Antique Mirror in Restored Frame

Dimensions: Height 26 inches, Width 16 inches, Thickness 1 inch, Weight 8.5 pounds. You could hang this mirror just about anywhere to add a bit of vintage character to your home. Two D-rings are mounted to the back, so all you need to hang it is a hammer, a couple of nails, and a wall. $125. Click here to purchase.

The Story

I found this old mirror in an alley in my Glover Park neighborhood of D.C. It was in terrible shape, and I could see why someone tossed it. But unlike them, I figured I could salvage it and recapture some of its original beauty. For cleaner lines I entirely cut away the most damaged edge of the frame; the other one I modified with a coping saw and followed up with sand paper all over. Although a marking on the original back identified it as maple, naturally a very light-colored wood, I figured a dark finish would add the kind of character I was seeking, so I applied a deep, rich brown stain, and finished with a few coats of Minwax water-based clear satin Polycrylic. I replaced the original back but retained the original mirror. The aged look, with a few streaks showing though, maintains the sense that is an antique, but it will still clearly reflect your smiling face.

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