Bathroom Update
Signs of Aging. Does your bathroom need rejuvenation? Would de-cluttering help? Aside from a fresh shower curtain and fluffy new towels, where would you begin? Like me, my mirror developed a couple of age spots that need covering! According to popular home and garden designers on T.V., fully mirrored bathroom walls are passé! Buyers prefer older homes that have been remodeled with stylish, individual mirrors above sinks! If your bathroom needs a facelift, you can achieve it without major surgery. Here are three low-cost ideas, two for do-it-yourself folks and one for the DIY-challenged.
Frame It. If your mirror covers part of the wall above your sink, consider framing it. T.V. designers suggest making a frame from wood easily obtained from a lumber supplier, like the Do-It-Center. Quarter round trim may be needed to keep the adhesive from being reflected in the mirror. The supplier might cut the wood for a minimal charge to get 45º angles so that the pieces abut nicely. If you’re going to paint the wood to match your walls, prime it first. Pine doesn’t take stain evenly. Buy better wood trim if you plan to stain and varnish it. Use a strong adhesive to mount the wood directly onto the mirror. Your supplier should know the best type of glue for this purpose.
Conquer and Divide It. An even more involved solution is to remove the mirror from the wall and cut it into one or two mirrors. This way you salvage the size you want. Safe-guard yourself during removal. Generously crisscross-tape and cover the mirror with heavy plastic first, in case it breaks. This is a two person job. Wear protective gloves. The wall may have to be refurbished, if adhesive remains from the mirror’s removal. Cutting the mirror requires care, too. You’ll need a flat surface and a glass cutter. This all sounds too scary to me. The resulting mirror(s) can be framed and hung or mounted on the wall with adhesive. If the mirror breaks, buy a framed mirror from a garage sale, thrift store, or discount home goods store. Chalk it up to experience!
Cover It. Personally, I like a huge mirror in the bathroom. It makes a tiny room look so much bigger! I could save money by not doing anything at all to it! I could also probably live in a tent instead of a house, if I had to! As luck would have it, I found a beautiful image of a lady picking flowers, taken from a wall in an ancient Roman’s home. I loved it at first sight at the garage sale where I bought it for $10. What to do with it? I held it up on my mirror in the bathroom. Perfect! It covers the age spots. It goes with the classical bust and lyre-shaped lamp on the counter. All it took to hang was one of those new “monkey hooks,” shaped like the letter J with a little V at the bottom. You just poke it into the wall and turn it hook-side up. It makes the tiniest hole and holds a lot of weight. Try this solution. Pick a print that really emphasizes the style of your bathroom décor. Hang it over your mirror. The transformation will be uplifting!
Caution: Don’t hang really fine art in a bathroom because moisture can be damaging. Be sure your print is well covered and sealed on the back to prevent condensation under the glass. My guest bathroom gets very little tub use, so I’ve seen no signs of damage.













