DIY Statement Mirror Decor: 8 Easy Frame Ideas

The easiest way to make a statement with a mirror is to change its edge. A new frame, a bold paint color or a ring of wooden rays around the glass will do more than a bigger mirror, and most of these projects cost very little. Start with a clean surface, pick one idea below, and keep the rest of the wall quiet.

It's very common to buy a plain mirror and then not know what to do with it, so don't feel bad if yours has been leaning in a corner for months. Here are eight options, from an easy DIY statement mirror you can finish in an afternoon to a weekend project.

Prep the mirror before you decorate

Every idea here depends on clean glass. Price stickers and label residue show up fast on a reflective surface, and adhesive will also stop paint, tape and glue from sticking to the mirror edge. Warm the sticker with a hair dryer, lift it with a plastic scraper or an old card, and wipe off the leftover glue. The full method is in our guide to getting stickers off of mirrors. If paint lands on the glass while you work, this walkthrough for removing paint from a mirror will save you.

Tape off the glass with painter's tape before any project that involves paint or glue. Work flat on a table with a towel underneath, never on the wall.

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Which DIY mirror frame ideas work best?

These are the styles that show up again and again in DIY roundups because the materials are cheap and the result reads as deliberate.

1. A DIY starburst mirror

A round mirror surrounded by thin rays is the classic. Cut wood shims, dowels, skewers or paint stirrers to varying lengths, sand the ends, and glue them in a radiating pattern onto a ring of cardboard or thin plywood slightly larger than the mirror. Paint them gold, black or leave the wood raw.

A starburst is symmetrical, and that's why it looks settled. Cornell's Principles of Design describes symmetrical balance as having equal "weight" on equal sides of a centrally placed fulcrum. Keep your rays evenly spaced and the design will feel calm, even when it's dramatic.

2. A painted frame in a strong color

This is one of the simple DIY mirror frame ideas that works on almost any existing mirror with a frame. Sand lightly, wipe, prime, and paint in a deep green, terracotta or black. Two-tone is also easy: paint the outer edge one color and the inner lip another.

3. A gilded or antique-style finish

Craft-store gilding wax or gold paint rubbed over a plain wood or plastic frame gives an aged look. Add a dark wash in the corners and dab it off. Uneven is the goal here.

4. Natural branches or sticks

Glue straight twigs of similar thickness around a square or rectangular mirror, like a rustic border. Dry them indoors first so no bugs come along, and trim the ends flat.

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5. Rope or jute wrapped around a round mirror

Wrap rope tightly around the edge, gluing as you go. It's one of the best DIY mirror decorating ideas on a budget, and it adds texture to a smooth wall. Skip it in a room where a cat might claw at fibers.

6. An arched look with a cutout

You can fake an arched mirror by hanging a rectangular one and painting an arch on the wall around it, in a color a shade darker than the wall. It costs a can of sample paint and painter's tape.

7. Embellished edges

Glue on small tiles, mosaic pieces, buttons or wooden beads along a flat frame. Plan the pattern on the table first and keep the pieces within a narrow range of sizes so it doesn't look busy.

8. An upcycled frame from thrift stores

A solid old picture frame can be fitted with a mirror cut to size by a glass shop. Choose a frame that is already in good shape, then paint or wax it.

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How do you choose a DIY statement mirror for a living room?

Size and position matter more than the frame. Over a sofa, a mirror about two-thirds the width of the furniture looks proportionate. Over a console or fireplace, it can be a little narrower than the piece below it. As an architect, I'd center it on the furniture, not the wall, so the two read as one group.

Think about what the mirror will reflect. A window or a lamp doubles the light in the room. A blank corner or a cluttered shelf doubles that instead.

How high should you hang it?

Aim for the center of the mirror to sit near eye level for the people who'll use it. Charlotte Jirousek of Cornell University puts it this way in her design principles text: "Our most universal standard of measurement is the human body; that is, our experience of living in our own bodies." Over furniture, leave roughly 6-8 inches between the furniture and the bottom of the mirror.

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Hang it safely

Mirrors are heavy, and a DIY frame adds weight. Find the studs or use wall anchors rated well above the finished weight, and use two hooks or a French cleat on anything wide. I recommend keeping large mirrors away from spots where a dog's tail or a swinging door can knock them. For very heavy pieces, ask a licensed professional to mount them.

Keep the wall around it simple

A statement mirror does the work of a piece of art, so give it room. A single lamp or plant nearby is plenty. If you want to see how a fresh mirror pairs with other small upgrades, our post on pinch pleat curtains covers the window side of the same wall.

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Frequently asked questions