Silver leafing is a project I've been wanting to do for years, but it wasn't until Chris and I started talking about remodeling the guest bath that I had the guts to try it. The mirror that the previous owner had been using in the downstairs powder room turned out to be the perfect fit for the wall above the vanity in the guest bath. Why not make it look a little fancier and reuse it?
The mirror has a really cool shape.
It must have belonged to an old dresser or vanity in its previous life. I had to plug up the holes on the sides with a wood filler. This is probably where the mirror had been attached to the frame of a dresser.
I covered the mirror with newsprint and gave the frame a coat of dark gray paint as an under layer.
Once that dried, I gathered all my supplies and got to work. The leaf, adhesive, and sealer cost under $30.
It is a very simple process, I learned:
- Spray the area you want to leaf with the spray adhesive
- Lift a sheet of leaf from the book it comes in with a piece of wax paper. The leaf will stick to the wax paper when it is pressed on top.
- Place the leaf over the area you want to adhere it
- Brush to smooth out the leaf and remove the excess
When I finished, I didn't like how "perfect" it looked. I wanted something that looked more aged and distressed. Plus, I wanted to see some of the gray paint under the leaf.
So I lightly sanded the frame with fine grit sandpaper before sealing it.
I'm just thrilled with the way it came out.
Of course, now I want to silver leaf everything in my house. Chris better watch out.
31 comments:
it looks awesome! i like the sanded effect. when i did my mirror- i started out laying them so perfectly and then i got more haphazard because i liked that look better and found i could go fill in with scraps and achieve the look i wanted more. :)
It looks fantastic. Love the curvy lines of the mirror and the sanding was just what it needed. Happy weekend.
Was there any type of enamel on the mirror before you got started? I'm curious because the dresser and mirror in our master that I've had on my to do list forever does and I'd rather just throw paint on it but I know it's going to need some sanding to get the paint to stick. And then there's always Annie Sloan. The silver leafing is a great idea that I'll have to keep in mind.
It looks great! Silver leafing is kind of fun, right?
Ive been wanting to try something gold leaf for awhile now, I wonder if its as easy as the silver leafing?
I've never tried leafing and have always wanted to. Seeing this I am inspired, you did a wonderful job and make it look so easy. Yup...Chris better watch out, my hubby too!
Cathy
Oooh, this looks so good, Carrie!!! I love silver leaf...ok, well anything metallic leaf:) Can't wait to see it up in the bathroom with everything else. You guys are kicking butt on this reno!!
Oh, this is something I've been wanting to try too! Looks like it wasn't too hard and turned out well!
I love how it turned out and you make it sound very easy. Hmm...what can I silver leaf?
Awesome! I love silver leafing. I've heard that it can be tricky but you did a great job! Can't wait to see it in the space!
Love this, need to pin for reference later!
oooh pretty! The sanding was the perfect touch!
Well you know I can't *WAIT* to see that beauty in action!!! It's got some fabuloso lines and who can resist that metallic shine?? (c: Have a great weekend, lady!
Those curves look great - can't wait to see the full mirror in the finished bathroom. What a great project, how long do you think it took?
Looks fabulous. I need to give this a try. Hugs, marty
Ooooo!! So pretty! I love it - you did a great job!
That looks gorgeous and I love the curves of the mirror!
It's beautiful! I have a junky (...ugly) mirror in my basement that could use some silver leafing.
Looks wonderful Carrie! I totally know what you mean about wanting to do the whole house in leafing. I'm addicted to both the silver and gold.
That looks awesome! So much more fun than new paint. Job well done :)
Great job! I love the way it turned out! I like the idea of finely sanding it to look worn. Bravo! :)
oh wow!! we have a dresser mirror combo that i absolutely hate and decided in the move that the mirror was not getting re-attached. i was going to dispose of it...silly me. i never thought to use it on its own somewhere else with a little pizzaz like this! i can't wait to try this!
Great idea!I have a mirror in my office that we just might have to leaf. Thanks for the inspiration.
Beautiful, Carrie! I love the aged patina sanding it gave. Fabulous project!
Absolutely amazing! I can't believe how creative you are and resourceful in making good use of something that might have been discarded! Good job!
Great job! I love the way it turned out. I'm going to be putting silver leaf on my lamp bases soon. Thanks for the tips.
I need to try this! I'm so glad you distressed it; it looks beautiful!
Great job. Very chic - would not have thought to paint the gray undercoat and it really made a huge difference in the depth of the entire piece. love it. M.
You are a busy girl.....I gold leafed a chair years ago....now that gold is back in I might have to drag it out of the attic....
You have made it look easy!
Ah, the mirror! It's even better now that I know it was something you already had and totally reinvented. It looks stunning in its new home.
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