You might also enjoy our most popular posts:
Make a Beaded Chandelier for $9
Mind-Blowing Cake Decorating Tip
Make a Pottery Barn-Inspired Tiled Mirror for $11:
One of the best ways to get the look for less from the dollar store is to combine small components into a larger piece that makes a single statement. You usually can’t find large pieces at the dollar store, but you can find small things and put them together! This designer-inspired mirror is a prime example of taking a few small items and making them look much more expensive once they are put together.
Mia at Cottage Love‘s PB-Inspired Tiled Mirror was one of my top 10 picks for awesome dollar store crafting at the recent CSI Project dollar store challenge. I know I keep talking about my top 10 list, but there are some really great ideas there!
Like the tile-surrounded mirror I featured earlier this week, this piece took small dollar store components and combined them to make a larger piece that can actually make a design statement. Kids, this is one of the best ways to get a designer look out of *ahem* cheap ingredients. This project looks so much more expensive than it was! [how to make a pottery barn inspired mirror from dollar store stuff] <–this tutorial has been removed. See below for the new instructions.
Tiled Mirror Tutorial:
The old link doesn’t work any more, but since this project has gotten so popular, I figured out a way to make this project with pre-framed dollar store mirrors and duct tape! No tools needed. Check out that tutorial here: [how to make a PB-Inspired Tile Mirror for $10]
Original Project Estimate:
- 9 mirror tiles, $1 each
- Bamboo skewers, $1 and up
- An old frame, on hand or $5 and up (look at IKEA or thrift shops if you don’t have one)
- Foam core board, $1
- Paint, $1 or on hand
- Glue (I would use e6000), on hand
Total: $11 and up
To Make: The original project (that isn’t online anymore) used a poster frame that the crafter had on hand. She then used nine mirrored tiles she got at the dollar store, and glued them onto the backing of the frame. She filled in the areas between the mirror tiles with bamboo skewers and then painted them black.
I have figured out an even easier way to make this, that anyone can do!
Go see my super easy tutorial:
I also found another tutorial for a framed tile mirror by The Lettered Cottage: [how to make a PB-inspired Tiled Mirror]
28 Comments
TidyMom
WOW I LOVE this idea!!
Tiffany
I LOVE THIS! I keep seeing old windows with the same kind of old frames for free on Craigslist and wasn’t sure what I’d do with them. Now I’m going to go get one and try this project – thank you!
Brittany Nicole Bedingfield
What size frame did you have lieing around? I need to know how big of a frame to get that will hold 9 of those mirrors with space for the bamboo sticks. Thanks : )
heather
@Brittany, I think it was a poster frame – check the thrift store or IKEA for budget options.
Amy
Does anyone know how or where to find the link for how to make this, since the cottagelove blogspot page is gone?? Did it move to a different url? thanks!
heather
Looks like the blog is gone, but here’s a similar tutorial: http://theletteredcottage.net/eagan-mirror-tutorial
Myrna
Thank you Heather, for posting the new link. I really love this idea and was so bummed out when the blog was gone. Can’t wait to try this.
Lisa
How neat.. love it..
Phyllis_Diane
I’m so gonna try this, I love it, these are so expensive to purchase,wow and it would make a great gift idea, I bet a person could add photo’s in with the mirrors. hummm
Carla
Awesome!! I can’t believe that this was only $11!! If I had somewhere to put this, I would so be making it this weekend!!! (:
Erin Spain
Great idea! Love this.
-Erin
diyonthecheap.blogspot.com
DONNA
Can I get the instructions for the original one? I like the beveled mirrors and the fact that it’s square. Is it possible?
neko
Get idea! Thanks for sharing.
Most of the time I try to create things from recycled materials.
Using stuff from the dollar store is also a great idea.
Just wanted to share pics of recycled art created by my first graders.
http://ecogreen4fun.blogspot.com/
Cheers- Neko
heather
@Donna, we don’t have the original instructions anymore, as they were removed from the internet. The only info we have about it is what I remembered and typed up in this post – that it was mirrors glued to a poster frame with bamboo skewers glued in between the tiles and then painted black. You’ll have to try to recreate it yourself – let us know how you do!
jenny
I did almost the same thing with a 16 pane window taken out of an old Victorian home. I don’t care for beveled edges on mirrors, so I just measured the inside of the window and went to Lowe’s and had them cut out a single piece of mirror for it, was around $17, but looks gorgeous!!!
Erabor
Great ideas.
Kathy
I use old windows for this, I did two with 6 frame windows, took out the glass and put in mirrors. They look great on my patio.
Cindy Goodin
Is it me or is bigfoot in the first photo?! btw – awesome project!!!
Birdie Bigby
I made a mirror simalar to this only using 9, frame within a frame mirror. I used all purpose tacky glue, that i already had from Michaels. I laid them out on a table, 3 across and 3 down, then measured, Then cut a 1-inch board. I then painted this black. Let dry then took hangers off of back of mirrors so they would lie flat. I put 2 of those hangers on the back upper corners of the wood piece. then I turned it over and glued the mirrors to the painted side. If there was any gaps they were very small and didnt show up because of painted black background. My son loved this in his home , only thing he requested was to make him a larger one next time lol. This cost about anywheres from $10 to $20 dollars depending if you have to buy they backing board . I hope this helped!
nikki
The pottery barn mirror it is inspired by is a 250$ mirror!
http://www.potterybarn.com/m/products/eagan-multipanel-small-mirror/?pkey=cmirrors
Carol
I am wondering just what I can come up with using 3 18 x 48 inch mirrors that I bought at Walmart? I would now like to do something very artsy with them. (I hadn’t considered it before, but now think that would be a great idea for my sewing studio.). Thanks for the idea.
Tracey
I made this for my daughter for a Xmas present looks awesome thanks for the idea.
Tonya Steele
I love your website. Very clever ideas and inspiration! Just what I needed. I am re-decorating several rooms in my home and need to do so on a budget. Your website is so helpful.
Keep up the great job.
Sincerely,
Tonya Steele