Powder Bathroom Antique Vanity Mirror
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Repurposing old antiques is a great way to add character to your home all the while giving that item a second chance to shine!
Now that we own an 1886 Victorian, I find myself spending waaaaay too much time scouring the internet for old antique finds. I really have nothing specific in mind that I am looking for…just everything and anything and then I will find a way to use it.
On the list of current finds was this beautiful antique quarter sawn oak built-it medicine cabinet with a mirror…minus the built in part! The shelves and backing (that would have been recessed into the wall) had been taken off and all that was left was the front face. Which was totally fine with me because it was absolutely gorgeous! The beautiful scroll work, the glass knob, the brass key hole and the delicate trim work totally stopped me in my scroll on Craigslist and I knew I needed it, stat!
Before I hang anything, I always take pictures of the item “pretending” to hang on the wall. I don’t want more holes in my wall than necessary…and even more so now that we have a lot of plaster walls in this house – I don’t want to be drilling holes in the lath (like shiplap) behind the plaster. So once I took my photos in various bathrooms throughout my house, I sent it to my favorite friends for their opinions. Collectively, the 1st floor powder bathroom was chosen.
I just absolutely love the way it adds character to my powder bathroom! The texture of the wood adds such a warm and inviting feel (totally what you want in a bathroom..hahaha! ?♀️?) As you can see in the mirror, there are small wooden plantation shutters covering the bottom half of the window in the powder bathroom. So the wood actually is all tied in perfectly!
It’s not perfect by any means – and I think that’s why I love it even more! The beveled mirror is not in the greatest of shape…if you are actually intending on looking in it to do makeup, etc so I may have my favorite local glass cutter cut me a new mirror, like he did for my daughter’s dresser mirror.
It could stand a new coat of poly especially towards the bottom – so I’ll probably do that in the near future (just was too anxious to get it hung!)
Hanging above the mirror is a pretty stained glass pendant light – not everyone’s cup of tea, but it adds some really nice character to the bathroom and goes with the house being a Victorian! *Do you recall those DIY stained glass windows I did in our two upstairs bathrooms?
So there you have it! A beautiful old antique piece that has been sitting collecting dust in a storage unit that is getting a second chance on life!
What antique piece have you saved lately or repurposed? I’d love to see what you are working on!
