European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover

We’re sharing how to create a DIY European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover today!

After spending most of last month slowly easing into the season, which was such a great gift, we’ve spent a good portion of this month trying to cross things off our to-do list that have been lingering for a while now.

I’m talking about everything from scheduling an eye exam to finishing our taxes early to reorganizing our dish pantry.

Recently, I started thinking about the Jack and Jill bathroom we started working on several months ago for the One Room Challenge.

I finished the bedroom but never actually finished the bathroom.

While I felt like I had a good start on things, I couldn’t find any wall art I liked.

Then I started waffling on the tiniest decisions which is always a clear sign I need to walk away and give myself time to think and reevaluate the design plan.

The only thing I was 100% sure of was that I needed to change the color of the mirror hanging over the bathroom vanity.

During the guest bedroom refresh, I spray-painted the mirror gold. Then I aged it with dark wax because I wanted to complement the antique and Anthropologie-inspired mirror in the bedrooms that share the bathroom.

But as each day passed, the gold mirror started to really bug me because it felt too warm against the cool fixtures in the bathroom.

 In an effort to tone the gold down a bit, I decided to use a European Oak inspired painting technique I’ve used for years now to see if it would help.

Thankfully, it did the trick and along the way sparked a fresh vision for the space!

Here’s a look at how to create a European Oak inspired mirror makeover…

European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover Supplies:

• Mirror
• Light Brown Paint (we used Valspar’s Faint Maple)
• Light Gray Paint (we used Déco Art’s Primitive)
• Paintbrush
• Fine Grit Sandpaper
• Dark Furniture Paste Wax
• Clear Furniture Paste Wax
• Wax Application Brush
• Medium Bristle Brush or Lint-Free Cloth
• Tarp (to protect your worksurfaces)
• Painters Tape (to tape around the mirror)

European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover Steps:

A Quick Heads Up…

Gather your supplies and lay a tarp down to protect your work surface.

Just a heads up, I had to do this project with the mirror hanging on the wall which was NOT easy. It would have been much better (and my preference) to lay a tarp down on a worktable then lay the mirror on top of the tarp. But at the time, that option was not available to me.

Also, you’ll also want to tape the interior edges of the mirror frame you’re working on with painter’s tape. That way you don’t get paint on the actual glass.

Once you have those two things out of the way, you should be ready to start painting.

Painting the Mirror Frame…

The first step is to add a thin layer of light brown paint to create a base coat since you’re trying to mimic the color of European Oak.

We used a really pretty Valspar color called Faint Maple. But Déco Art also has a chalky paint color called Restore that’s pretty as well.

Allow the paint to dry completely.

Then very gently sand the frame with fine-grit sandpaper.

You’re trying to create little nooks and crannies by sanding so the gray paint we’re using in the next step will have a place to settle and create a bit of depth. 

Next, apply a 50/50 wash of light gray color paint. We used a Déco Art color called Primitive. It’s so neutral we’ve literally used it all over the house.

Adding Dark Furniture Paste Wax…

Once the gray paint has dried, use a wax brush to apply dark furniture paste wax on top of your paint.

If you’ve never used furniture paste wax before, you might want to try adding a layer of clear wax to your mirror frame first, then applying a dark wax on top of it.

When the wax dries to a sheen, buff with a lint-free cloth or a medium bristle brush.

If you like the chippy look (us too!) you can carefully, sand around the mirror frame or highlight any embellishments or scrollwork at this point too.

Small Change, Big Impact…

I know it seems like such a small change, but I can’t even describe what an impact this DIY European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover had on the bathroom.

It helped to tone it down so much!

Here’s another look at the bathroom mirror before the European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover began…

and after…

Sometimes, the smallest changes can help spur on our creativity and I can honestly say this mirror helped to get the bathroom makeover back on track after months of waiting to be finished!

I still need to find artwork and I want to frame the window before possibly adding some gray and white buffalo check curtains.

After that, I’m hoping to create a gallery wall with brown and white transferware plates. Fingers crossed, I have enough!

Let us know if you’ve ever tried to make a DIY European Oak Inspired Mirror Makeover. We’d love to hear your tips and tricks!

Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

More European Oak Inspired Makeovers to Enjoy:

DIY European Farmhouse Cake Stand

Ballard Designs Hack Tufted Bench Makeover

Budget-Friendly Shed Workstation

Many blessings,

CoCo