When we remodeled our master bathroom last year, we left a big part undone: the bathroom mirror.
We had one of those unframed, builder’s grade mirrors so common in houses of a certain age.
The original plan was to take it down and replace it with a framed mirror, or possibly two framed mirrors. Our construction guys were willing, but told us that because the mirror was glued to the wall — instead of being held up with clips — taking it down would likely involve breakage of the unpredictable variety.
They weren’t wild about having to do it.
So we opted to leave the mirror up and in tact, but we still wanted a more complete look. That’s where MirrorMate came in.
MirrorMate makes custom frame kits that you assemble and install over existing mirrors. No mirror to take down and dispose of. No new mirror to buy. Just a frame to jazz up the mirror you already have. I liked that.
MirrorMate was willing to ship me a frame in exchange for my blogging about my experience here. MirrorMate did not require that I blog positively about their company/product, however. I already had the frame in hand and was free to share my own opinions.
I visited the MirrorMate website and ordered samples of three frames:
Bellemeade Vintage Silver
Naples Antique Silver
and
Grandezza Aged Silver
Grandezza Aged Silver was my favorite before receiving the samples, and it was still my favorite once I saw them in person.
It is silver (more silver than it looks here), but the aging made it look richer and less metallic than the other two samples. It was also the widest of the three, which I thought would make it feel more substantial. So despite the fact that our mirror was a little on the small side, and we would lose more of it with this frame, I went with it.
How MirrorMate Works
To order a frame from MirrorMate, you start by using their detailed instructions to measure your mirror. You measure both the height and width, and also tell them how much clearance there is on each side (to allow for things like light fixtures and outlets), and if you have any clips that need to be worked around.
The frame is shipped to you with the fours sides unassembled. Also in the box is almost everything you need to assemble/install it. We only had to add a hammer and a level.
My husband and I took a long time getting around to putting up the mirror because the size of the box made us feel like it would be a big, big project. Nothing could have been further from the truth.
The entire process, not including drying time, took under an hour. Here are some (blurry) photos I took that will give you a feel for the process:
To begin, you lay out the frame facedown. Vacuuming first is optional, but if you’re going to be photographing your floor and then posting it on the world wide web for all to see, I completely recommend it.
Next, cover the ends of the frame with the glue that’s provided as part of the kit. There’s the proof of the vacuuming in the background.
With the glue still wet, insert the frame connectors at the corners and then let the assembled frame dry for an hour.
Once the glue is dry, you’re ready to hang the frame.
Hanging involves finding the right frame position, marking it with placement corners that are provided to you (not shown) and then peeling off the adhesive on the back of the frame and pressing into place.
That’s it! Easy as pie. Especially if you’re the one taking the pictures and not the one doing the actual work.
And here’s the fabulous result:
We love it!
We cannot stop talking about what a big change it’s made in the room.
Here are the befores and afters one more time:
MirrorMate Frame Giveaway
I’m not the only one that’s benefitting from the generosity of the MirrorMate people, however. Those nice folks have agreed to give a frame of up to $150 in value to a Family CEO reader. All you need to do to enter is to leave a comment on this post telling us which mirror in your house you will frame if you’re the winner.
You can also earn extra entries by doing any or all of the following. (Remember to leave a comment for each one you’ve done in order to receive extra entries in the giveaway.)
1. Visit the MirrorMate website and tell us which mirror style you like the best.
2. Like MirrorMate on Facebook.
3. Use the share button to share a photo or status update from the Family CEO Facebook page (it doesn’t have to be the one for this post or giveaway).
Entries for this giveaway will close at 10pm CST on Sunday, July 8. I’ll draw the winning comment using the Random Number Generator and I’ll announce the winner on the blog and Facebook on Monday, July 9.
So let’s get started: which of your bathroom mirrors would you like to frame using MirrorMate?
This post is part of Creative Things Thursday and Tutorials and Tidbits.
Note: I'm no longer adding new posts to The Family CEO. I am, however, writing at Creating This Life, where we talk about home, books, travel, and other life stuff.Click here to subscribe to Creating This Life or click here to visit. I hope to see you there! - Julie
{ 116 comments… read them below or add one }
I like the Bellemeade Vintage silver. Your bathroom looks lovely!
Like on Facebook!
I’d LOVE to re-do my powder room mirror! We have changed everything in that bathroom, with the exception of the mirror. It’d be the icing on the cake!
our guest bathroom mirror needs an update like this desperately!
Mediterra Glazed stone is my choice at the moment but there are so many choices!
I would love to do this in my master bath. It is a brilliant idea and my bathroom needs to be updates so it stops looking like a dorm room bathroom.
