How to update a mirror

ok ok I get it I’m obsessed with silver leafing.  But its sooooo easy and makes the biggest change in what ever it touches.  My friend bought a mirror for her bathroom, the only photo she had seen of this mirror was an online photo from Pottery Barn.  When she got the mirror it was awesome!!! the striping, the high contrast color the size, what was wrong was the coloring on the sides.  It was dark red, uuughhh not the right pop of color that was needed for this stunning  monochromatic bathroom.

I immediately said paint the edges black done!  And so I continued to organize our clients house and my fabulous designing partner in crime went on her way to finding the right towels!  The day came when we needed to install the mirror that was not painted.  In a panic I said silver leaf??? Its fast sorta and looks amazing.  With the distressed look of the mirror the silver would give it just the modern glamor it needed.

 to recap silver leafing paint on a sizing let sit for about an hour.  Slap on some silver leafing and then… the fun part get a makeup brush and start brushing off all the leafing.  It will only stick to what you have put the sizing on.   To add a little distressing I sanded a bit off here and there.  Now be warned that sanding will discolor the shin and make it dull so use sparingly and only in places you want the bottom layer of paint to show through. 

Another distressing tool  if you don’t seal the leafing it will begin to rub off in places that  that get touched a lot so make sure you seal it well with poly if you want it to last.  or you can use a tinted wax to darken the silver and make it really antiqued!

disclaimer the mirror is not yet hung that’s why it is so low in the photos he he.