Painting a mirror with chalkboard paint

I have always hated the gold painted finish on this old mirror I got at Brimfield years ago for about $60. I've been meaning to gold leaf it for a long time, but just haven't had the chance to get around to it. Then this weekend I was just so over the gold. It is such a blah color for my entry with the olive leather settee and the beige leopard rug. The space needed some contrast, so on a whim I decided to paint the mirror black.


While I was looking for the quart of black Benjamin Moore Advance, I saw the chalkboard paint and thought the ultra flat finish could be cool looking, sort of a little like this old Anthropologie iron mirror?



I've said this a million times, but painting mirrors is the easiest project. Just slap on two or three coats, let it dry and then clean up the mirror with a wet rag. The dried paint wipes right off the glass. If you need a little extra help with the edges, a razor works great.



The color is off in these photos and the black is not quite as washed out. I think I really like it in person though.





I need to touch up some places (chalkboard paint doesn't cover very well, not surprisingly!).




I think the matte black is a cool look, especially for my entry. If I want the mirror gold again though when we move, it would be easy to leaf right over the black. The color contrast would be great actually, so no harm done.

43 comments:

  1. Great update! The matt black has a sort of old world charm to it, doesn't it?

    I've used blackboard paint a few times in the past and I've found putting down a layer of regular black paint first really helps with the streaking/coverage. I know the first time I painted something in blackboard paint, I had to do about 6 coats (!) before it covered fully. With a layer of regular black paint under, only 2 coats - woo!

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  2. Really nice. Kinda edgy with the very matt black look - nice contrast with the mirror and fits in very nicely with the rest of the furniture in the entryway! Great refresh!

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  3. The fairest of them all!
    Nice. Black does give it an edge....a NY City edge.
    pve

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  4. I love the black! And I think the pretty flower details are so much more noticeable in the black paint.

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  5. The black really helped define those flowers - they have some incredible detail! Also saw Krissy B's tip about painting in regular black first, glad you didn't have to go through six coats! My!

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  6. Liking the black matte - great idea to use chalkboard paint!

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  7. I love the matte black! It looks perfect in the space.

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  8. I think this looks awesome! I may have to try this on some pieces I have. I am loving it!

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  9. Love the look! What a great idea to use chalkboard paint.

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  10. The mirror looks fabulous in black - just gorgeous!

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  11. Looks great - love the whole area - the green sette is perfect for a front hallway!

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  12. That looks fantastic! Really "goes" in that space now... Love your loft!

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  13. I love it! I really like the matte finish.

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  14. Gorg, reminds me of basalt pottery

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  15. Wow! I really like to super flat chalk-board paint finish on the mirror. It looks awesome in contrast to your mustard colored bench! Great job on this!!!

    lemonadeandmasonjars.blogspot.com

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  16. I really like it! I just painted my small pantry doors in Rustoleum Chalkboard Paint and I love it! I didn't paint them to write all over in chalk, but I liked the texture and look of it so I took the plunge! As for the coverage, yea I had to paint quite a few coats and go back again to cover it all! But I only used a quart! Anyways, the mirror looks fantastic!

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  17. Love the matte black. I get antsy too about a particular spot and get the urge to fix it NOW. I'm also so excited for your move and your plans for the new space.

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  18. It looks great Jenny! I might even lightly chalk the flowers, but it looks fabulous all black too. i jsut painted my whole back hall last weekend in chalkboard paint. I am loving the black...almost dont want to chalk it up at all!

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  19. I love it!
    I have been wanting to try chalkboard paint for furniture and I think it is a great idea.
    Thanks for sharing!
    xo xo

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  20. Looks great!! I love chalkboard paint :D

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  21. I like the darker color- it weights the space a little bit, and the matte black is so glamorous. Another great project!

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  22. It looks so glam! I love it. I would never have thought to do that.

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  23. It does look better and I love the tip of painting it black first !

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  24. The mirror turned out great! I wish I had known about the easy to clean paint off mirrors trick! Just a couple of weeks ago, I spent forever taping off an old mirror before painting only to learn I never needed to after the fact.

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  25. This mirror now looks gothic-cool. Fabulous change!!

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  26. What is the advantage in chalkboard paint instead of a normal matte black? i love it, just curious :)

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  27. Great call! I have been admiring the zinc mirrors at Restoration Hardware; a light hue of gray chalkboard paint might be a great way to get a very similar look! You are brilliant!

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  28. I love it! Though the molding on that piece would probably be fabulous no matter what...It'd make a great chinoiserie piece in glossy red!

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  29. really cool! Now I just have to find a good mirror

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  30. I really would like to cover everything in chalkboard paint! And I had no idea the paint on the mirror could come off so easily - great tip!
    ♡ Lexi
    FASHION: Glitter & Pearls
    WEDDINGS: Glitter Weddings

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  31. It looks great - I love your entry, so pretty yet practical.

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  32. Looks good! I wonder what a little gold detail just on the flowers would look like. I have a few matte black mirrors in my house and I love them.

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  33. Ooh! I like it! The casual/masculine look of the flat black plays nicely of the feminine flowers!

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  34. Such an inventive use of chalkboard paint! Looks great. Thanks for the inspiration - now we have use for the leftover paint from our recent chalkboard project!

    1201north.blogspot.com

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  35. So pretty! I think it'd be beautiful burnished or with a bit of the black sanded off so the gold shows through on the flower detailing :) Such a pretty mirror!

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  36. Your house is so unique! Love it!!

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  37. I can't believe you used that chalked! Incredible!

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  38. I can't believe you used that chalked! Incredible!

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  39. It looks great! Love the flat black :)

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  40. this is so off the wall...but, what is the brown leather purse that is hanging on your hook? I am searching for the perfect color of brown...and that is it! Oh...and the mirror looks great:)

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  41. Love the black. I thought you could chalk the flowers in and change the colour seasonally, since all it would involve is dusting off the old chalk and applying new. So pink blossom colour for spring, red and orange for autumn. You get the idea.

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  42. WOW!Love the update!It's incredibly amazing!Really nice!

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  43. I'm really loving the way flat paint looks, especially flat black. Reminds me of this headboard, which I think might be the most awesome thing I've ever seen.

    http://pinterest.com/pin/206813807858022827/

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