read more
Decorating your fireplace mantel can be tricky, and if you’re like me and want a new look for each season/holiday it can get expensive. I have come up with three ways you can style your mantel using the same core anchor pieces, making it easier to switch out the smaller decor from season to season!
Everyday Look
First let’s establish our anchor pieces that will be used throughout all the different looks. My biggest focal point is the larger mirror. I chose this one because it is a perfect piece to use in layering without being distracting. The wood frame and simple design draws your eye in but doesn’t distract from the sign that’s in front of it. The other anchor pieces I have are the vases with tall flowers on each side. This works great to get everything symmetrical, making it ok to keep the mirror and large sign off-center because the vases bring balance to the whole display. Finally, for this everyday look, I added the “home” sign and wood beads as decor. They look great and are easy to switch out!
Spring Look
For my spring look I swapped out my “home” sign for this larger spring sign, and added some wood beads on the vases. I also found these cute glass bottles at the Target dollar spot and put some real touch tulips in each one to give it a spring touch. By keeping the anchor pieces I didn’t have to change a lot but got a whole new look for spring!!
Summer Look
For my summer look I did something a little different than before. I love lots of greenery in the summer so I wanted to show that. I changed the cotton stems I had in the glass vases to some faux seeded eucalyptus, added some faux succulents inside 2 different color mason jars, added a faux boxwood wreath over my mirror, and added some fun vintage candle sticks and candles. Just like before, I kept my anchor pieces the same and incorporated smaller/different decor for a new season and fresh look!!
-Grey Birch Designs-
DIY’s on Monday
Joy In Our Home | Timeless Creations |The Tattered Pew | CityGirlmeetsFarmboy | Life On Kaydeross Creek
Vignettes on Tuesday
anderson + grant | Follow The Yellow Brick Home | White Arrows Home | Worthing Court | Camelot Art Creations
Front Porches on Wednesday
Mantels on Thursday
DIY Beautify | The Painted Hinge | Making It In the Mountains Grey Birch Designs | The Homemaking Momma
Recipes on Friday
read more
How to make your builder grade bathroom mirror look like a custom upgrade!
One of my favorite upgrades I have done in all the homes we have lived in is change the bathroom mirrors. It’s such a easy project and the difference it makes is huge!
In the past I have ripped down the builder grade mirror and just bought a nice mirror and hung that in it’s place. That works fine but it has be a pain getting the large mirror off the wall without shattering it into a million pieces……. So I have come up with a different solution and have been doing this for years!
I frame it!! So easy, right?? I decided to do the ones in our new house with reclaimed wood and some white trim. I then added a metal bracket on the corners just to give it a little more interest. This project is so quick, maybe an hour start to finish, and what a difference it makes in your bathroom!
Here is a little before and after
To do this project you will need the following:
-Wood of your choosing
–Corner Brackets (optional)
–Impact Driver or Screwdriver (if using the corner brackets)
I get asked about the lights over our mirror all the time so if you are interested in those as well I will link then here!
The light bar I found at Lowe’s (I could’t find the same one online to link it, but its just the light bar. It doesn’t come with light covers or light bulbs)
Step 1:
Mesure the the length and height of your mirror so you know how long to cut the boards. Once you have those measurements then cut your wood at a 45 degree angle on your miter saw so that the corners each meet up at a 45 degree angle. This takes a little bit of time and patience. If you don’t have much experience cutting wood I recommend cutting the boards longer than needed and slowly cutting them down until they fit.
Step 2:
Now that you have cut all your wood its time to put it up on your mirror. Start on the top and put a good amount of the clear adhesive on the back of the wood and stick it directly to the mirror. Then place a few clamps to hold it in place. Work your way around your mirror repeating this step until your mirror is completely framed. I use the Gorilla brand adhesive because it has a fast grab time. I have used others before and the wood has fallen off even after 24 hours with clamps holding it. This one grabs fast and holds strong!
Step 3:
If your not doing the metal braces on the corners your done!! If you are nows the time to put them on. Make sure the screws you use are shorter than the thickness of the wood. You don’t want to drive the screw through the back of the wood because you could crack the mirror. Once you have the right size screws just center them in the corners and use a drill or screwdriver to attach them to the wood, and thats it, simple right!
Hope you enjoyed this quick little tutorial, now go have fun and frame out those ugly builder grade mirrors and make them look amazing!!
-Grey Birch Designs-
