• Garden
  • House
  • Tutorials
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Blog
  • Privacy Policy

Life with Holly

Blog about Period Interiors and Gardens

Tutorials

How to Make a Foxed Mirror (A DIY Vintage Mirror Tutorial)

24 August 2020 Leave a Comment

There’s something quite magical about an aged mirror. They look like a mirror who’ve seen things, you know? A mirror who’s lived. If a mirror has spots from age, it’s known as a foxed mirror and you can achieve the look without having to wait 100 years. Here’s how to create a foxed mirror.

DIY-Foxed-Antique-Mirror-Tutorial-by-Life-with-Holly

 

Disclaimer – this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase through one of those links I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps keep the blog going, so thank you! 

 

You will need:

  • Your mirror. I used an old one from our bathroom that Hols has used for dancing about in front of for the past year. It lived in our bedroom, which possibly has more mirrors than a shop changing room. We’ve got the dressing table, the wardrobe doors, the one above the fireplace, the full length one hiding behind the wardrobe and this one. Too many mirrors?
  • Paint stripper. I used this one from Amazon as it meant the man would bring it to me and I didn’t have to leave the house.
  • Paint brush.
  • Paint scraper
  • Scrubby sponge/dish washing brush. Not wire wool. I tried this, and it was too rough.
  • Bleach.
  • Kitchen roll or something else absorbent to mop up the bleach.

 

Let’s fox that mirror!

So your first job is to lay your mirror shiny side down so you can see the back of it. Mine wasn’t in a frame but, if yours is, you might want to take it out to stop the frame being damaged.

Apply a layer of paint stripper according to the instructions on the back of the pack. The paint stripper I used recommended painting on a layer and leaving it for an hour before painting on another.

Go and have a cup of tea, sunbathe – do whatever while your paint stripper works.

I only painted on one layer as when I tried to scrape it off, the backing paint came off. I then scraped all over the mirror. Be careful not to scrape too hard as you’ll leave marks on the front of your mirror which you can’t get rid of. Give it a wipe over with a scrubby pad and then some wet paper towels to get rid of the residue and leave to dry. I didn’t even scrape all the old paint off, I couldn’t be bothered and this is meant to look aged and imperfect.

DIY-Foxed-Antique-Mirror-Tutorial-by-Life-with-Holly

 

See? I missed bits and I don’t care.

Now, the fun bit. Mix up a weak bleach solution (one part bleach to four parts water) and drip this carefully onto your mirror. Where you drip the bleach the mirror coating will dissolve and leave darker patches. It’s these that give your mirror the aged look and that all important character. I used a syringe to drop the bleach on, but you can use anything. I also used a sponge to smear some of the bleach solution to create a different effect. Leave the mirror flat while the bleach dries, otherwise you’ll get run marks which look a bit rubbish.

DIY-Foxed-Antique-Mirror-Tutorial-by-Life-with-Holly

 

Blot off any excess bleach and leave to dry. Once dry, you can paint the back of your mirror again – I’ve seen some people paint theirs gold, or black. I’ve left mine because I haven’t got a frame yet and haven’t decided where it’ll go. I’m trialling it at the top of the stairs to see if it makes a difference to the levels of light there!

 

DIY-Foxed-Antique-Mirror-Tutorial-by-Life-with-Holly

 

Slow Living - Pampas Grass and Foxed Mirror by Life with Holly The Art of the Slow Renovation

 

So there you go, one foxed mirror. If you have a go, I’d love to see! Tag me on Instagram @life_with_holly x

 

For more hallway related posts, check out:

 

Victorian Hallway Makeover – Sanding Original Floorboards

DIY-Foxed-Antique-Mirror-Tutorial-by-Life-with-Holly

How to Panel a Victorian Hallway (An Easy Tutorial!)

 

Related

Previous:
My North East Facing Garden in August – A Round Up
Next:
Our Kitchen Floor Transformation with Harvey Maria Luxury Vinyl Tiles – Parquet Flooring [ad]

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Me

Hi! I'm Jo, and welcome to my blog about my life with my daughter Holly. Here you'll find posts on interiors and DIY, our home and garden, our travel and other day to day goings on. Thanks for stopping by!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you decide to purchase the items using the links. Thank you.

Featured Posts

White Tulips in a vase by Life with Holly

Planting Bulbs for Spring

Rustic Grey Pantry Cupboard by Life with Holly - The Art of the Slow Renovation

The Art of the Slow Renovation

Beautiful Yorkshire Countryside - Digley - Life with Holly

Weekend Wander to Digley, Holmfirth

Recent Posts

  • Planting Bulbs for Spring
  • The Art of the Slow Renovation
  • Weekend Wander to Digley, Holmfirth
  • Short Break to Silverdale
  • Tips on Autumn Foraging (Foliage for Free!)

Recent Comments

  • lifewithholly on Our Master Bedroom Transformation – with Wall Panelling Tutorial!
  • Kathy Merrins on Our Master Bedroom Transformation – with Wall Panelling Tutorial!
  • lifewithholly on The Art of the Slow Renovation
  • lifewithholly on The Art of the Slow Renovation
  • lifewithholly on The Art of the Slow Renovation

Archives

Categories

Come join us in The DIY & Decor Club on Facebook, where we chat all things DIY and decor!

