How to remove and replace your builder grade mirror with vintage bathroom mirrors to upgrade your space + affordable places to buy them.
If there is one question I get the most in my inbox, it’s “Where did you get those vintage mirrors in your bathroom!” (Well, that and “Where did you get that bed!”)
The Venetian vintage style mirrors I found for our bathroom remodel last year were actually kind of an accident thanks to supply chain delays, backorders, and last minute layout changes, but they quickly became one of our favorite features that totally give the space tons more character.
Swapping out a builder grade frameless mirror for vintage bathroom mirrors is one of my favorite ways to elevate the room in just an hour or two. (Here’s a tutorial that can help.)
If you’re lucky, your builder grade mirror might only be attached to the wall with clips, which are much easier to remove than a mirror attached to the wall with adhesive. (Here’s how to remove a mirror with clips.)
You don’t need major home improvement skills to replace one, and the dramatic difference is instantly gratifying!
Even if you have THE most basic of builder grade bathrooms out there, simply swapping the plain mirror with a vintage mirror, especially one in antique gold or a deep traditional wood tone, can add so much warmth to an otherwise cold, sterile bathroom.
Adding these beaded mirrors in our girls’ shared bathroom was exactly the whimsical detail it needed.
Where to Find Authentic Vintage Mirrors
Sometimes, you can luck out and find antique mirrors at the thrift store. (I’ve even made a gallery wall of thrifted mirrors before.)
Here’s how to have better luck finding them secondhand on Facebook Marketplace and Goodwill.
You can also try searching for secondhand vintage mirrors here:
- eBay
- Etsy
- Craigslist
- Salvation Army
- Habitat Restore
- Locally owned thrift shops
- Amazon Marketplace
- OfferUp
- Yard sales / garage sales
- Estate sales
- Antique shops
- Consignment shops
Vintage Bathroom Mirrors Under $300
It’s extremely rare to find two thrifted ones that match to hang above a double vanity.
So I rounded up a bunch of my absolute favorite bathroom mirrors for under $300, many of which are very affordable for around $100 or less.
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20
Click any image in the gallery below to shop affiliate links.
How to Paint Your Existing Framed Bathroom Vanity Mirrors
If you already have a framed bathroom mirror and want to change the look, you can use this dry-brushing paint method to make your mirror look vintage for the cost of sample pot of paint.
I love how our existing powder room mirror turned out just by painting it. See that pretty wood grain peeking through because I dry brushed it to highlight the texture?
Frame a Builder Grade Mirror
If you don’t want to remove a frameless builder grade vanity mirror, you can just cut 4 1×4 boards with a mitering saw. Stain the boards, seal them with marine grade polyurethane to protect the wood from the bathroom’s humidity, and attach the wood to the mirror glass with construction adhesive.
Use adhesive in a color closest matching to your wood. We used black adhesive for framing this vanity mirror in this 2-day bathroom makeover.
Use painter’s tape to keep the wood in place overnight until the adhesive is completely dry.
If you don’t want to frame a mirror from scratch, you can use Mirror Mate so most of the work is already done for you.
Have you found any great places for getting a great deal on vintage mirrors? Or any vintage decor for that matter? I’d love to hear about them! We have to stick together on this kind of stuff, you know.
More Ideas to Upgrade a Bathroom
