Monday, June 3, 2013

Making Junk Look Amazing - a mirror makeover using dark wax!

Last week I shared the mirror I'd picked up from someone on Facebook. There are a few local groups for people to sell stuff they don't want any more, and I've found a few smaller items through them, though often they've not quite been what I expected. This mirror was no exception...

 photo mirror_zps7c2235b7.jpg

The ad said it was a vintage goldy / brown mirror and I snapped it up immediately. I didn't look much at the photo as I was looking for a few smaller items for the market stall I was getting ready for. When I picked it up, well goldy / brown was actually orange pine. Oh well, lucky I can paint!

Part of the carved piece was broken so I had to do a little repair work first. As my dresser project used less than a third of the tin, I decided this girl could use a little Annie Sloan Treatment too :) I painted on two coats of paint, fairly roughly as I wanted a little texture on the rim.

 photo mirror1_zps588b661f.jpg

I used the dark Annie Sloan wax and I think it turned out great. I read up a little as I've never used it before, and followed instructions (for once :) ) I applied one coat of clear wax and then applied the dark. I was tentative at first, but I loved the look immediately and so went to town! I love the kind of grungy aged look it gives it, it really made something beyond ugly look great :) I'm glad I tried it out first on something small, and something with loads of crevices. I think the wax makes the curves really stand out.

 photo mirror4_zps82ad94a5.jpg

My favourite part by fair is the carved piece at the top. When I picked it the lady told me it had been hand carved, and you could tell from the shape of the groves that it had. But in orange it just looked terrible. In Provence with dark wax it looks like what I thought it was going to be - a vintage mirror.

 photo mirror3_zps68f9ccea.jpg

I had this mirror tucked away in my lounge room for all of a day before she was snapped up by a lovely lady from Facebook. I was half inclined to keep her, but kept reminding myself that  had bought her to sell, so should stick with it!



















 photo mirror3_zpsf704802b.jpg

I think we all have a little but of orange pine in our home, or in our history, I STILL have an orange dining stable and chairs (which we will be keeping while my children are small, and stabbing their fork into it when I'm not looking) and chest of drawers. One day...

Thanks for stopping by...






I'm sharing at...
Twelve0eight 
SugarBee Crafts 
Domestically Speaking 
Miss Mustard Seed 
Not Just a Housewife 
DIY by Design

13 comments:

  1. Looks great, love the detail on it. Got to love transforming orange pine!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great find and wonderful transformation! I JUST finished a coffee table in Annie Sloan White with a clear wax. I also have the Graphite and have used it numerous times for frames.. love it. Well done and lovely blog!

    leslie
    www.4aroundthetable.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Haha...I've just done the same thing!!
    This looks so fab, it's one of those things that most people would've not considered in its before state but you saw the potential and look at it now!
    I didn't get to use ASCP though on the mirror I've just finished but used the clear then dark wax like you to bring out he detail! How good is the wax?! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. awww....gorgeous! and the styling is lovely...nice job.
    Bec x

    ReplyDelete
  5. Looks awesome now Catherine...the dark wax is a bit scary at first but looks like you've got the hang of the grungy look :) Brushing on the paint roughly on large flat surfaces such as chests of drawers etc helps give the dark wax something to cling to and looks great when done on the right piece. I also like to let the wet paint sit for a few minutes then mess it up again lightly with the brush, that gives great texture for the dark wax too!

    xx Karen

    ReplyDelete
  6. you've done a beautiful job Catherine - and sometimes the best transformation is from orange pine to something beautifully painted. No wonder it was snapped up so quickly.
    Fiona x

    ReplyDelete
  7. Never fear la junque! I do the same thing, purchasing other's junk online... here in Canada, 95% of the non-venered furniture etc. is maple. Hardwood sure, but not great to stain grain-wise, so it is always covered in a semi-opaque, red-orange finish that often darkens to brown at corners.

    Ugh!

    But, Annie Sloan to the rescue! It's better than make-up!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love your mirror makeover, I too had a very similar experience with a mirror I bought on ebay. I too love the mirror now that I have worked it over. Loving your choice of paint colour... it must have been hard to part with it as it looks so beautiful. Rach x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful & yes, that dark wax brings out the details perfectly! I'm featuring your mirror this week in the PoPP Spotlight. Thanks for linking up.

    ReplyDelete
  10. That mirror looks soooo much better now! I love that color! Nice work.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's so pretty now! I'd love to know how to sell on Facebook. I've never tried that! Keep creating!
    Cindy @ sunsetcoasting.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

I'd love to hear from you!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...