DIY A Simple Thrift Find Into Beautiful South Asian Style Decor

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If you're willing to sift through some duds, thrift stores can be a real treasure trove for home decor and DIY materials. Even the simplest items can be transformed into something that looks far more expensive than it truly is. Simple wooden boxes, for example, can be turned into stunning South Asian-inspired mirrors with just a few extra materials. This simple thrift store mirror DIY makes the most beautiful decor for your home and can be customized to your taste.

Instagram user @antorvingomes uses two wooden boxes, matboard, an old mirror, strong adhesive, and a little paint to create a set of Pinterest-worthy DIY mirrors. This project comes together quickly and, depending on the weight of the boxes you find, can be hung on the wall with just command strips. In theory any wooden box will work. Keep your eye out for things like coffee table trays, shadow box photo frames, or even craft crates. You can also find old mirrors and matboard at thrift stores, so take a look around for those as well.

To craft these mirrors, start by drawing and cutting out an ogee arch on your matboard. Using a sharp X-Acto knife to cut out this shape will ensure you get clean, even lines. Next, paint the surfaces. For this DIY, @antorvingomes uses a mixture of paint colors and baking soda to achieve a terracotta look. To streamline the process, you could use FolkArt Super Thick Acrylic or Dixie Belle Paint Company Chalk Finish Paint, both in the shade terracotta. Either way, cover your wooden boxes and your matboard in the terracotta color. Once dry, you can go in with a small brush and some white paint to add a decorative pattern around the matboard.

For the final steps, glue the mirror inside your wooden box, then glue the matboard to the outer edge like a frame. When everything is dry and secure, use command strips to mount your new mirrors to the wall. Knowing how to decorate with mirrors will help you decide where to showcase your beautiful new project. Warm colors, unique shapes, and intricate patterns give this DIY its distinct South Asian vibe. That said, you can easily change it up to best fit your current home decor style. For example, cutting the matboard into a wavy pattern is a fun way to make an affordable squiggle mirror that channels Gustaf Westman's iconic design.