Everyone put your heads together! Reader Sue has a big question for us:
I recently was given a set of mirrored bifold closet doors. Does anyone know how I could upcycle these into something cool?? I really don’t want to break the mirrors to use on other crafts, but I am at a loss for an idea. They have an ugly silver handle on them. I need people to keep in mind that I just have one door (two mirrored panels), not both, and it is very heavy. Also, there is a small crack on the mirror of one of the doors… maybe something someone could think of a way to be creative and cover?? I so want to make something from these, I sure hope somebody has some sort of inspiration. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!!
image via Apartment Therapy
31 Comments
Gail Harp
What about just using them as room dividers? Would make two easily. Just discard the other one or take the broken one to a glass shop and have it cut.
Angie Pruitt
Why not take a pattern and etch the Mirrors? Vinyl makes a great stencil and you can either buy etching cream at a Craft store or on line.
Cydnee Kaine
I would get rid of the handles, glue some molding you’d get from the hardware store around the edges, paint it, and make it into a vanity mirror.
There is also the plastic film you can put over the mirrored part to make an interesting light catcher once you set it into the sun. They come in faux stained glass and tons of other textures and designs. They tend to be on the cheep side; I seen some at target for $10-$15.
WES
I would separate the two panels that should help with the weight issue if you decide to hang them. I would take off any hardware you can and see if you can take the back off to make sure the door is hollow on the inside. Clean the mirror and then get some thin molding (like lattice molding (1 1/8in x 1/4in) or a screen molding (3/4in by 1/4in)) and apply it to the mirror and hang it opposite a window or in a windowless hallway.
Christine N
When I saw this link, I was hoping you would be telling me how to remake the mirrored doors in my bedroom so that I don’t have a whole wall of mirrors!!! It really isn’t much fun to walk around my bedroom with a whole view of myself!!!
I can see THOSE doors made into a lot of different mosaic projects. How fun!!! Cover everything from candle holders to side table tops to decorate around your house.
Wendy Starr
I would decoupage lace over them and change out the handles to flower knobs or something girly to go with the lace.
Megan
A few yrs ago I used Velcro tape on the edges and made fabric panels for mine. I have seen pretty lattice applied over them.
Launna
What about using a quartrefoil stencil and spraying the frost stuff on to create the same look etching would, but cheaper.??
melody yesterday
this isn’t exactly a dollar store craft but with double-sticky tape & metallic paper or prism paper, it possibly could be adapted.
smellanie
You could always etch some neat patterns on them so you’d still have the reflective effect without having
lisa
Stencil with a glass-etching spray. I have the same problem (with gold edging around BOTH doors) and this is what I plan to do with them.
smellanie
You could always etch some neat patterns on them so you’d still have the reflective effect. If you plan to use them elsewhere in your house as decor, they might look neat hung lengthways behind a couch, grouped with some artwork.
Amy Grace
Etching, painting, or otherwise creating a mirrored positive or negative space. You could use stencils or cut out large pieces of contact paper/painter’s tape and “paint” around it.
I now wish I would have had something like this to hide my hot water heater in my old apartment! Good luck!
Kerry
You could put it in the garden on the fence place an arch in front of it an it will create an illusion of a bigger space
Julia
I might suggest leaving them in place, and getting some “frosting”. You know, the adhesive plastic sheets on a roll that you normally adhere to windows, that give a frosted effect without letting people see through. Over mirrors, I think you would still get lots of light reflecting, keeping the room bathed in sunlight, but without having any kind of reflection. You would need to apply it similar to wallpaper (although it is self-adhesive), but it would give an elegant and timeless effect. And not require any potential shattering of glass.
Jen
Do you garden? Framed in something beefier and weathered (pallets?) or lattice, these could be cool hung either direction on a fence/wall or mounted to posts to insert into the back edge of a flower bed. Sort of like a stretched out gazing ball, if you will. If you use lattice, you could train something on them. They’d age in rain, adding some additional depth/texture.
SWJenn
As I understand it, you only have 2 doors, you’re not intending to install them on a closet. I like the ‘over the couch’ idea,horizontal, and etching or vinyl overlay. You could do a neat word phrase or quote in vinyl, etch, then pull up the vinyl. Add some photos or artwork around them and you’d have a really neat grouping!
Kathryn
Would make a cute mini space divider/changing area in a bedroom. I like the above ideas of etching a pattern or just paint over the one with crack in it.
Jolene
Separate the panels and hang them in sets of two, spaced a few feet apart, along one wall. Trim them with wood trim to fake a wall of windows look. use veneer strips or more wood trim to add diamond cross hatching. Very elegant. Can also add IKEA LACK shelves to the bottoms as window ledges. and decorate with potted plants and knick knacks.
Dean
I had a mirror wall I didn’t like. I masking-taped stripes on it of random widths and spaces and frosted them with spray “etching”. Wash the mirror REALLY WELL before taping and spraying; the frost will rub off where you sprayed dirty glass. Looks sort of mid-century modern. I don’t know if it washes off easily, and I’ve had to repair it with some more spray over the years (where I sprayed dirty glass!).
Dean
P.S. The stripes are horizontal.
Sue Wilhelm
Wow!! What great ideas everyone has. My neighbor had two he wanted to give me, and due to space I only took the one set. Now I am kicking myself!! :) I am going to be able to look at those doors in a whole different light today, thanks to everyone else. I can’t wait to get them out and start changing them!! Watch for a photo soon, I will be sure to share with you all. Thanks so much!!
E May Horn
I find them @ garage sales and use them for the holidays. I setup my holiday villages on table tops, buffet tops, center of dining room table, and fireplace mantels, on the mirrors. Doubles the image and be sure to lay mini twinkle lights on them too!
Richelle M
Most people either don’t know or don’t talk about it, but you can write on mirrors with permanent marker and then when you’re done, just windex it off. I would get a bunch of colors, get creative and then change it when I got bored. You can go as translucent or as opaque as you want and that crack will make absolutely no difference.
Stephanie
What is on the backside of the doors? I have mirrored closet doors, too. The back is completely white. I have often thought of just taking the doors off and re-hanging them on the white side. I just haven’t gotten that far yet.
You might also consider using strips of wood to create grids, kind of like a window.
Good luck!
Esther
I think it would be cool to do the molding as suggested above but turn them side ways down a hall way or at an entry way with a long narrow table in front of it.
Sharilee
I was given a single closet door a few years ago and I attached it to mdf that was about 6″ taller and wider than the mirror (leaving 3″ all the way around. Next, I attached decorate molding to the edges to make a beautiful full-length mirror to lean up against a wall like you see so often in decor magazines. I used the same idea and made a horizontal hanging mirror using 3 beveled edged 12’x12″ mirrors, trimmed out with wide molding. Love this one,too!Just so you know: MDF is quite heavy.
Emily Garrett
do a design on them: http://pinterest.com/pin/233105397/
add trim: http://pinterest.com/pin/198975594/
even better: http://pinterest.com/pin/242128036/
put a pretty screen over them: http://pinterest.com/pin/261727692/
Laurie
Hi! I just pinned this link recently – it is an idea for knock-off Ballard Designs Garden District Mirrors made with $5 wall mirrors. I think it would work well with mirrored closet doors as well:
http://www.thriftyandchic.com/2011/04/knock-off-ballard-designs-garden.html
Good luck!
Teresa Tucker
Are you located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin because I’m really trying to find someone to my three closets doors converted to mirrors bifold doors?
heather
@Teresa, no, we’re not in Milwaukee.