Painted Furniture
Wrapping Up
Paint, glaze and one unexpectedly useful Swiss Army knife turn an old dresser mirror into something made for House 173.
We're really getting there now. When last we met the mirror had been all prepped, taped off, sanded, cleaned up and ready for paint. Now it's time to make it look good, clean it up and hang it. Let's get into it.
Starting With a Good Primer
I guess there's not much to say about this phase. While I did sand the mirror frame, I didn't spend a lot of time on it so I chose a good primer. Probably a bit of overkill but I didn't want to take any chances so I gave it a couple light coats.
Hardware for Hanging a 90-Year-Old Mirror
Just as I was getting ready to put the first coat of paint on, I realized I should probably put the hardware on the back of the frame first. I decided to go with the French cleat system to hang this mirror. A French cleat hanger uses two interlocking, beveled pieces of metal (one mounted to the wall and one to the object) to securely hang items like mirrors, artwork, cabinets, or shelves. I've never used one so I'm a little anxious, but at the same time... confident that it'll work just fine! The key though, was mounting the hardware so the mirror is level on the wall. We'll see how that came out shortly!
Finding the Right Red... Eventually
Painting the mirror frame, while not difficult, came with a bit of a challenge. It started when I pulled out three cans of red paint from this collection of paints in the workshop:
So I grabbed what I thought was the right can, but as you can see in this picture...it wasn't! Look how bright it was...not at all what I had in mind - just a happy little accident I guess!
Then I ran test samples of all the red paints I have, including spray paint, and Rustoleum reds I've used with some tool restorations, but I just wasn't coming up with anything of the color I had in mind.
I tried every red I had. Regular paint, spray paint, Rust-Oleum reds I'd used on tool restorations, nothing was quite what I had pictured in my head.
Then, completely by accident, I pulled out my Swiss Army knife.
There it was.
I'd been wandering around the workshop experimenting with cans of red paint, and apparently the exact color I wanted had been riding around in my pocket.
Life is a painting, and you are the artist. You have on your palette all the colors in the spectrum - the same ones available to Michaelangelo and DaVinci. - Paul J. Meyer
In this next picture you can see my knife tucked in the back of my valet and, even though computer screens don't pick up the exact colors, especially with red, it's a pretty close facsimile. So off to Lowe's I went, Swiss Army knife in hand, and asked them to color-match it. And you know what? They got pretty darn close.
I suppose there are more sophisticated ways to develop a color palette for your home. But "match it to my pocketknife" seems perfectly reasonable here at 173.
Because I already had a coat of paint on the frame, I thought I could get away with one coat, but it didn't work out that way. To get the full effect of my Swiss Army knife shade of red, I ended up putting two coats over the first red paint. And with that... it was beginning to look the way I originally imagined.
Antiquing the Mirror With Glaze
Next it was time for glazing. A few years ago I picked up a can of Valspar mis-matched glaze for $5.00. What a great opportunity... today they're over $20! I have to admit... this is one of the best glazes I've worked with.
Anyway, I really enjoy painting furniture pieces and I've gotten pretty good at glazing - just wish I had more opportunity to do it. As you can see, we're on a roll at this point...
An attempted closeup... one of these days I'm getting a real camera...
I love how the glaze enhances the architectural interest and gives some attractive definition in a piece like this.
Protecting the Finish
Then, finally, I gave it one coat of Polycrillic just to protect the glazing. Typically, you would apply a topcoat on pieces that get a lot of wear and tear, like the dining room table, that gets a lot of use and you could stand the possibility of rubbing the glazing off.
Nonetheless, I went ahead and put a coat on the frame just to protect the glazing. You never know when you get to dusting or cleaning or something - just sayin'.
