Huge Mirror Over Fireplace

Question

1974 house, this huge mirror has been over the living room fireplace for at least 25 years per previous owners. We're afraid to take it down before we gut this room...other rooms first. We're afraid of what we will find behind the mirror. In the meantime, ideas about how to decorate it or do something different? The walls are 12 ft. tall, I guess the mirrors are 5-6 ft. tall. Thanks in advance.

Rhonda Nusom · Answer

You could frame it out with molding or 2' or 4' bevel strips.Would make it look more finished.

Cassadelic What-What · Answer

This would look great with some bright molding added!

Diana Hendricks · Answer

If its temporary anyway experiment a little. Why don't you paint it? It's over the fireplace and away from hands so the paint should hold up. Ever drip paint on a mirror and have to scrape it off with a razor?

Nancy Malcom · Answer

I agree with Rhonda. We did this in bathroom much better looking.

Lorraine V · Answer

we taped ours all over , undid the knobs holding it and with the help of one other person---carefully--got it down. just wall behind it..

Jeanette S · Answer

If you want it down, you will never be happy until it comes down...there comes a time when you just have to call in a professional...in this case, the size of this makes the cost of a professional is worth the money!

Daryl · Answer

I had this same problem. My solution was to hang a picture over the mirror. I used anchor above the mirror, a wire to hang the picture and a wide ribbon to conceal to the wire.

Z · Answer

I've seen this done a number of times on TV, though have never done so myself. If you want to try to DIY it, here's some help.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFusu0qVDuE

Marianne · Answer

I'm with Wanda from it out and then decorate your mantel with items you love (with a pop of color) the reflect itself will be a work of art.

Karen V · Answer

Having had to deal with similar projects in the past; run tape down the face of the mirror, use a lot of tape, in 'every two inches' strips. Then take a wrecking bar and lightly tap until it begins to break, this will help prevent it from shattering all over you and the room. Be sure to put on gloves and wear eye goggles and thick long sleeved shirt and a hat. Place broken pieces in a Box and seal it with tape and write on the box Broken Glass.. but you are right it is dated and un attractive. and just tap it you don't have to be vicious and brutal to break it and get it off it is probably attached with drywall glue, you will have to refinish the dry wall with joint mud.

Sherrie · Answer

The mirror is actually in sections if you look at it closely. I agree with Karen I would tape it and break it and take one section down at a time.

Sue H · Answer

I think till  u know what you will do with the rest of the room. Hang a very large pic over it. Could sit on mantel to see. You will find your room is going to be very dark after it is gone.

Buster Evans · Answer

Well I am a mirror person.. I like what they can do for a room... If you like plants I would find some nice silk garland greenery to border the whole mirror (all 4 sides) then you could set plants on the mantle and let the mirror double your view of the plants.. OR if you don't have plants and like animal figurines ( I like elephants) you could use them on the mantle with the garland in front of the figurines, then the mirror would reflect the garland behind whatever you set on the mantle ... You could use any figurines (doesn't have to be animals).this can be changed out with different times of the year to celebrate holidays as well. The possibilities could be endless.

Lynnmarie · Answer

chalkboard paint it.Then you'll have a huge chalkboard to write cool stuff on! or maybe just a part of it...leave the middle as a mirror, chalkboard paint around the edges or vica versa....chalkboard in the middle, mirror around the edges....or....STENCIL it (paint prime it first) ...this mirror can be covered up with any type paint....pretend its a new canvas & paint your own picture on it....adhere mosaic tile on it....cover it up with another huge same size picture... cover it with burlap and decorate if you like burlap...I mean the possibilities are endless. it looks to me like its leaning? is it anchored to the wall???

Cathy C · Answer

I recently got hold of some colored glass paint in spray cans. I haven't tried it yet, waiting for the right project, but it occurred to me that you could turn the mirror into a stained glass project. You could tape off shapes to spray, you could use different colors, you could leave some spaces as just mirror, the sky's the limit in creating your own art. Because the paint is translucent it would still have the mirrored effect behind the color. You could then frame it out in wood.

P.Plank · Answer

I have a whole wall in my living room that is mirrored. My condo is small and I am sure the reason it was done was to try and make it seem larger and brighter. I am thinking of wallpapering over it. Also I have thought about using a large stencil and frosted paint to make focal wall. Just haven't got to do it yet.

