Silver Leaf Mirror

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.