Finding Its Place in the Upstairs Hallway
I suppose all that's left to do is to show you the mirror and its natural habitat. This mirror is now in the upstairs hallway, as you could tell by the title of the last two posts. So, let me give you a brief tour of the hallway. First is a long shot picture of the hallway. What you'll see on the left is some kind of plaster sculpture we got maybe 25 or so years ago at Pier 1 Imports. Across from that is where the mirror will be hung, where there was some kind of Greek or Roman scene that we've had just as long, also Pier 1.
Also in the hallway is the light. We put it in back when we finished the stairwell and hallways back in 2018. It's a Craftsman style, and the shade is yellow, green and red, and ended up dictating the color scheme up there.
And that's really why the red mirror works up here. It isn't just a random splash of color. Between the shade in the hallway light and the little table, the red was already part of the room. The mirror just pulled a little more of it onto the wall.
Wow. I really got off track here, so let's get back to it. So here's a couple shots of the new-old mirror in its natural habitat! This first one, obviously, is facing toward the stairwell.
And the second picture is pointing toward the end of the hallway with the lamp and table... all complementing one another.
And there she is.
What started as a $25 Salvation Army dresser mirror more than 25 years ago spent decades doing exactly what it was supposed to do, then spent a year or so leaning rather uselessly against a wall in the study. Now, nearly 90 years after somebody stamped April 11, 1935 on the back, it has a completely different job.
I like that.
The red ties into the little table and the hallway light, the glaze gives the old frame some of its character back, and, most importantly, I managed to get the whole thing apart, back together, painted and hung without breaking the mirror.
Considering my history, we'll call that an unqualified success.
This was a quick, fun little project, and I really do wish I had more opportunities to paint furniture. Retirement isn't too far down the road, though, so perhaps I should be careful what I wish for.
Anyway, thanks for stopping by House 173. See ya next time!
I'll admit it.
When George said he was going to paint a 1935 mirror red, I had concerns.
Not intervention-level concerns, but enough that I would have quietly suggested maybe trying a nice walnut stain first.
Then I saw the hallway.
There's red in the light fixture. There's red in the little table. There's old wood everywhere. And somehow this bright red mirror with the dark glaze settles right into the whole thing like it was supposed to be there.
The best part, though, is the paint selection process.
Most people bring home color chips.
George apparently wandered around his workshop opening every can of red paint he owned, rejected all of them, looked at the Swiss Army knife in his pocket and said, essentially:
Paint it this.
And off to Lowe's he went.
I also appreciate that after breaking a beautiful old mirror years ago by tightening one screw approximately eleven molecules too far, he wisely chose a French cleat this time.
Growth.
The mirror looks great. It fits the hallway. And after 90 years, it has started an entirely new career.
Not bad for a $25 Salvation Army find. - Someone Who Has Learned Not to Question George's Color Choices Too Early
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of paint can you use on an old wooden mirror frame?
After cleaning, lightly sanding and priming the frame, a quality interior paint can work well. Primer is particularly helpful when the existing finish is old, glossy or uncertain.
Why use glaze over painted furniture?
Glaze settles into grooves, edges and decorative details, creating contrast and emphasizing the shape and architectural details of a piece.
Do you need a topcoat over furniture glaze?
It depends on the glaze and paint system and how much handling the piece will receive. A protective clear coat can help preserve the glazed finish, particularly on furniture that will be touched or cleaned regularly.
What is a French cleat?
A French cleat uses two matching beveled pieces—one attached to the wall and the other to the object. When properly installed, they interlock to support items such as mirrors, cabinets and artwork.
Are French cleats suitable for heavy mirrors?
They can be, provided the cleat is appropriately rated for the mirror's weight and securely fastened to suitable wall framing or anchors according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Can an old dresser mirror be turned into a wall mirror?
Yes. Many vintage dresser mirrors have substantial frames that work very well as standalone wall mirrors once appropriate hanging hardware is installed.
Keywords
1935 mirror makeover, painted mirror frame, vintage mirror makeover, red mirror frame, antiquing glaze, furniture glazing, French cleat mirror, old dresser mirror, upcycled mirror, hallway mirror, painted furniture, vintage mirror restoration, House 173