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

@life_with_holly Best Interior Design Instagram Account Winner Badge
HIBS100 Index of Home and Interior Blogs
HIBS100
WeBlogUk members badge - 2020
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Follow my Instagram

life_with_holly

• Mama to Holly
• Wife
• Cohost #periodhomesofinsta
• Renovating our Victorian home with DIYs & upcycles
• on the Evening Standard Top 20 2019 list

Coming at you this Easter Sunday with the view of Coming at you this Easter Sunday with the view of the other side of the kitchen with the decorative twig having been salvaged from the garden. I found this on a walk we did in December, intending to use it for a decorative Christmas twig, but I felt so meh over Christmas I just dumped it in the garden (after driving home with it wedged in the car 😂). It's now become the Easter twig/birthday twig of dreams as two thirds of our house have our birthdays soon.

Our egg hunt is done, chocolate has been consumed and Easter is well under way. Hope you have a lovely day!

Flooring gifted as part of previous PR collaboration. 

#myconsideredhome #cornersofmyhome #simplethingsmadebeautiful #ofsimplethings #ofquietmoments #theslowcollective #cornersofmyworld #mybeautifulsimplicity #slowlived #aconsideredhome #pocketsofmyhome #mydecorvibe #myhouseandhome #myhousebeautiful #periodhomesofinsta #myhometoinspire #slowsustainablehome #authenticliving #slowgrowndecor #makingmyhaven #mysimplystyledsquares #myslowhome #momentsofmine  #diningtable #rustickitchen #countrykitchen #storyofmyhome #easterdecor
#easterdecorations
Fun fact - just before I took this picture I spilt Fun fact - just before I took this picture I spilt soil everywhere. Such fun cleaning it all up 😬

Hope you're having a lovely Easter weekend x

#myconsideredhome #cornersofmyhome #simplethingsmadebeautiful #ofsimplethings #ofquietmoments #theslowcollective #cornersofmyworld #mybeautifulsimplicity #slowlived #aconsideredhome #pocketsofmyhome #mydecorvibe #myhouseandhome #myhousebeautiful #periodhomesofinsta #myhometoinspire #slowsustainablehome #authenticliving #slowgrowndecor #makingmyhaven #mysimplystyledsquares #myslowhome #momentsofmine  #diningtable #rustickitchen #countrykitchen
Best time to fall asleep? About 47 minutes before Best time to fall asleep? About 47 minutes before the alarm goes off - am I right? 😴 Pass me the coffee...

Totally unrelated pic of the living room as it was pretty much tidy yesterday.

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #neutralhomeedit #neutralhomeinspo #doingneutralright #neutralhomes #vintagehomedecor #vintagehome #myvintagehome #livingroom #loungedecor #livingroomstyle #vintagedecor #greathomestaketime #victorianreno #victorianhome #victorianhouse #oldhouselove #sahstylists  #pocketofmyhome #interiormilk #modernvictorian  #pocketofmyhome #interiorsnapshot  #pasteldecor#homedetails #lightinterior #interiorstyling #stylingtheseasons
Hello! No, I'm not dead 😂 It's just been a long Hello! No, I'm not dead 😂 It's just been a long old week of YET MORE home school 🙄. We got an email on Mothers Day to say that someone at Holly's school had tested positive and her bubble had to isolate. We've spent the last week tucked up at home, dealing with decimals and fractions AGAIN, but tomorrow it's the last day! 🎉🎉

After having no enthusiasm for house stuff recently, I mustered up the energy for a clear out in the spare room today. It's a proper shit tip usually as we dump things that have no home in there! I put an ad on Facebook Freecycle for all the bits to give away and it was chaos! People fighting over things, people wanting everything - I don't know if I can cope doing that again!

How are things with you?

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #neutralhomeedit #neutralhomeinspo #doingneutralright #neutralhomes #vintagehomedecor #vintagehome #myvintagehome #smallbathroomdesign #smallbathroom #bathroomremodel #bathroomdesign #bathroomdecor #bathroominspo #periodbathroom #myvintagehome #sahstylists  #pocketofmyhome #interiormilk #modernrustic #pocketofmyhome #interiorsnapshot #myhyggehome #homedetails #lightinterior #interiorstyling #stylingtheseasons
With kids back at school, you'd think I'd actually With kids back at school, you'd think I'd actually have some time to take new photos. I seem to have even less time now than I did when Hols was off, wtf is that all about?!

Sharing this for @storyofmyhome - "thrifty business" as it's got my lovely big Shit Cupboard, bought on Facebook marketplace, as were the chairs.

