How to update mirrored walls

Gone are the days when a mirrored wall was an instant sign of outdated design. Yes, mirrored walls are back, and they can evoke a variety of looks, from the clean and modern to the luxe and decadent.

Cover the mirror with enamel glass paint.

Then apply the paint with the same motion and pressure you used to roll the primer on. Work bottom to top and roll a line of paint on the mirror. Acrylic paint will also stick to glass, but it is often see-through, so it’s not a good choice to cover the whole mirror with.

Hanging wallpaper over your mirrored walls is another full-coverage option. Most mirrored walls are larger than a single sheet of mirror, which means most have seams where the sheets join together. Opt instead for heavy, vinyl wallpaper or rough-surface wallpaper, which has a padded backing.

Simply by changing the finish or color of a mirror frame, you can instantly transform and update a wall and room. Textured, ornate and carved mirror frames are my favorite to revamp because all it takes is a quick and light wipe with a foam paint brush and in an instant, it’s a completely different mirror.

How do I find out how much it’s worth and how old it is? Answer: It could be a heavy Victorian rectangular mirror that could be from the late 1800s. The value is somewhere between $150 to $400 depending on the large size.

Old wall mirrors can be repurposed numerous ways when placed in frames. Cut huge wall mirrors down a bit smaller with glass cutters, then mount the mirrors in old picture frames. Hang some among pictures on a wall full of art. One well-placed wall mirror can brighten a room or stairwell that needs more lighting.

Colors like brown, black, silver, and grey are extremely popular as they go well with many other shades. The ever-popular brown, beige, white and black color moldings give an option of safe choices. Brown wood molding is the safest option, if you are not willing to take a risk!

I even used one of the mirrors as a palette! Here’s are a few things to consider when working with mirrors: Make sure it’s washable paint! I used washable tempera here and the paint washed away easily.

Place the mirror atop newspapers or a tarp and rest the mirror flat, otherwise the paint may run a bit if you spray a bit too heavily. Use thin, overlapping bursts of paint, starting slightly before the mirror and ending slightly beyond it. Hold the can 12 to 18 inches from the mirror for best results.

If you can’t remove the mirror from the frame, you’ll want to cut a piece of cardboard to place over the mirror area. Then, you’ll use painter’s tape to tape under the edge of the frame on the flat surfaces of the mirror, so that paint doesn’t end up on the mirror.

Use petroleum jelly to protect a small mirror.

Use a cloth to spread a thick layer of petroleum jelly around the edges of the mirror and next to the frame. The petroleum jelly can easily be rubbed away once you have finished painting, which will also remove any paint that gets on it.

For this mirror, I used Annie Sloan products: chalk paint (I actually mixed 1:1 Paris Grey and Florence) and wax (clear and dark). The great thing about chalk paint is that there is no sanding or other prep work (well, minus taping off the mirror). Just go for it! Chalk paint dries pretty fast.

Steps for the mirror updating process:

Paint entire mirror frame 2-3 coats of white chalk paint, allowing dry time between coats. Chalk paint drys very quickly. 30 minutes is the approximate time for each light coat to dry. Use French Linen to apply a wash over the white coat.

Paint Your Surface

Using the chalkboard spray paint, cover the glass surface completely with the same spraying technique that you used with the primer. For added durability, apply two coats of the chalkboard paint. Once both coats are complete, remove the painter’s tape, and let it dry completely.

Distress Painting

Distress your frame by using Vaseline. All you do is, in the areas you want distressing put big globs of Vaseline there. Once your paint is dry you can rub the areas with a paper towel where the Vaseline is. Read more about Vaseline distressing here.

Dip a foam paint brush into a metallic or other paint color and lightly dab the paint onto the raised, ornamental areas of the frame to add visual interest. A small bottle of acrylic paint works well. Allow the paint to dry to the touch, about one hour. This step is optional for finishing the project.