With modern day furniture increasing in simplicity, the popularity of feature mirrors are growing alongside. Getting a mirror to perfectly compliment any room is difficult already, so when you’re looking for more complex designs, it can take a lifetime. A quick way to speed up the process however, is by purchasing a simple mirror and doing a little D.I.Y.. This way you can get a mirror that is perfectly created to suit your room and style. To induce your creative skills, I’ve come up with a list of tips and tricks for decorating your mirror.
Rope Outline
If you’re looking to create a nautical feel in your bedroom, one of the best ways to do this is by wrapping a length of rope around your mirror of choice. When picking out the mirror, be sure to choose one with a thicker frame so you can wrap a few loops round it, as opposed to one loop. All you need to do is go around the edge of the mirror’s frame with a length of rope, glueing it down as you go. This technique is great for creating texture and really bringing together your room’s theme. To add to the nautical theme, you could also hang the mirror using the same kind of rope you’ve used around the frame.
Shell Exterior
This design is a one-of-a-kind, as no two mirrors decorated in this way will be the same. Considering that some shell mirrors are selling for several thousand pounds, making one yourself will definitely save you money as opposed to purchasing the complete product. You can get multipacks of shells for a low price on websites like eBay and Amazon. Or, you can go to the beach and pick shells yourself! Simply take your pick of shells, lay them out in a pattern on your mirror and once you’re happy with the design, use a hot glue gun to stick them down.
Chalk Pens
The classic lipstick love note on a mirror is totally iconic. Although, when it comes to practicality and cleaning, lipstick isn’t the best choice. A great alternative for this, however, are chalk pens. The majority of packs are under £15 and you can use them on windows and chalk boards, as well as mirrors so they won’t go to waste! You can use them to leave yourself reminders or leave your significant other a cute note. This kind of decoration lets you change it as your mood and tastes change, so you can draw your own designs on your mirror and eventually decide if you want one of the other kinds of decorated mirrors I’ve mentioned.
Lighting
If you need to do your makeup or shave facial hair, a mirror and good lighting are essential. Thankfully, you can illuminate your mirror by either installing a light up mirror, topping your mirror on the wall with a painting light, or lining it with some fairy lights. Fairy lights come in a variety of colours, so you can have either white-light, or colourful lights like you’d find on a Christmas tree.
As well as being practical, fairy lights provide a calming and cosy atmosphere to any room, especially when used as a decoration for mirrors. All you need to do is wrap the fairy lights around the edge of the mirror and either tape or glue them down. If they’re battery-operated or come with different settings, ensure that the switch or battery pack are easily accessible so you’re never without the lights you need.
Flower and Leaf Outline
This one is similar to shell D.I.Y. in that you apply what you want, where you want it. You can use a range of fake flower heads, ivy vines, leaves or even wood rounds to create a naturalistic vibe for the room. Although this may take slightly longer to make, it looks gorgeous once it’s complete. All you need to do for this one is decide where you want each decoration around the mirror – do you want the flowers on the corners? Do you want the vines creeping up the middle with flowers at equidistant points? Any mirror you decorate using this technique will come out looking completely unique and will add a beautiful, calming touch to any room.
Distressing
By distressing a mirror, you’re making it look antique or old. There are so many ways in which you can distress a mirror. Whether it be through chipping the paint, using bleach or paint stripper, you are bound to create a vintage mirror matching your personal tastes. By decorating your mirror this way, you can create a historical atmosphere at little expense. This is a great way to add to room that’s already filled with furniture and decorations that add to the historical atmosphere, but at a fraction of the cost of a genuine antique mirror.
Crystal Embellishment
This design is definitely one of our favourites. All you do is decorate your mirror by adding crystals round the edge of the mirror or on its frame. It’s beautiful with crystals such as amethyst and topaz lining the edge, as well as creating a fantastic texture. This mirror frame design is totally individual so you could even do a blend of crystals or lighten the shade the further you go down the mirror. It truly is up to you, and you can decide how best to decorate the mirror to suit your needs.
Summary
With all these ways that you can decorate your modern mirror, you’ll never have to own a plain mirror again. Making an interesting piece to hang on your wall is a great way to enhance space and pull the whole room together. So, if you’re about to purchase an expensive mirror, why not trade it for a simple one and utilise your technical and creative skills?