Gold & Gaudy Mirror Makeover

Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? I AM!!!!! Hmmm, I guess that sounded totally conceited, didn’t it? Well, I meant that the mirror is, not me. But feel free to bring on the compliments, I promise I won’t delete them. In fact, I just might print them, cut them out, and tape them to the mirror so that every time I look in my mirror, I will have your compliments to put a smile on my face…jk…or am I?
This was love at first site…at least for me. I think once I locked eyes with it…or technically, myself…it is a mirror afterall… it knew its “Golden Age” was coming to an end. Can I just say how much I love Goodwill, though? I mean the fact that I was able to walk out of the store with this mirror in hand for only $8 is just amazing! It is huge! I loved the chunkiness and the ornate details, even though I was tempted to swear at them during the painting process…don’t worry mom, I held my tongue. I loved everything about this mirror, with the exception of the hideoderous-gaggish-greeny-gold color. It was way too puke…oh I meant gaudy! Way too Gaudy! It sat in our crapft room. Yes, I really did just make that word up. It’s a mix between the crap room and my craft room, or really just the room that things go to mingle for a while until I remember they are there and start my projects. It’s a real fun minglin’ party! Anyone else have a room like that? Someday it will be awesome. We just somewhat organized it, but this is what it was….remember, no judging!Okay, that was after a yardsale, and some unpacking from the move…it actually got significantly worse when we moved all the “please refinish me” furniture pieces in. However, I am pleased to announce that it has gotten MUCH better. I might even be able to move the piano in soon. Oh ya, when it’s all done, which will probably be a month before it’s time to move again, it will be part music room, part craft room.
Back on topic (slaps upside the head) Here are a few before pictures of the hideoderous gaudiness.

ICK! But so much potential right? I Know! So, I FINALLY, after much debate, decided that it was to grace us with it’s presence in our master bedroom. Our color scheme, for the time being, is red, gold, and black. A very elegant type look is what I am hoping it will be someday….someday Although by that time, I will have changed my mine on the color scheme…thank goodness for paint!
I gave it a good wipe down, taped off the edges of the mirror so I could paint the inner part without worry, and slapped on the first coat of….drumroll please….RED!BTW, I used Martha Stewart paint since it was on sale.I allowed some small gold flecks to peek through only because we have gold in the room, so why not? As long as the whole thing isn’t gold, I’m good. Now all that beautiful detail that I fell in love with got kinda lost in one shade of red. I also didn’t want it to be overpowering, punch you in the face, bright red. So I toned it down with a black glaze by painting on the glaze and then taking it off with a damp cloth. Super easy to do, unless you’re a perfectionist like me--in which case, this step just might drive you crazy!
I LOVE it. It is actually the first thing to be hung on the walls in the master bedroom and it fills awkward wall space quite well since it is so large. I’m so happy I decided to glaze. I think it brings out the details so well and tones down the red just enough. Before…an awkward gaudy mess.After…a big red beauty.I think I am getting a reputation for using colors “out of the comfort zone” YAY! I will gladly accept that reputation and hope it inspires others to think out of the ordinary. I take the awkward ”I don’t want to tell you that I think you’re really crazy so I’ll just nod my head and smile” look as a sign that I am headed in the right direction.

-Jen

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