DIY "Wood" Floor Mirror
Recently, full-length wooden floor mirrors have been popping up a ton in people’s homes, tucked in the corner of a bedroom or living room. They can be found all over places like Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and can add a more laid-back, cozy feel to a space. When I was looking to add a mirror to my bedroom, but knew I wasn’t able to afford a new one, I found one that had been lying around the house for years and decided to make-do! Here is how I achieved the look of something similar to this piece, but at a much cheaper price point! You will need:
A white, plastic frame mirror- the one I found in my house is considered a “door mirror”, not as big as the floor mirrors i’ve seen, but once it was finished I still think it came together very nicely. If you don’t have a mirror you’d like to work with in your home, the exact one I used can be found at Target online for $7.00 (last time I checked!)
Sandpaper
Spray Paint- I suggest buying at least two different colors to mimic the look of wood. A brown shade for the base, and then a lighter, white color for the “highlights”. This was all I needed to create the warmer-looking finish that I wanted for the wood frame. Make sure that the spray paint you use is either a matte or satin finish.
The exact spray paint I used was “Rust-oleum 2X Ultracover Paint and Primer” in the colors “Ivory Silk” and “Warm Caramel”
A Paintbrush- You can use a brush you already have, or I went to Home Depot and bought a brush that had more coarse bristles. This helps to create a more textured look when painting
Painters Tape
The first thing you want to do is to tape off the edges of the mirror. Next, take your sandpaper and go over the entire frame, making sure to roughen it up. Then wipe it down with a damp cloth or paper towel.
Start by painting the first coat with a dry brush in the brown base shade that you chose. To make things easier, I sprayed some of each of the paints into a separate cup. (I had to add my lighter color to the brown in order to create the shade I wanted, so feel free to adjust your colors as needed!) Let this dry completely.
Now is when you want to add in different shades in order to mimic the texture of wood. You can be as creative as you want in these steps, using whatever shades in order to get your desired outcome. I chose the next layer to be just a shade or two lighter than my base color by mixing in the ivory. Make sure you’re using a light hand when painting these layers, you don’t have to be precise! Let this dry completely, adding as many layers as you want!
The last layer you want to add is your “highlight” for the wood. Take the lightest color and very lightly paint over your layers, adding as much as you want. Before you finish, you can take the time to make sure the color is right and adjust as needed. I definitely had to go back and add layers before I was satisfied!
And you are all done! If you want you can add a clear sealant over the frame for protection, I decided to skip this step and haven’t noticed any chipping or peeling, but it certainly never hurts to be extra careful!
