Decorating Ideas and Tips

Decorator Tip – Give your home a “custom” look by upgrading your bathroom mirror!

 Last time I blogged, I added a “Just for Fun” section to my page.  If you didn’t see it, you should check it out…I think it’s adorable (if I do say so myself)!  This time, by request, I’ve added a “Decorating Ideas and Tips” section.  Yay! I am in fact a certified interior decorator although I don’t decorate as a career at this point.  I decorate mainly for friends and do it for free.  I guess you could call me a “pro-bono” decorator. Ha! I also decorate for myself (of course) and am always and forever working on my own house.  I feel like it’s never done! I decided to do something for this blog I have never done before…a DIY project! Woo hoo!  I am not a particularly handy person and I refer to myself as severely left-handed in that my right hand is useful to an extent and mostly for aesthetic purposes. However, I am creative and as a decorator, am constantly looking for ways to add special touches without having to spend a fortune. As I was perusing Pinterest (my new favorite addiction), I came across an idea for using tile as a frame for a builder grade bathroom mirror.  Genius! I loved the idea but wanted to tweak it a bit so, instead of using  3”x3” stone tiles, I found these gorgeous 1”x1” glass tiles and fell in love!!  Yes, it took longer to put up all those 1x1 tiles but I think the result was worth it and it was super easy to do and super inexpensive! The total cost for this project including the adhesive was under $40! At this point I should tell you, I didn’t read the fine print on the back of the adhesive I bought (big no-no) and it turns out it wasn’t intended for use on mirrors.  Woops.  Not sure why but it worked anyway and looks great so…whew! I dodged a bullet on that one! The tiles I used were extremely lightweight and that may be a reason I got away with using the wrong adhesive.  I suggest if you decide to try this project, look for glue that dries clear (mine did) and can be used on mirrors (unlike mine).  Now, without further ado…here are the pictures of my first DIY project:

Here’s the “before” of my mirror…nothing special

The materials…just adhesive and my beautiful sarsaparilla glass tile!

So easy to do…even the severely left-handed can do it! Just a little dab of adhesive and up it goes!

The girl child wanted to help so I let her peel the tiles. Her little fingers were perfect for this job.

The husband gave me a break after an hour or so…he’s a keeper!

Lovely, isn’t it?

After!! Huge difference!

If you want to try this project, here are some tips:

1.        Make sure you take good measurements

2.        Buy a little extra tile and adhesive (just in case)

3.        Choose tile that isn’t too heavy so it will adhere easily (if you choose bigger tiles than 1x1, buy painters tape to tape the top ones up while the glue dries)

4.       Make sure you buy adhesive that dries clear (you will see the reflection of white glue in the mirror otherwise)

5.       And, of course, check your adhesive label to ensure it is acceptable for use on mirrors

This project was so easy and so inexpensive! My first DIY project was a success! The great thing about this was I didn’t have to make any cuts.  We finished this project in one night (thanks to my hubby and his helpful self!) and I’m very happy with how it turned out.  Hopefully, this has inspired some of you try it too, and if you do, let me know. I’d love to hear from you!  Until then…happy decorating!