I can’t wait to do this in our half bath. I love the Tribecca Black frame! *liked on Facebook:)
Love these mirror mates! What a difference it makes!
My fave is Grandezza Aged Silver.
I would love to do this in all 3 bathrooms! I don’t mind our 1990’s mirrors but a little spicing up would be wonderful!
Wow! What an amazing transformation with such a small change. I’ve been looking for something similar to this for my builder’s grade mirror. Thanks for sharing your tips and wonderful pictures.
I liked Mirror Mate on Facebook, too ;)
We have a master bathroom mirror that looks just like yours in the “before” photo. This is the one we would frame.
My master bath has a huuuge builder mirror and it looks so sad and plain. It needs a frame to snazz it up! It’s just amazing how that frame makes it look so different. I think while I’m at it, I would put one around the powder bath plain mirror, too. Thanks for this generous giveaway!!
This is such a great product! We just started pricing componemts for redoing our main bathroom last week and it was a lot more than I had initially expected…what a great solution!
At this point I like Bellemeade Aged Silver but I have a very talented designer friend who I would probably consult before buying :)
I like the Mediterra but it’s definitely a tough choice!
Liked MirrorMate on Facebook!
I like the Broadway brushed chrome.
I shared on fb https://www.facebook.com/moey.shay/posts/260491727385406
What a great idea!! Your bathroom looks so good:)
My bathroom needs some serious help!!
We’ve been wanting to do this to our girl’s bathroom for a while! Yours turned out great.
I’ll frame the master bathroom mirror.
At this point I like the Venetian White Wave, but the simpler Chelsea is nice too.
Planning a master bath remodel later this year. The Chelsea or Permaquid in bronze would work well in our plans, I think.
I would like the Chelsea Black Satin.
I like MirrorMate on fb!
I shared the giveaway on fb!
I have the very same boring mirror in my master bath!
I like Mirror Mate on Facebook!
I like the Chelsea!
I would choose to do the master bathroom. It’s looking pretty dated and it is on “the list” to be redone — this would be a good push in that direction!
The bathroom on our mainfloor has a boring builder mirror, too. I would love to frame it and update that bathroom.
I have two Mirror Mate frames in my bathrooms and absolutely LOVE them! What a transformation!!!
I can’t decide between BelleMeade Silver and Chelsea Espresso.
I like MirrorMate on Facebook.
Waterside Pearl would look perfect in our bathroom.
I would pick the Chelsea Espresso mirror – and we would do our master bathroom mirror! It looks a lot like your’s did.
I like mirrormate on fb!
Bellemeade Aged Silver is my favorite! Been a fan of Mirrormate for awhile! Thanks!
I would frame my guest bathroom. It needs some sprucing up!
I would love to use Mirror Mate as part of the complete makeover of my guest bathroom. As soon as my broken foot heals I will be getting to work!!! :)
I like the Pacifica Black Leather frame for my guest bathroom.
I liked MM on FB!
I shared CEO on FB.
Chelsea Espresso is my fave design
I ‘like’ MM on FB.
I want to do this SO badly!! The first would be our front bathroom that is used by any guests visiting the house, and then I would do the master bath. Finally, we have an upstairs bath that I would love to see done too. These frames are SO beautiful!
I also like the Grandezza Aged Silver or Chelsea Pewter Bronze.
Liked on Facebook.
Shared the Mirror Mate article on Facebook.
We NEED this for our master bathroom–wow!
Laura
I love the Grandezza Aged Silver, too.
Liked MirrorMate on FB–Laura Shops
I reall love the one you used but i’m also loving the acadia in oil rubbed bronze. Thanks for entering me!
I would frame the mirror in my guest bathroom.
My favorite style is Pemaquid Slim/Dark Bronze. Beautiful, simple & classic!
I love the Pemaquid Slim/Dark Bronze frame. I would love use this style in my master bathroom!
I like MirrorMate
I would use the Pemaquid old world silver in my master bath!
Liked MirrorMate on facebook!
I’m loving the Bellemeade Vintage Silver….what a beautiful, easy, transformation! Thanks for the chance to win!
Wow – I’d never heard of Mirror Mate till now, but will definitely be checking it out now! I’ve got a mirror in the bathroom which is very plain and boring and I’ve been on the lookout for a new one, but now I’ll just be on the lookout for Mirror Mate!
I would replace our downstairs bathroom mirror!
I love the Grandezza Aged Silver! It would match our bathroom perfectly.
I like mirror mate on fb
I think I would frame the kids’ bathroom.
