You can take any ordinary piece of glass and make it look like an antique mirror. The process is fairly simple and makes a big impact to any piece. I chose to try it on my curio cabinet, which is from the late 80’s. I was tired of seeing everything inside of it, so this is the perfect solution. For now, I’m only going to show you the door, but I’ll show the rest of the curio, when it’s completed. Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need to get started.
- Painter’s Tape
- Newspaper
- Glass Cleaner
- Paper Towels
- Spray Bottle
- Distilled Vinegar and Water
- Mirror or Looking Glass Spray Paint
- Flat Black Spray Paint
The first thing to do, is tape off your piece with painter’s tape. I also used newspaper to keep the paint from getting on the wood frame. The next thing you’ll need to do, is clean the glass, inside and out. You can use glass cleaner of your chosing and dry it with paper towels. You’ll be painting the backside of the glass, which is the side you will not be seeing, when the project is complete. You’ll want to make sure it’s free of any hair, lint or dust, because whatever you leave on the glass, will be trapped under the paint and visible from the front side.
Once your glass is clean, mix a solution of 1:1 water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake it up, so it’s mixed well. Spray the vinegar/water mixture over the backside of your glass. In my case, that would be the inside of my glass door. An even mist is fine, but if you add some larger random drops, it adds a little more character to the piece.
Immediately after you’ve sprayed your vinegar solution, spray an even coat of the looking-glass paint over the vinegar. You’ll see bubbles, which is exactly what you want. The vinegar reacts to the paint and creates discolored spots and doesn’t allow the paint to adhere to the glass.
This paint starts to dry quickly. When it’s beginning to dry, use a piece of paper towel to dab all the vinegar and water spots. I like to use a slight twisting motion when I dab, especially along the edges. This removes more paint to give it that aged look. You can lift your glass up to see the other side. If you see enough spots to your liking, then you’re ready for the next step. Otherwise, you can spray more vinegar and water, spray another layer of looking-glass paint and dab some more. Just remember, there is no perfection to this.
Once you’ve dabbed all of the droplets, spray an even coat of flat black spray paint over the looking-glass paint. You may need to do two coats of the black spray paint. Now, you’re not confined to black paint on this step. You may also use a gold or bronze paint. Do whatever makes you feel good. This is your piece.
Flip it over and check out your results. Once it has dried completely and you’re happy with it, remove your tape and enjoy your antiqued mirror!