What’s better than finding just the right mirror for your bathroom?
I’d say it’s finding just the right mirror that you can make yourself at a fraction of the cost!
When I was searching for the perfect mirror for our modern farmhouse bathroom, I knew I wanted one that had a minimalist design. Specifically, it would be a rectangular mirror with rounded corners and a thin metal frame.
I found several pictures on the internet of “the one”.
Jamie Nesbitt Weber Interior Design
After a little more digging through comments, I found out the rounded rectangle mirror that kept popping up in my search was the Bristol Flat mirror from Restoration Hardware in aged steel.
At $562 (or $750 if you’re not a part of the RH member’s program) per 24″ x 30″ mirror, there was no way I could afford 2 mirrors for our budget bathroom remodel.
Even the less expensive option from Amazon was more than we budgeted for.
So without further ado, let me show you how we made our own DIY version of the mirrors.
Supplies you need to make a knockoff aged steel Bristol Flat Mirror from Restoration Hardware:
(Everything you need can be found at a home improvement store but I included affiliate links in case you can’t find some of the items)
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- 24″ x 30″ mirror from the home improvement store or a glass shop
- Permanent marker
- Glass cutter (optional if you want to cut your own mirror) but a glass shop can do it for you
- 1/2″ thick plywood (we used birch plywood since we already had it leftover from another project)
- Jigsaw
- (2) pieces of 1″ wide x 6′ long aluminum flat bar
- Mirror adhesive
- Caulking gun
- 1″ black panel nails (these are threaded so they hold better in the wood)
- Heavy-duty D-ring hangers
- A tool to cut the aluminum flat bar such as either a Dremel rotary tool with a cutting blade, chop saw, or a hack saw
- Drill with a 1/8″ drill bit
- Black spray paint primer for metal
- Spray paint in flat metallic soft iron
We found the mirror at Lowes.
That’s also where we purchased the aluminum flat bar. They also have a 1-1/2″ inch wide bar if you prefer more of a reveal.
Instructions:
Using the edge of a can, trace the curve with a permanent marker to mark your rounded corners where the mirror will be cut.
You can either cut the mirror yourself* using this video. The easier and safer option is to take it to a glass shop to have them cut it for you for about $10-20.
*If you decide to cut the mirror yourself, please be careful and use safety glasses and gloves.
Once you have the rounded corners of the mirror cut, trace it on your piece of plywood.
Cut the plywood with a jigsaw.
Now, you’re ready to glue the mirror to the plywood using mirror adhesive.
While the adhesive is drying, it’s time to drill some holes in the aluminum using a 1/8″ drill bit.
Drill the holes about a 1/4″ from the edge of the bar. This way, the nails will go into the center of the edge of the plywood.
Wrap one of the aluminum bars around one half of the mirror.
Add a few nails so the bar stays in place while you do this.
Once you have one half of the mirror wrapped with the aluminum flat bar, you’ll need to cut it to length at the halfway mark at the bottom and top of the mirror. The easiest way to cut it is with the Dremel.
Repeat this process of wrapping the aluminum around the frame and cutting to size for the other half of the mirror.
After your pieces are cut, remove the metal from the frame so you can prime and paint. You may have to sand the sharp edges where you cut first.
The easiest way to paint the frame is to hang it up so you can get to all the sides.
I absolutely love the way our mirrors turned out and still can’t believe we were able to make them ourselves for $54 a piece! Much better than RH’s price of $562, don’t you think?
I’m no stranger to making Restoration Hardware knockoffs. Here are some other Restoration Hardware knockoffs that’ll knock your socks off!
Restoration Hardware Knockoff Balustrade Coffee Table
Industrial Cage Pendant Light Inspired by Restoration Hardware
Faux Aged Steel Ikea Cabinet Inspired By Restoration Hardware
DIY Wooden Poster Hangers and RH Knockoff Lithograph Maps
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