Tutorial: Adding Molding to a Builder Grade Mirror

This isn't my bathroom but is exactly how my master bathroom used to look ... only instead of vinyl we still have lovely carpet.

When we bought our townhome, there were lots of features we really loved: open floorplan, large bedrooms, upper-floor laundry, good-sized closets and such. But we didn't love all of the brass fixtures and seen-better-days oak cabinets. I swore that as soon as I moved in, I would banish the brass. Four years later, there is still some brass kicking around. But this year is the year. 

For a while now, I've wanted to hide the brass trim on our bathroom mirrors by adding molding around the frame. During the holidays, I finally convinced my husband that it would look good — thanks to lots of pictures on Pinterest. He is a hard sell on most home improvement projects but always helps out and always ends up loving it in the end. 

Kids bathroom mirror before.

With his help, this project came together really quickly.

Step 1: Measure your mirror. Of course.

Step 2: Purchase molding. We bought ours at our local ReStore. It cost $8 for enough molding to cover the mirror in the master bathroom and in the kids bathroom. We lucked out in finding thicker molding, which I really wanted because the mirrors are big and I wanted the frame to seem intentional and substantial. I would recommend preprimed molding for this project.

Step 3: Set up a paintworkstation. We did this in our unfinished basement, where food storage buckets served as a makeshift sawhorse.

Step 4: Using the measurements from your mirror, cut 45 degree angles at the end of the molding. We planned on using a mitre box cutter, but the molding we bought ended up being too big for the box. However, it was easy enough to get the angle from the box and use that as a template to cut the molding. Tip: Cut from the front of the molding. That way, if your saw doesn't cut clean or causes chips, they won't be visible on the front.

Step 5: Paint. We used a sample pot I had in my paint stash (what, doesn't everyone have one?) to paint the master bedroom moldings a deep brown. For the kids bathroom, we went with same white as the cabinets.

Waiting for the paint to dry. I use semi-gloss in bathrooms for better durability.

 

Step 6: Paint the back of the molding. You'll be able to see a reflection of at least the top third of the molding.

 

Step 7:  Use Liquid Nails for mirrors to adhere to mirror. Notice that I forgot to paint the back of this one ... oops! I had to quickly slap on some paint before the adhesive cured. Align the molding in the corners as best as you can, but don't stress if it doesn't look perfectly perfect. Liquid Nails isn't an instant-cure so you can play around with it a bit to make sure it looks nice.

Tip: Don't put adhesive all the way to the top of the molding. Unless you want to see a reflection of that, too. About two-thirds of the way up was enough to hold it in place without it being visible.

 
Step 8: Use painters tape to hold the frame in place until your adhesive is cured. (For Liquid Nails, the instructions said 72-hours. However, it seemed pretty secure after only a few hours).

The best part of this picture is that you can see my ghetto point-and-shoot ... currently held together by duct tape!

Step 9: Use paintable caulk to fill in corners.

Step 10: Touch-up caulk with paint. I used a Q-tip but you could use a paintbrush. I just didn't want to walk downstairs to get one.

After: Master Bathroom mirror in progress

After: Kids bathroom mirror. Still a lot of work in here: new shower curtain, add beadboard below towel hooks, paint walls.

Step 11: Enjoy your beautiful new mirror. 

This was a super inexpensive and easy upgrade. Let me know if you have any questions!

 

How to Set Resolutions

Resolutions — you either love them or you hate them. I fall firmly into the 'love' camp. One reason may be that I love any excuse to make a list! But, on a deeper level, I really love the act of determining priorities and assigning goals to those priorities. And I enjoy being able to measure progress, something that seems nearly impossible to do in other areas of my life, such as parenting.

A few years ago, I wrote a story for the local paper about setting New Year's Resolutions and interviewed goal-setting expert Steven R. Covey. Here are his tips and my interpretation. (See the full article here.)

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1. Start by determining larger priorities. Covey advises people to craft a mission statement. I don't have the time or mind to take that on right now, so instead I wrote a short list of my top priorities. Try to keep this to less than 10 items. My list: relationship with God, relationship with my husband, teaching/loving/playing with my kids, taking care of my body, my work, being creative and being a wise steward of my resources.

2. Set goals that flow from your mission statement. Lacking a mission statement, I picked goals that flowed from my priorities. But first, I wrote down daily activities and how they might connect to my priorities. For instance, under taking care of my body, I wrote: exercising, eating healthy foods, cooking from scratch/using unprocessed foods, getting dressed every day (some days with kids that is an accomplishment!), etc. After looking at the list, I tried to assess the balance in each of the areas and what I could improve on. Then I came up with a list of goals.

3. Break goals into small pieces. If your resolution is to lose weight — the no.1 goal in America — don't just throw that out there and hope the universe grants it to you. Outline how you intend to achieve that goal and try to include daily actions that will move you toward it. For instance, I would like to work on strength training this year. I am going to attend a minimum of two strength classes a week and start using the 10 pound weights during circuit training instead of the wimpy five-pound ones I've currently been using.

4. Develop a system of accountability. Share you goals with a spouse, family member, good friend, join a group, post about it on your blog — whatever it takes for you to feel like you "need" to accomplish your goal.

5. Learn to say no. I cannot do it all. That is a phrase I am trying to teach myself. I recently read a really helpful series on Time Management over at MoneySavingMom and was so glad she posted a list of things she doesn't do. I am all for lists, but my usually include to-dos, not not to-dos!  On her list: ironing, decorating, sewing, etc. Now these are all things I love to do (minus ironing, ugh!), but that's OK. We all have different priorities, and as we recognize that we are freed from the expectation that we can and should do it all.

6. Expect setbacks. No goal is without its challenges. Plan for a few bumps in the road and then you won't be thrown off track when they happen.

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. The fact is that most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just ordinary people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. . . .

Life is like an old-time rail journey--delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." (source)

 Are you for or against New Year's Resolutions? If you do make resolutions, is there a method to your resolution madness or do you shoot from the hip?