When we did our bathroom update last year my Mother-in-Law handed down a very sturdy wall mirror to replace our tiny medicine cabinet. I planned on just using the glass and discarding the faux gold frame, but as time passed it just never got done.
This weekend the girls and I needed a little project to do in the afternoon together so I pulled the mirror off the wall. With a little baking soda and a tooth brush I scrubbed out all of the crevices and washed out the dirt and dust. Then the girls and I painted it with simple acrylic craft glue. I wanted it to be completely red, 
but the kids’ less carful hand had a better outcome leaving some of the black accents to show through. In the end I ended up copying their technique, which we used to cover the mirror in two coats.
I need to give it a schelac finish before it is truly done, but I didn’t have anything around. For now it is on the wall, standing out and making a statement. And the girls are really proud to have helped make something important.
I love this – it is so striking!
Thanks. I really like it too. It was one of those projects that you start and hope you don’t wish you could un-do it when it’s done. But this one was a real success.
My very understated design fan husband didn’t even say, “Why did you paint the mirror red?” That means he likes it.
When I do paint projects, my default is to use a primer before painting. So, how do you know when a primer is necessary & when it isn’t? I’m just afraid to do all my hard work painting and have it peel or something. Maybe the schelac helps with this?
I don’t know if a primer is necessary most of the time. But I don’t usually use one if there is a previous paint job in a light/matte color and the piece is clean. I only prime things if there is a shiny base, or an unpainted base. The reason? I’m lazy.
The shelac will help keep the paint from peeling on the mirror, but mostly I just want a glossier finish than what I ended up with.