Buying a gold mirror is exciting! The mirror you’ve picked out is beautiful in the store or beautiful online, but then you get it home and it’s not turning out like you thought.
You hang the mirror frame up on the wall, right where you’d been envisioning it and realize that the gold is a bit too gold.
Shiny gold can be a problem for many people, and not realizing just how bright the gold is can be a little off-putting when the mirror arrives.
You wanted to brighten the place up, not place a sun on your walls or make everything else in the room clash with it.
But don’t worry, there’s still hope for your new mirror. Because today we’ll show you how to take your gold mirror and take the shine off so it works better hanging on the wall in your room. These easy fixes will make you love your new mirror again.
Repainting Part Of The Mirror’s Frame
One option is to repaint your mirror’s frame. This doesn’t mean you have to do the whole frame, even just touching up parts of it will make it much more attractive and dull the shine a little.
Acrylic paint is a great choice for this option. Pick a paint color that complements the gold like warm or deep tone neutrals. For example, charcoal gray and navy blue are very in right now. You can also do a light coat of bronze or silver acrylic paint over the gold. However, you don’t want this second coat to cover up the gold frame entirely. Keep some of the gold as accents where it makes sense on your frame.
Alternatively, you can use raw umber paint or burnt umber too. By brushing either one of these on to just some areas of the frame, you’ll notice the paints taking away that harsh bright finish and turning it into a more rustic frame.
The Rub-Off Method
If you’re not quite sure of the approach you want to take to paint your mirror, use the rub-off method. It’s really simple to do and it’s the least risky do it yourself approach to toning down your mirror’s frame.
Start by painting a little on to your frame with a brush as normal. Use the brush bristles to create different effects and textures too. With the rub-off method, you can wipe away any mistakes the moment you make them, so there’s no pressure here.
Just keep practicing with your brush, applying different mixes of paint until you get the desired effect. The moment you’ve applied your paint, lift your brush away and examine the results. Not happy? Just wipe it away. Mixed too much paint and now it’s looking gray? Remove it.
Keep working like this until you get a result you’re happy with. The trick is to move quickly so the paint doesn’t have a chance to dry, but it’ll definitely result in a frame you can be happy with after all that hard work!
Create A Faux Antique Look
When you ordered your floor mirror, it looked like you were getting an antique gold mirror. The sort of old mirror with a distressed gold frame finish everyone loves. They’re ornate and timeless, but somehow your new floor mirror looks super modern on your wall.
You can still achieve that classic look with a little extra work. You can create the faux antique look from home. Here’s how to pull it off.
First lay your mirror flat on the table or floor. Then mix your brown or bronze paint with a little bit of water to make the color less harsh. Rub your paint mixture onto your frame with a paper towel or a clean rag.
This method is great for removing that offensively bright sheen and making your mirror frame look older without damaging it or creating tons of work. Once the frame has been rubbed down, leave it in a safe place for several hours to dry before hanging the frame back on the wall.
Creating A Distressed Gold Mirror
Sometimes you don’t want shiny or antique, but something a little shabbier or rustic – something a little more distressed.
Distressing the gold frame is a brilliant idea because it will definitely look less bright on your wall and will create a more interesting focal point.
To distress your mirror’s frame, all you really need is some steel wool and linseed oil. Just rub down the frame with the steel wool to tone down the gold shade. You’ll notice it already becoming distressed after a few minutes rubbing it down.
Then use linseed oil on the frame as a second coat. Iit will alter the pigment of the gold frame ever so slightly, toning it down and making it easier on the eye.
Think of your mirror frames as being like picture frames or a photo frame. A wood picture frame is easy to paint or change whenever you’re decorating, but so many people think that a metallic frame isn’t something you can treat in the same way, and it absolutely is!
You can paint it, distress it, repurpose it – whatever decorating ideas you’ve got, you’ll be able to try it with your gold frame to create the look you want in your room.
Paint A Mural Around Your Mirror
If you really love your new gold mirror in all its elegance as it is, change the wall behind it instead of the mirror!
Hire an artist and have a mural painted. This will make your wall the new statement piece and your mirror just an accent on it, therefore toning down the aggressiveness of the gold.
However this option might be unrealistic if you live in an apartment or haven’t found your forever home yet. If you’re in a long term rental ask your landlord before painting. Or if you’re in a short term home be okay with having to leave your mirror behind as a part of the sale of your home.
Strip The Paint And Stain
You love your new mirror and want something more traditional but absolutely hate the gold. It all has to go. A last resort option is to completely strip the gold paint and stain to a better suited tone.
The key to pulling this option off successfully is to strip the paint off completely. Make sure the paint is completely off before applying any stain. The more ornate the mirror, the longer it’ll take to remove the paint.
Top Tips For Painting Mirror Frames
When you paint your mirror frame, you’re going to need to be very careful. Here’s our top tips to make painting your mirror frame easier.
Tip #1: Tape The Mirror Frame
To protect the mirror itself, you’ll need to use painters tape around the frame and on the mirror itself. The tape will act as a barrier between the mirror and where you want painted. Any accidental spray from your brush will land on the tape instead of the mirror.
You won’t need to leave a large barrier if you’ve got quite a steady hand, only just enough to avoid any paint spray or stray bristles. If you do get paint on the glass by mistake, use a rag to quickly remove the paint and the mirror will be fine.
Tip #2: Keep Your Work Area Clean
Our second tip is to beware of dust. Try to always paint in a clean place that is safe for painting or you could get dust mixed into your paint. The dust will show on the frame. We recommend when you’re not painting, close your paint can and put your brushes away.
Tip #3: Use A Matte Paint For The Finish
No matter which paint you plan on using for your mirror frame, you’ll need to use a matte finish for the last coat. This is what will tone down any bright color and make it stand out less from the other interior decorations in the room.
This works with the paint to just make the frame less offensive on the eyes. A clear coat won’t dramatically affect the look of the mirror either. It will dull the brightness a little which is what you want to achieve if you’re keeping it all gold.
Tip #4: Overestimate Drying Time
Your newly painted mirror frame will take time to dry properly. Just be patient and let it dry for 24-48 hours in a safe place before hanging to avoid any dings and dents in your newly refreshed mirror.
Tip #5: Cover Your Painting Area
If you’re planning on painting inside, first cover your work area with plastic. Accidents happen and it only takes a few minutes to protect your table and floor from spilled paint.
Tip #6: Keep The Area Well Ventilated
Safety first! If you can paint your mirror outside, please do so. Otherwise we recommend opening a few windows to keep your workspace well ventilated. The fumes from the paint are dangerous and can be harmful.
