How to Antique a Mirror

Do you want to know how to take a brand new mirror and make it look like a family heirloom?  I have just the way for you.

Here's what you need:

1. New mirror (or new to you)

2. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint - in any color you desire (if you're new to chalk paint a sample size works great for this).

3. Paint Brush

4. Wet rag

5. Mineral Spirits

6. Annie Sloan Dark Wax

7. Annie Sloan Light Wax (optional)

When I decided to keep Isla I really wanted a big mirror to hang above her.  I scoured antique shops, craigslist and consignment stores to find just the right one, but I couldn't find anything.  I was strolling through Home Goods and found this mirror:

It was very gold, but that was okay because it wasn't going to stay that way.  It is extremely large and heavy and well made.  I paid $59 for it.  I got my chalk paint out and mixed a luscious color combining Provence and Old White in equal parts.  It is very similar to a lightened shade of the Tiffany's box.

I brushed on two coats of color with my ASCP brush.  If you don't have one you can use a chip brush or a purdys brush.

Here's how two coats of paint looked while drying:

Once completely dry, take a wet rag and wipe away on the raised areas so some gold shines through.  You can go as heavy as you like with this.  Annie Sloan calls this a soft gilded finish.

I wanted an aged look so I mixed together mineral spirits, dark wax and a little light wax to a pudding like consistancy:

I brushed this mixture on and then ragged off access in small sections.  So the mirror looked like this:

Here's a view of he full mirror:

Then simply hang!  You'll have a mirror that looks like a family heirloom, for the fraction of the cost.

My "antique" mirror in our bedroom

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