153091 · Answer

I agree with some of the wonderful suggestions. I think if you put moulding not wood, go to Lowes and check the moulding for garage doors, on the back it has groves, put the grove side out and make only two rectangle frames on the side mirrors, leave middle mirror alone. Now you have the option of covering the center mirror...or leave center mirror and cover the the two framed ones. You could go with thin panel material, leave as found or paint accent color,you could wall paper, even paste fabric. Sue mentioned about the darkness without mirror..before you start taking down, hang something over it and see if you like without it. GOSH..let us all know....

Barbara Turner · Answer

Honestly, for pieces this large, I would simply call a glass company, (yes a glass company) and tell them what you have and ask them to please bring those 'sucker' things and take it down for you! They will gladly, THEN you can either sell them it for a wholesale price or donate the pieces to a Habitat for Humanity so they can furnish several homes with smaller-cut-to-size mirrors! Just sayin'!

Carol M · Answer

I have in the past trimmed out the mirror with wood framing,also I had mosaic tiled around the mirror. Makes a big beautiful difference. Also if you have the older insert/open mirror in the bathroom. The same change is a BIG change.

Kathie · Answer

We had a huge one over our fireplace ( a 1950 ranch house) and a we had a designer come and offer some ideas to spruce up the living room...She suggested hanging it vertically in the entry( it's 4 x 7 ft)...which was brilliant..it made the entry seem much larger. 
That being said.. my husband and son had to take it down ( very heavy) ...and re hang it ..which was nerve wracking...they did a fine job. We just went with the attitude that if it broke we at least had tried.

Becky Wood · Answer

You frost it...http://www.mybackyardeden.com/2010/04/fabulous-faux-frosted-glass.html http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f6/d2/05/f6d205b3151b4fe04dafdbf684c5d2eb.jpg or you could use a decal to put a saying or design on it https://www.etsy.com/listing/179565727/mirror-decal-lettering-motivational?ref=market https://www.google.com/search?q=using+decals+on+a+mirror&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=be2EU93uEsujqAaf2YCoCg&ved=0CDMQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=643#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=AK3mbq0GH_VVMM%253A%3BU7s7aQ08QY0lYM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww-static.weddingbee.com%252Fpics%252F255836%252FGuest_Book_Mirror.jpeg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fboards.weddingbee.com%252Ftopic%252Fguestbook-mirror%252F%3B1317%3B784

Jill · Answer

Talk about a flash back to the past....my parents had the same thing going on. We taped it up with an adhesive sheeting, pried it lose from the wall, and if any of it was too broken up, used it for something or somewhere else. The biggest piece we used as a piece in a large framed mirror to hang on the wall to make the room feel bigger. Yes, there is going to be some repair work needed behind the mirrors, just a simple spackle and sand job, or even texture coating the wall maybe (you can do that from a simple spray can now). So go ahead and step into the future!

Cindi · Answer

Since you are going to be taking it down in future. I would buy some inexpensive plastic picture frames, different sizes, and shapes, oval, round, square, triangle, etc. Empty out the glass and backs of them and hot glue them randomly on mirror. Or make a design, or completely cover the mirror. That way you have a mirror wall collage. When ready to take down? pop off the pic. frames. And use white frames. just a thought

Cindi · Answer

Oops forgot, after putting the frames on mirror. I would put a vignette of diff. height candles on mantel, in center.

Dee · Answer

If you put a frame that is painted remember to paint the back of the frame or you will see it in the mirror.Some great ideas here.

Wilna109 · Answer

I would stensil it with glass spray. You get different shades and can go from a sandblasted look to watery one to mottled look. It can look quite spectacular. Go Google and see what you can get on glass etching. Please pop back and show us what finally motivated you to tackle the glass.

Liliana Wells · Answer

Since this temporary, I would also suggest a temporary solution. Look at window films (Home Depot) or online. They are available in several sizes and designs. Some are semi transparent, so you would still get the light reflected by the mirror. The design you choose could compliment the decor of your room

246978 · Answer

Thank you for suggestions. The mirrors are glued on with construction caulk. They didn't have any type of brace at all until we had them put up. Y'all had some good ideas to consider.

Jeanette Mayes · Answer

I have a huge mirror over my fireplace. I like to put a string of lights on the sides and the top. White or color would look good. I enjoy mine. I usually do it at Christmas, but I think the white ones look good all year round.

Donna Arsenault · Answer

I have seen a few projects where there is a large plain mirror in the bathroom, and some folks will build a shelving unit in the middle and frame out the mirror with crown molding. Maybe you could put some shelves up the sides and do the same thing.

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