Dupe An Anthropologie Mirror With This Affordable Thrift Store DIY

One of Anthropologie's most drool-worthy products is its Gleaming Primrose Mirror. Although its elaborate and sophisticated style makes it a must-have, its almost $600 price tag makes it an "I wish" for most people. If you can't afford to drop hundreds of dollars on a wall accessory, you can easily create your own dupe by upcycling a boring thrift store mirror with some simple supplies from your local home improvement store. If you look at Anthropologie mirrors, you can see a common theme: ornate appliques and trim. Many of their mirrors start with traditional shapes, such as ovals and rectangles, and you can often find plain mirrors with these shapes at thrift stores for cheap. Trim can be found in many different shapes and sizes at home improvement stores. By attaching the appliques and trim to a thrift store mirror frame and painting it, you'll end up with an Anthro mirror dupe at a fraction of the cost.

Start this DIY by choosing a mirror of your desired shape and size from the thrift store. These are usually easy to find and affordable. At a home improvement store, pick up the appliques and trim that most closely match your inspiration mirror. For example, you can buy flowers and hummingbirds like those featured on the Luisa mirror, wooden bead trim, or floral appliques. If your mirror's frame is slimmer than you would like, you can buy trim molding to attach to the outside of the existing frame to beef it up, as well. You will also need some sandpaper, paint, adhesive or brad nails, wood glue, and gold leaf finish.

When you've gathered your supplies, clean your mirror and lightly sand the frame. If you're using trim molding, cut it to fit and glue it to the outside of the frame. You'll need to make a mitered joint, so measure each side of your mirror. Transfer these measurements to the inside of your trim molding. Then set your saw to cut a 45-degree angle starting on the inside of the trim. The end result will be that the outside of your trim is longer than the inside. Attach the trim pieces to the mirror by gluing them to the edge with a strong adhesive such as E6000, or by using thin brad nails. If you use brad nails, you'll need to offset them and patch the holes with wood putty before you paint. 

Next, glue your appliques to the frame. If you're making the Primrose dupe, you'll glue one to the top and one to the bottom of each side. Let the glue dry completely before you start painting. Tape off the sides of the mirror with painter's tape. Get as close to the frame as you can without covering it. If you accidentally get paint on the mirror, you can scrape it off with a razor blade. Paint the frame, trim, and appliques. The Primrose mirror is available in gold and black, so for a true dupe, you should choose one of these colors. To customize and add interest to your new mirror, add an antique finish to gold paint or DIY gold leaf to black paint. This mirror would be a perfect partner for a DIY Anthropologie dresser dupe.