DIY Mirror Frame Upgrade for $50

 

Having updated the vanity months ago in our main guest bathroom (which is also the kids bathroom) it was time to bring the mirror and very outdated light fixtures into this decade.

The builder grade mirror was very large and my choices were to replace it or try adding a frame to it. I was worried about the state of the wall behind the mirror so I went with the easier route of adding a frame.

I bought primed trim ($30) from Menards and angle cut it to fit the mirror. Pro Tip: Buying primed trim is slightly more expensive but worth not having to prime the wood yourself once you get home. I also needed to make sure the trim was not too thick that it would overlap with the screws that mounted the mirror to the wall.

I then spray painted each piece of trim with my go-to Farmhouse Matte Black by Rust-oleum ($5.99 per can). Pro Tip: Be sure to also paint a quick coat on the back of each piece of trim so you will not see the unfinished color within the reflection of the mirror once secured. This job took two cans of spray-paint to complete.

After researching multiple ways to attach the trim to my mirror I decided gluing the pieces would be my best bet for success on this project. 

Using Loctite PL530 ($3.99) I put a thin bead of glue on the far edge of the backside of each piece of trim so that I wouldn't see it within the reflection of the mirror once secured. This glue is so strong that this is all that is needed to attach the trim to the mirror!

The paint needs 48 hours to dry so I used some painters tape to ensure the trim pieces wouldn't slide.

There were very small gaps in the corner pieces that I filled with some Minwax Ebony Wood Putty ($4). I lightly painted over the putty with some extra spray-paint that I sprayed into a container outside to use for touch-ups. 

I found some pretty pendant lights on Wayfair to replace the 1970's gothic pendants that overwhelmed this space. It was hard to find something that could light up the space the same way but with the correct light bulbs I was so pleased with the new fixtures. Overall, I think the frame and lights really modernized this space! Here is the full look along with the vanity update I completed previously (check out the post for more details!)

In total, the frame upgrade cost $50 and the light fixtures ($120 for each pendant).

Next project for this room is the flooring - when I get the courage to tackle.