Hope you're doing OK x

LVT flooring part of previous PR collaboration with @harveymaria 

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #neutralhomeedit #neutralhomeinspo #doingneutralright #neutralhomes #vintagehomedecor #vintagehome #myvintagehome #kitchendesign #kitchendinerinspo #kitchengoals #nestandthrive #smallkitchenideas #kitchendecor #farmhousestyle #farmhousekitchen #sahstylists #cottagekitchen #pocketofmyhome #interiormilk #modernrustic #pocketofmyhome #interiorsnapshot #myhyggehome #pasteldecor#homedetails #lightinterior #interiorstyling #stylingtheseasons
Ever buy something without checking the size? No, Ever buy something without checking the size? No, me either. I definitely did not do that with this clock. This tiny little baby clock. Oops.😳

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #neutralhomeedit #neutralhomeinspo #doingneutralright #neutralhomes #vintagehomedecor #vintagehome #myvintagehome #fireplacedecor #fireplacefriday #fireplacedesign #victorianreno #victorianhome #victorianhouse #periodhome #oldhouselove #nestandthrive  #sahstylists  #pocketofmyhome #interiormilk #modernrustic #pocketofmyhome #interiorsnapshot #myhyggehome #pasteldecor#homedetails #lightinterior #interiorstyling #stylingtheseasons
Looking forward to yet another walk today! I haven Looking forward to yet another walk today! I haven't left the house all week so I'm due a walk out. Hope you're all OK?

Home schoolers - one more week! We can do this 💪

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #bedroomdecorideas #bedroomstyle #bedroominspiration #victorianterracedhouse #neutralhomeinspo #victorianhouse #victorianterrace #neutralhomeedit #vintagehomeaccessories #slowlivingrevolution  #bedroomdesign #vintagehomecrush #bedroomstyling #vintagehomes #bedroominterior #bedroomdesigns #periodhomerenovation #victorianhouselove #slowliving #vintagehomeware #bedroomdecorating #periodhome #neutralhome #periodhomestyling #neutralhomeedit #Bedroom
Monday again... Eugh 😔 And it's back to home sc Monday again... Eugh 😔 And it's back to home schooling, so I'll look forward to making my child to learn maths again. She hates maths although I tricked her by buying some Star Wars puzzle books that are actually maths books and she loves them! She has been doing those voluntarily all half term!

Have a great day!

#periodhomesofinsta #periodhomesofinstagram #diningroomdecor  #slowlivingforlife #neutralhomestyle #Victorianhouse #vintagehomeware #vintagehomewares #diningroomdecoratingideas  #neutralhomeinspo #vintagehomeaccessories #Myperiodhome #victorianhouse #neutralhomeedit #myperiodhome #slowliving_create #vintagehomestyle #Victorianterrace #slowliving_ #victorianterrace #slowlivingmovement #slowliving #periodhomes  #victorianhouserenovation  #neutralhome #bedroomgoals #periodhomerenovation #cornersofmyhome #simplethingsmadebeautiful
Lazy like Sunday mornings... And I actually have b Lazy like Sunday mornings... And I actually have been this morning! Usually I'm up at 6am to have a cuppa in peace before everyone else gets up but this morning I switched off the alarm (or rather I asked Mr R to, as I have no idea how to work his 1980s alarm clock) and we slept in. I don't feel any better for it though as we had some wine last night 😬

Today's plans include a walk out for some lunch (again) and to a mysterious tower. Mr R is very excited by it, but I think it's just an old mill chimney and will be very underwhelming 😂 Hope your day is good x

#periodhomesofinsta #bedroominspiration #Vintagehome #bedroomdecoratingideas #slowlivingforlife #neutralhomestyle #Victorianhouse #vintagehomeware #vintagehomewares #bedroomdecorating #neutralhomeinspo #vintagehomeaccessories #Myperiodhome #victorianhouse #neutralhomeedit #myperiodhome #slowliving_create #vintagehomestyle #Victorianterrace #slowliving_ #victorianterrace #slowlivingmovement #periodhomes #bedroomdesign #victorianhouserenovation #bedroomdecoration #neutralhome #bedroomgoals #periodhomerenovation
Bit of a dark and moody bit of baking (and insta r Bit of a dark and moody bit of baking (and insta reality with the tin foil tray in the background 🤦). I've been baking more and more as the weeks have gone on, and eating more and more baked items! In order to counteract the effects of the baked yumminess I'm going to run up a big hill today. That's all I've got to tell you 😂

Have a fab Saturday! Have you got anything exciting planned?

#periodhomesofinsta #myhousethismonth #storyofmyhome #neutralhomeedit #neutralhomeinspo #doingneutralright #neutralhomes #vintagehomedecor #vintagehome #myvintagehome #kitchendesign #kitchendinerinspo #kitchengoals #nestandthrive #smallkitchenideas #kitchendecor #farmhousestyle #farmhousekitchen #sahstylists #cottagekitchen #pocketofmyhome #interiormilk #modernrustic #pocketofmyhome #interiorsnapshot #myhyggehome #pasteldecor#homedetails #lightinterior #interiorstyling #stylingtheseasons
Load More… Follow on Instagram

2021 Life with Holly. All Rights Reserved. Design by SkyandStars.co
Back Top

Copyright © 2021 · YOON Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in