Click through for my tutorial on how to antique a mirror with paint, from the front side… no harsh chemicals, no messy paint stripper, no rubber gloves needed, and it only took 20 minutes per mirror.
Clean the Mirror
Setup Your Workspace
First, make sure the mirror is really clean. I just used Windex with a towel, but any glass cleaner will work.
Begin with the Spray Bottle
I mixed a heavy squeeze of black paint, silver, and chocolate with 4-5 tablespoons of water, and shook it vigorously in my spray bottle.
Use a Textured Brush with Water
Setup Your Workspace
Dip the heavily textured brush in a little water, soak the excess with a towel, and then begin pulling the paint downward on the mirror.
Add Warmth Around the Perimeter
Setup Your Workspace
I mixed up some more metallic paint: chocolate, a little gold, and a hint of black…
Add A Tiny Amount of Spray Paint
Setup Your Workspace
The last step is honestly optional, but I lightly sprayed (just a mist) mirrored spray paint over the entire mirror.
I’m glad I didn’t spend time and money on the chemicals and paint stripper to tackle it the traditional way.