21.9.15

Step by Step Tutorial On Creating A Faux Gilded Antique French Mirror

Hello Fall, how I adore you.  Something about cool crisp air always awaken my creativity and you know once I start something, I can't stop.  For the last few weeks, I have been slowly working on Aurora's new big girl room.  The biggest project for her room probably have to be the plank wall.  Up to this point, I have painted or cut up pieces of furniture but never actually done anything BIG.  Now that I got that part out of the way, I am working on lots of little creative projects for the room.  If you know me then you will know how much I suck at making tutorials.  Well, here is my attempt at showing you how to transform a plain old thrift store mirror to your own antique gilded French mirror.



Here is a little sneak peek of Aurora's new room.  Would you believe me if I told you this gilded mirror started out like this?


I found it at my favorite antique shop, The Trading Post, over the weekend.  It has the shape I was looking for and already has beautiful details on top.  So find yourself a mirror with the shape and size you want.



Next, you will need appliques.  I love Efex appliques for their amazing details.  I can cut them and stretch them and change them into any shapes I want.  I wasn't very picky about how I wanted the mirror to look like so I just used whatever I had left over from other projects.


Next is the fun part of playing around with patterns.  You can use double sided tape to put the appliques on the frame.  That way you can change it as you go.


I rarely stick to the plan and always end up changing it anyway.  You will see in a bit what I mean.


Once you decided how you want the mirror to look like, you will need Contact Cement to adhere the appliques to the frame.  Simply follow the direction on the bottle and go to town.


So...like I was saying I never stick to the plan.  I end up changing the wreath in the middle with this simple applique.


After you finish adhering the appliques to the frame, paint the whole frame with whatever paint you have.  I don't even know if this part is really necessary since you are going to be gilding the whole frame anyway but this is just how I do it.


Once the paint is completely dry, use any kind of gilding wax to gild the frame.  I LOVE Rub 'n Buff.  For this piece I used their Antique Gold.


Here is the thing.  I find that without dark wax, any kind of gilding wax looks plastic.  You really need dark wax to bring out the details and to add depth to the piece.


Here I used Annie Sloan Dark Wax and be generous with it.  After you let the mirror sits for a day, you are golden.  With a little creativity, it can go from this...


  to this.


Details are everything.





Roses add a little romance.


Faded pink velvet chair adds a little character.


If you ask me, I think this girl got it good.


Now I am just waiting for B to finish creating a custom portrait for Aurora.  We have something really cool in mind for the room.  I really hope this tutorial will inspire you to create your own faux gilded French mirror.  Here is yours truly in the process of making the mirror.  I don't think I have ever shown you my workroom either.


Happy Creating, my friends.


Love,
Victoria


Linking up with:
http://cedarhillfarmhouse.com/
http://www.astrollthrulife.net/
http://www.findingsilverpennies.com/
http://www.savvysouthernstyle.net/
http://www.frenchcountrycottage.net/
http://thecuratorscollection.com/
http://shabbyartboutique.com/

26 comments:

  1. Victoria you always impress me with your creative process with appliques. The mirror is stunning and Aurora is a lucky girl to have a Mom transforming her room into a "big girls room". I saw your plank wall on IG and was very impressed. I love the look and also love ship lathe. Your workroom looks like a very creative energy filled space.
    xoxo,
    Vera

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    1. Vera, I truly love using the appliques. I used to love clay and how it allowed me to create but now it is all about the appliques. I am loving my workroom so far. It is a lot bigger than my old one...and also cold since there is no heat. : )

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  2. Wow! You are so creative! The mirror is absolutely transformed and looks amazing! This is going to be such a pretty room when it is all finished. :)
    Jennelise xo

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    1. Jennelise, I totally thought of you when I did the mirror. It would go so well with your very pretty feminine room!

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  3. What a difference you made to that mirror!!! I've never used Rub n Buff but have always wanted to try it on something. Aurora must be so thrilled with her room now:) You're so clever!

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    1. Victoria, I have like a whole drawer full of Rub 'n Buff. They are amazing. Aurora can't wait to move into her room!

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  4. What an impressive transformation Victoria!! It's beautiful. And the little pink chair is just darling. I'm helping my daughter with her room right now too. She's 14 and was ready to move from a twin to a full bed which led to other changes as well. She is making most of the design decisions herself and its looking sort of cottage meets Urban Outfitters. She's hoping for twinkle lights and a tapestry for Christmas.
    xo Sally

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    1. Thank you, Sally. omg, I can't wait until they are teenagers to decorate their rooms. Society 6 has really cool tapestries.

