Mirrors in the house are great eye-catchers that look as beautiful as real pictures on the wall. A self-decorated or designed mirror provides a special eye-catcher and gives the area a personal touch. And it's not that difficult to do yourself. Below you will find two original ideas with instructions - one for those who already have some DIY experience and a very simple one for “beginners”. This means you can create a great mirror without much effort and use it to beautifully enhance a less advantageous area.
The eye-catcher in the house: design mirrors
Designing a mirror is a great DIY topic that promotes craftsmanship and thinking. However, it is not suitable for hobbyists who are afraid of sharp objects. In the first guide we introduce how toa normal mirrorconverted into a Tiffany work. To do this, it is cut to size with a glass cutter. It certainly sounds difficult, but it is not. All you need is a special tool – a glass cutter and some practice. The glass cutter used here is particularly suitable for mirror surfaces. One of these can be found in specialist retailers from just under 7-8 euros.
Design geometrically – instructions
When cutting glass and mirrors, the surface is not completely cut through, but only scratched. Then you carefully break off the desired area. It is particularly important that the base on whichthe mirroris laid, is completely flat and level. Otherwise it can break due to the pressure exerted when cutting. In addition, the mirror surface should be cleaned thoroughly and moistened with cutting oil before cutting. When working with glass, you must protect your hands from glass splinters and wear gloves. If you are new to mirror or glass cutting, we recommend first practicing on a piece of glass and doing a test cut.
A la Tiffany gestalten
For the DIY Tiffany mirror you need a normal mirror of any size, a suitable glass cutter, a piece of self-adhesive foil (preferably in a metallic color such as brass or silver, matt), a felt-tip pen and a pencil, possibly a glass cleaner, a ruler , cutting oil and gloves. To ensure the end result is correct, we recommend drawing a 1:1 sketch beforehand. Use the felt-tip pen and ruler to mark the cut on the glass. Now dip the tip of the glass cutter into the cutting oil and apply a little to the cut areas. Then place the ruler on the marked line and cut along it. Remember that you only need to pull the glass cutter once without interruption and under even pressure. Then place the mirror on the edge of the work surface or on an elevated object, such as a book or a plate, and leave the edge that you want to cut off overhanging. Now tap it gently until it falls off. Finally, sand down the sharp edges a bit.
This way you cut the rectangular mirror into an octagon. When the desired shape is achieved, you need to clean the mirror surface and apply the self-adhesive film to it. You can either use a satin window film, which you will have to color later, or one in a metallic color. Use the pencil to draw a pattern ofTiffany Technikinspired. Leave even joints between the individual geometric shapes and, if necessary, paint them in the desired color, e.g. brass. Carefully cut out the figures with a craft knife. Be careful not to scratch the mirror. The joints made of metallic foil ultimately achieve the effect of the Tiffany panels.
In order for the mirror to look effective and really successful, make sure that both the mirror itself and the film are cut cleanly, straight. If desired, you can add a thin layer of cork to the back. This will protect your furniture and walls from scratches if you want to place it on a cupboard, dresser or shelf.
Tiffany works impress with their three-dimensionality. Geometrically cut, transparent glasses create ornaments and motifs and create special effects through the play between light and shadow. They look different at any time of day and are therefore a particularly eye-catching eye-catcher. Therefore, when you are looking for a place to hang your self-designed mirror, choose it carefully so that light can shine in at any time.
Design with thumbtacks – instructions
The second DIY project is simpler and is therefore very suitable for beginners in crafting or as a quick craft. A small, round mirror (about 10-12 cm in diameter) is used for this, which can probably be found in every 1-euro shop. Our tip is to get it first and accordingly the rest of the materials. You will also need a cork coaster that is slightly larger (5-10 cm) than the mirror.
For this DIY idea you need metal-look thumbtacks and an all-purpose glue. If you want to hang it on the wall later, you will need a hanger or you can make one yourself with wire. Now place the round mirror exactly in the middle of the cork coaster and start pressing the thumbtacks very close together around it.
You should cover the entire edge of the cork very tightly with the thumbtacks so that it looks like it has been silver-plated and the brown cork surface is no longer visible. You also cover the edge of the cork coaster. It is advisable to start from the inside out. First, surround the mirror with thumbtacks and then try out how to arrange the other rows of thumbtacks in one place.
It is very important to cover the cork board completely with thumbtacks so that an even “silver-plated” surface results. It is best to arrange the thumbtacks very close together and in one direction, like fish scales. You also need to cover the edge of the cork coaster very well.
Finally, fix a hanger on the back side. Or you can make one yourself by attaching a piece of wire between two thumbtacks. For extra security, stick the tacks with a little glue before pressing them into the cork. Now your beautiful, round decorative mirror is ready!
*DIY project 1. ofA beautiful Mess
*DIY project 2nd ofCurbly