My pick is the Grandezza aged silver! This is my perfect for my guest bath!
Thanks for the chance to win. I’d frame my parents’ bathroom mirror as a surprise.
I like the Naples Antique Silver.
That turned out gorgeous! We have had a couple of those glued on mirror experiences, and they are not fun. What a great way to dress up a mirror you don’t like but will have a tough time removing.
I love the Chelsea bronze. It would definitely make my bathroom feel more updated!
I would love to do this in my master bath.
My Bathroom Mirror needs done!
I love the Venetian style!
I like MirrorMate on Facebook!
Shared Found Money Here: https://www.facebook.com/?sk=nf#!/DebraLeaLee/posts/334003503348168 Great Article.
I’d try waterside pearl for my NEXT mirror!! (already did 2 with them). Hope I win, I need a bathroom update.
I like the Grandezza Aged Silver, I would to add this to the mirror in my bedroom.
Love this post! Thanks for the helpful, easy to follow steps!
Oh, no question – I’d do our master bathroom! And I’d love to win, because we rent this house and I don’t want to spend the money on this project, but I soooooo want to frame the mirror.
I would love to win the Grandezza Bronze. That would add loads of glamor to my master bath.
Your mirror looks wonderful! It made such an impact. Grandezza Bronze would add the right pizzazz to my master bath!
I like Mirror Mate on Facebook!
This is a fantastic idea and I’d never heard of it before. I have a mirror like that in my downstairs bathroom and did not know what to do with it. In just an hour, it really transformed the look of the room.
Bellemeade vintage silver is my favorite frame.
I would definitely change my bathroom mirror. It is plain just like the one in the picture
I love the Grendezza Aged Silver frame also! My bathroom hasn’t changed (except for paint) since it was built – 1985. My mirror is just like your before, builder’s mirror. Would LOVE this easy update – would make a world of difference!
Went to Mirror Mate website. Looks like my favorite frame is the Medittera Glazed Earth. Lovely!
I “liked” MirrorMate on facebook. :)
Finally, I used the share button and shared a photo (This bathroom makeover photo!) from The Family CEO on face book!
My daughter just bought her first home. Their bathroom has the ugly old big mirror that just screams for help! The Pacifica Brown Leather frame would love beautiful!
P.S. I have done my bathroom with a mirror mate frame and it looks marvelous!
I love how your mirror turned out. I too love the Grandezza Aged Silver frame!!!
I could use a frame like this in all of our bathrooms but would pick our master bathroom first. Love yours!
Hard to decide which one would look best in our bathroom but right now I’d probably pick the Venetian Bronze Wave frame. Then again, I really like how yours turned out.
I actually found you through the MirrorMate website. I need to win!!! Pick me, pick me!!!
I would order one for my hall bathroom that I am re-doing currently, but I need them for all the bathrooms in my house!!!
Followed on Facebook TOO!!
I would be framing the downstairs guest bathroom mirror of our new house.
I like the Chelsea Espresso.
I liked MirrorMate’s FB page.
I shared your post about the chalkboard. :-)
I would frame the bathroom mirror! Great giveaway!
I would frame the downstairs guest bath.
This looks awesome! We have two huge mirrors in our master bath and I have been wanting to do something like this. I liked them on FB too!
Wow! Looks beautiful! I need one for my bathroom!
I like the Tribecca Burnished Brown. What a fun idea!
Wow! Great makeover…I’ve been wanting to do something with my master bath mirror since we moved in 7 years ago. I like the Chelsea brushed bronze. Liked MirrorMate on FB!
I really like the Mediterra Glazed Earth. Crossing my fingers.
I want the Portage Pebbled White for my boys’ bathroom!
Thanks so much for this info! I’ve been wanting to dress up our bathroom mirrow for years! I ordered samples as soon as I finished reading your success story.
I relate to the part about “easy, esp. if you’re not the one doing the labor”! :o) blessings on your day, k
I’d love to have the Grandezza Aged Silver frame for my master bath mirror!
We just moved into a new to us home that has, ahem, certain mirrors. I think I would do my guest bathroom first but oh, how I would love something pretty to look at in my own bathroom.
Fingers crossed.
I adore the Waterside Pearl. So simple yet elegant.
I liked Mirror Mate on FB! :) Fingers crossed.
The Pemaquid Woods Mahogany Burl is wonderful!
Liked MirrorMate on Facebook as Austin Baroudi.
Shared a photo from the Family CEO Facebook page as Austin Baroudi.
https://www.facebook.com/austin.baroudi/posts/273221536113116
I like so many but I think the best for our bathroom is Grandezza Aged Silver.
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