Gold Rush
Sunday, June 17, 2012 at 8:33PM I have been scouting the market for months in search of a triptych mirror to place on my vanity. Not only does this classic three-way mirror evoke feminine elegance, it also allows you to view yourself from various angles, making it a fantastic addition to any dressing table. Yet it has been exceptionally difficult to find many decent selections – most options were too small, too ornate, poorly made, sold as sets with tables, or just insanely expensive.
The Chelsea Vanity mirror from Pottery Barn Teen (PBT, who would’ve thought??) was the closest match to what I had in mind in terms of style and dimensions, but it was only available in white or green. The fact that the mirror would require a paint job in order to compliment my black vanity table made the $350 price tag impossible to justify. Nevertheless, I stalked this mirror for about half a year and nearly choked on my kombucha last week when I saw that the “Heirloom Green” had gone on sale for $87. I gladly bit the $50 delivery surcharge bullet and clicked Add to Basket.
My green mirror arrived a few days later. The delivery guy seemed a bit perplexed when I declined his offer to help with assembly, but I wanted to paint each section individually prior to joining the three panels together. I started by carefully lining the mirrors with painter’s tape and paper. After going over the frame with a fine grain sanding block and cleaning off the dust, I was ready to paint.
Spray painting is really fun and easy – just be sure to use multiple thin coats in order to achieve a smooth and even finish. Using sweeping motions, begin and end spraying away from the item in order to avoid spatters. Give each coat a few minutes to dry before applying an additional layer, and make sure you have plenty of ventilation! We were blessed with gorgeously un-humid weather this past weekend (a total rarity in NYC lately), and the paint dried within an hour. The final steps involved installing hinging hardware, removing the tape and paper, and giving the mirrors a quick wipe.
Initially, I was pretty nervous about going gold, but I’m so glad I took the risk! Its surprisingly subtle sheen completely lights up the corner of our bedroom. Here’s a peek at the final product and as well as a some of the goodies I’ve got stashed away in my glamorous new nook :)
{Shades of Light, Laura Ashley, Architectural Digest, Restoration Hardware}
Reader Comments (15)
I LOVEEE it! now do my room. okthanksbye! :D
Wow Jenn that looks so gorgeous. I love your whole girly vanity setup! It’s so… you! =)
And I am obsessed with those elephant ring holders! Where are they from?
@Kathy- Thanksss! Let's brainstorm projects for your room! :D
@Ashley - Thanks babe! The elephants are actually salt and pepper shakers from Jonathan Adler. They were a Valentines gift from Chris :)
It turned out so prettyyy!!! I lovvee the cups and dishes inside the drawer, sucha cute idea!
omg it looks great!! Definitely a nicer way to organize ALLLL your stuff. (kick wonki knob! - where did you find that ? so random). The original green is SOOOO teen PB hahaha. nonetheless, Great job man <3
Looks great! Whatever helps keep the room nice and neat.
so uh.. where you get wonki knob? GJH...
There are so many hidden treasures in that drawer. o_o Teacups as earring stands is an awesomely cute idea!! :D
@Maggie - Thanks, lady! The cups and dishes definitely help keep everything in their place!
@Shampoo - Yay! I'm soo relieved the gold worked out beautifully. Thanks for convincing me! The Wonki knob is from Anthropologie. I wonder if they have hedgie knobs...
@Husband - I'm glad you like it, and it makes me happy when I see you using it too, haha <3
@Helen - I am totally a secret hoarder. The teacups were a bridal shower gift from Kelly- they make me smile every time I open the drawer :) I think the butterfly dishes were meant to be used for soy sauce/wasabi when you eat sushi :P
1. You would include the part about you eating kombucha. I don't know what that is, but it sounds ridiculous! And along the lines of your fancy coconut water.
2. It literally looks like you photoshopped WonkaDoo in the pic haha he is so precious!!!
3. I stil can't get over how crafty you are; you are so talented!!
4. How do you keep your stuff so neat!? LOL I am so impressed.
5. This whole thing reminds me of trying on prom dresses at Macy's or somewhere and waiting to use the big 3-way mirror to twirl around hahaha
6. MISS YOU!!!
Jess!!
1) Kombucha is a fermented tea. It’s delish, and chock-full of probiotics and other healthy amino acids. You have to try it!
2) Wonka is always photobombing my pictures. He says hi.
3) I’m awkward with positive affirmations. But thank you! :)
4) I’m not always neat, just ask Chris. It only looks that way because I cleaned and re-organized everything after setting the mirror up.
5) Totally just got a mental image of you doing that. You’re too cute.
6) I miss you too, can’t wait to see you next week!!
i like how a glass of wine is included as part of the "goodies" that you've stashed away in your vanity ;)
LOL Reba - you know how I roll ;-)
A little late in the game but I love this post and what you did with the mirror.
Let's toast to that glass of wine together!
*wink wink*