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  5. Victoria, I love your work shop! To have that much room and light would be an awesome place to create. The mirror is beautiful I have never used appliques before and need to they have made your mirror go from simple to perfection. Thanks you for sharing. XO Jo

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    1. Anne, I have been using that room as my hoarding room until now. I am going to work on it slowly to get it the way I want but for now, it is perfect. You will love using appliques. The possibilities are endless.

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  6. Oh my goodness you have set the bar high with your gorgeous work room - on first glance I thought it was your dining room!!! I hope you can give us a tour someday - I am cleaning out my unheated garage/ workshop and would love to give it some of the glam that yours has - I have never seen anything like that!

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    1. I will definitely be showing more of the workroom once I revamp it a bit. I have great plans for that room....one little project at a time. : )

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  7. Absolutely beautiful! You inspire me. Thank you. Jann

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  8. It turned absolutely gorgeous !!!
    Is that a door behind you in your workroom ? I'd give anything to have a designated space like that - lucky you !

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    1. Thank you so much. It is a separate door from the house. I think that area used to be a garage that the previous owner turned into a living room but for some reason never connected the heat. I am loving this space.

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  9. I have been waiting for a post from you, checking in often, now I see I am a day late !!
    Wow! Your girl is living a rich beautiful life with a mom like you. You remind me so much of me when my Hannah was little, I was always transforming something into anything beautiful for her growing years, as for the planked walls, yes yes yes, the rustic cottage planks add to the elegance in the mirror you create, and it is amazing and I love the look. This being only an investment home here for me, and the neighborhood is not filled with cottage style homes I hold back on doing to much in this area, but I can tell you, I have longed to plank or wood up my walls. When did you do her planked walls? You were on vacation, come home and now we see two new projects completed. Did you do this alone, or have help?
    What kind of wood did you use? It's is now inspiring me to just go for it. I have not wanted to put the extra money in to work on the walls, to then just have to tear it out for a sell that may not be as forgiving in our neighborhood and sellers market, plus upgrades may not have a good return financially, but I do feel as long as I live here it's a great charming look to a drywall textured look, and so many older homes are in keeping with this style when you tear off all the modern remodeling ones have done to older homes.

    You really amaze me Victoria, and I really cannot wait to see the whole posted room... She is now in her own bedroom again right? No more sharing with her little sister, she must really feel great having her own space :)

    See you soon

    Xox
    Dore

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    1. My dear Dore, so good to hear from you. This is our very first home too and I know I shouldn't be doing "my thing" to the house but I have decided to live for today. I did my plank wall two weeks ago. I had this crazy idea and I asked my best friend to visit me for the day and we went to town! It was tiring but such a fun learning experience. I will be doing it to my workroom too and I will have a tutorial for it. I have to say it was expensive to do even that one wall. I cost about $150. I can't wait to share the whole room with you!!

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  10. Oh Victoria, what a beautiful working space! You are so lucky to have a workroom with natural light. I have to try some of those Efex appliqués. Just curious, do the appliqués dry to a hard consistency or are they soft? BTW, I was just scrolling through some local blogs and you were mentioned. Thought you might want to see http://www.delaruelleausalon.com/transformez-vos-meubles-avec-des-appliques-au-latex/

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    1. Thank you, Mary. I am really loving this space. I have great plans for it. I probably am going to plank the whole room and a lot of creative stuff that I normally can't do in the house. So the appliques stay soft so if you have them position not completely flat on a surface, they will bend if you touch them. Does it make sense? Mary, I am telling you. You are going to love them. They are my favorite medium to work with.

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  11. What a beautiful piece! I always admire your work! All your makeovers are stunning! I would be so happy if you would share this mirror as well as other pieces you've done over at my Making Broken Beautiful party today! Your work is always welcome!
    Smiles!
    Terry

    http://thecuratorscollection.wordpress.com

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  12. So beautiful! Love how this came out, Victoria. x

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  13. Thank you so much for joining in the Making Broken Beautiful party last week. I hope you will come inspire us again this week!
    Smiles!
    Terry

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  14. Amazing job!! The mirror looks so beautiful now.

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