If you frequent the flea market, thrift store, or yard sales, you probably can find a cheap small wall mirror to makeover. Did you know you can paint plastic resin furniture pieces? Virtually any paint will adhere to the plastic with the proper preparation.
Small Vintage Mirror Made of Resin
For the price of $3.99, I couldn't pass up the hanging mirror. It isn't huge; it measures 24" tall by 16" wide. Do you see the faux wood grain? Do they even make these home decor items out of resin anymore?
This is our Thrift Store Day, be sure to check out all the projects below.
Clean and Prep Mirror for Painting
With any flea market or thrift store item, the first step should be cleaning. Paint won't adhere to dust, dirt, and grime. To begin, I dusted the plastic frame of the small vintage mirror with my favorite dust brush. Next, I used HTP All-in-One Surface Prep to clean and degloss the finish. Now, it's ready for paint!
Visit the My Repurposed Life Amazon Store to shop my favorite items.
All-in-One-Paint | Thistle
The paint color is Thistle. I've never used this color before, but it was the first sample jar on the shelf! Would you call this mirror art deco?
The HTP paint goes on smoothly and quickly. I used a small Purdy paintbrush to apply the first coat of paint. I firmly believe a few coats with a light hand are better than one heavy coat of paint.
After the second coat, there are a few paint strokes on the small decorative mirror. You could use painter's tape if you prefer. Do you think it looks more like a wood-framed mirror now that it's been painted?
Related Content: More Plastic Mirror Projects
Cleaning Sharpie Marker with Norwex
How do you easily clean Sharpie markers off the mirror? With water and a Norwex Enviro cloth. Dry it with the Norwex Window Cloth.
Small Plastic Vintage Mirror Makeover
Thistle is a gray purple. If you have lavender or purple tones in your room, you will see it as purple.
Changing the Color
So, I tried to give the mirror some "highlights" to make it look distressed, but that did NOT work.
I have a layering block, but I used a scrap piece of wood to add white paint on the high points because the details are so small. I was not too fond of the way it looked at all. Therefore, there was a change in plans.
THE MIRROR HAD TO BE REPAINTED because I couldn't get all the white paint wiped away. Somehow I misplaced the Thistle sample. The new color is Cathedral.
Where Should I Hang a Small Mirror?
I have a large wall in my bedroom where I hang empty frames and travel souvenirs. The slip-covered chair is the only thing in my bedroom that escaped being painted.
There are so many places to hang a rectangular mirror like this. Wouldn't the decorative wall mirror look cute hanging near your accessories in the closet, or in your entryway, for that last look before you dash out the door?
Let's see what my friends have been working on this month.
Cool Thrift Store Projects
- Metal Garden Decor
- Laundry Pod Storage
- Spray Paint Clay Pots
- Plastic Mirror Update (You are Here, Thank You!)
Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
See comments