In our quest to finish up the hallway, I have been working on the finishing touches like our little neglected mirror.
I picked up this thrifted mirror for about $5 in college. I painted it a bright red and it’s pretty much remained the same since. It’s a cool piece with it’s aged glass, hexagon shape and funky plastic frame. Yep, that’s right – plastic frame.
Last week, I painted the frame a shiny green to give it a quick update. Although I loved the color, the high gloss unfortunately made the piece look super cheap.
In order to cut that plasticly look, I picked up some Rub ‘n Buff silver leaf wax at the craft store for a couple bucks.
With a small brush you just paint on the wax. Then you buff it with a clean cloth until you get the right look. This stuff dries fast so focus on painting the reliefs and crevices first. Only add a small touch to the rest so there is some texture to the piece.
Here’s a comparison of the two different finishes – silver leaf vs. high gloss.
Although the high gloss was fun, I personally think I like this aged, gilded look much better. It gives it weight which the high gloss sorely lacked.
What do you think?
