see a mood board.
Marie I try to go at my own pace and not pressure myself like they do in those room challenges. We are still in the process of getting the house settled in. Sometimes you have to life in a place for a while before you know what you want and how it all fits together. And now with the addition of Tatou things have really changed around here. Haha!
I love any type of mirror – the larger, the better! There’s something about having mirrors throughout the house that opens up the space! I wouldn’t sell it. It looks fabulous since you refinished it!
Thank you Gail, I am definitely going to keep this one. I agree about mirrors opening up spaces, this room is so small but having the mirror there makes a difference.
Well as always you do such a good job with your makeovers. I love the shape of the mirror. My MIL used to have one that looked like that in one of her bedrooms years ago. Hugs and blessings to you dear lady.
Cindy
Cindy we must have had this one quite a long time too. I just never paid any attention to it because, well you saw the before. haha!! Stay well my friend.
I say it’s a keeper. Your paint technique adds texture and interest to the mirror. You did a great job in making it over.
Thanks so much Debra. And to think this project was an afterthought.
Fantastic! I think there are lots of mirrors like that floating around. You are saving them. We have one in a closet that is gold…like Midas gold! It needs some help.
Ha! Stacey some need toning down and others need a breath of life like mine did. It was so boring before.
Mary I would by it in a heartbeat at your yard sale, I love how this turned out. It might be my favourite make over of yours ever! It looks like rattan now and has that beach vibe going on. Don’t sell it, except to me, if I ever come by your house, please!!!
OK Katrin, I’ll hold onto it and when you come to visit it will be a gift from me to you!
I think you did a wonderful job with this transformation. It looks so light and airy and quite stunning! I would never suspect it started out as a yellowish, plastic mirror.
Thank you so much Jolene. It was a last minute project, but sometimes those can be the best.
There is no way that I would ever know it was plastic unless I touched it. That looks like wood. Amazing and a definite keeper. Here’s to a sunny sale!
Kim it was the awful yellow color that was killing me. You know that look of plastic that’s been sitting out forever yuk!
Keep it! Oh, please do! The mirror is so lovely! You did a marvellous – do not give it away now!
Ok I will keep it. I guess now that it no longer looks like plastic I can find a place for it at home. 🙂
Oh, Mary! It looks wonderful now….like a lovely distressed wood. Vintage shabby!!!! Great job. 🙂
Thank you Julie. I really wanted to save it from plastic purgatory.
This is a keeper it looks like rattan! Love what you have done! It will look great any place!
Oh I hope so Maria. That makes me very happy that you think it looks like rattan.
Very nice project. Looks great in your display.
Thank you so much Cheryl. I really wanted to try my hand at giving it some dimension.
Looks lovely, Mary! Great job!
Thank you Julie, and to think that I wasn’t even sure if I wanted to tackle this project.