DIY Glossy White Mirror

We posted a couple weeks ago about our love for white lacquered mirrors. 

It all started when I saw this mirror from Horchow.  It would be perfect in my house- a modern twist on a classic baroque style.  BUT, the $425 price tag (plus an additional $80 shipping) was not so perfect...

I was discussing my love for this mirror with MoS Washington, and we both agreed it would be a really easy DIY project.  Just find an ornate gold mirror and paint the frame white.  I began searching my favorite sources for DIY projects- namely Craigslist and eBay.  She suggested adding "syroco" to my eBay searches, and her advice turned out to be perfect! 

Syroco, which stands for The Syracuse Ornamental Company, refers to a wood composite material used most often in the 1950's for mirrors, clocks, etc.  To the touch, it's hard to determine if it's plastic or wood.  To the eye, it's hard to determine if it belongs in Versailles or a trailer park. 

Ebay is chock full of syroco pieces.  Some are not-so-cute sconces, but there is a great selection of mirrors and sunburst clocks.  You could easily remove the clock and put in a pre-cut mirror for a fabulous sunburst mirror.  And the best part is- it is REALLY inexpensive.  

I needed a mirror to go over my new sawhorse desk, so I hopped on eBay.  For $13 plus shipping (around $15), I scored the mirror below.  You might think "score" is a bit of a stretch for a gold curly-q mirror, but I had a vision... (seeing it photographed over the cheetah rug in my dining room makes it even scarier:)  It's a decent size- 30 inches long by 20 inches wide. 

Up close and personal with the curly-q's...

And some more.... (now you are probably recognizing the syroco material, even if you didn't know what it was called before).

I covered the mirror in plain paper and used blue painters tape around the edges.

Ready to paint...  Goodbye gold!

The trusty Krylon white gloss...

Easy easy!  Just did a few coats, and wow, instant gratification!

Perfect to go over my sawhorse desk!

It's a little narrow so I'll be on the hunt for something for either side of it.  No, it's not quite as fabulous as the one from Horchow.  But for around $30 as compared to over $500, I'm happy with the result!

This is a DIY project that ANYONE can do!  Check out syroco items on ebay- you can get them for a song!  Add a coat of spray paint, and voila, you have a fabulous new mirror!