Wall of Mirrors

So here is my most recent project that I have been working on - after about a month - it's finally done!  I know I had mentioned in previous blogs how much I need to spruce up my walls... Well I finally started on one, my dining room wall.

This was my inspiration:

My first thought was that I needed much larger frames to look proportional to my huge wall.  I set out on my search for mirrors - talk about frustrating... Anything that is that large and has a mirror is pretty expensive, even at places like Home Goods and 50% off at Hobby Lobby.  So, I figured I could just look for frames I liked and use the mirror from our old master bath.  Ha, not so much.  I found some amazing deals for the frames, but when I looked again at that bath mirror, it was WAY too heavy to cut and put in the frames.  Plus, it was about a 1/2 inch thick.  Not happening.  So, as most of my projects go... On to Plan B.

I did some searching online and found out some people used a spray paint that can be used for a mercury glass or plain mirror affect.  I was only able to find it at Michael's, but this tiny can costs $12 for 6 ounces.  Ouch.  Apparently, it was my lucky day because the check out girl thought the same thing.  She said if I 'signed' up for their emailing program she would give me 40% off each one!  Deal.

So I decided to make some of the mirrors look like mercury glass and the others just have an olden mirror finish.  One of the smaller frames I got had a regular mirror in it, so I left that one alone.  I painted all the frames with paint that we had and a darker textured paint I found at Lowes.

Here are the frames post paint, pre-glass:

Then I had to figure out how to put the glass in there and hold it there.  Originally, there were these awful horse pictures in there and they were stapled in.  I decided to use liquid nails and make it a little more secure.  After letting that dry for a day, D had to help me with the rest.  We had to readjust some of the wires on the back of the mirrors and reposition them.  Then we finally got to put them on the wall.

Thank goodness for my handy man, because otherwise I wouldn't have been able to put them up myself.  With a little math and only a few extra holes in the wall, we got them all up and secure.  I love the end result!

View from our kitchen:

View of the mercury glass affect:
 

Then to make the project even better, I found something similar on Anthropologie today -

DIY project under $100 vs Anthro's $698, I'd say I did pretty good!  I still need a few more touches to the wall, but loving what I've got going so far. 

Here's to pretty, shiny, beautiful mirrors.  Love B