DIY Tray Turned Mirror

Although we took on quite a few large projects in our recent living room renovation, one of my favorites ended up being a last minute mirror update.

Since the start of the living room update, I thought the mirror above the shoe cabinet was too small to scale (I have also been wanting to steal it to use in our bathroom).  But finding anything that wasn't also too big, was proving difficult.  I was looking for something square or round, wood finish and between 24" and 30" tall/wide.  Weeks of popping into shops and Internet searches and I was coming up short.  I found many I loved, but they were always too tall or wide.  And then I found "the one" at CB2.  It was nothing over-the-top amazing, but I appreciated the wood color, size and simplicity.

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At $129 it wasn't the cheapest option, but it definitely wasn't the most expensive I had found in my searching.  Thinking I had finally found what I had been digging for, I added it to my online shopping cart.  And then the "back-ordered until May" punch in the gut happened.  OK then. 

While doing some local shopping I decided to head into an actual CB2 store just to see if it would be a different story.  Then, I spotted it!  Hanging right smack dab in the center of the store.  I ran over to it like a kid running to that furry little puppy in a pet store window.  I was so hopeful and then so suddenly disappointed when I was told the store wouldn't be getting any more in until June.  Gah!  Such teases.

So we started looking into a few DIY options and even began researching how to bend wood.  And then the universe aligned in my favor and there it was buried in a HomeGoods aisle... a drop dead gorgeous acacia wood tray.

Measuring in at just over 24", I knew it was everything I was looking for in a mirror, minus the mirror itself.  Thanks to a handy tape measure in my handbag, I determined I needed to find a 22" mirror insert STAT.  A quick Google search later showed that IKEA sells a 22" frameless mirror, and I just knew it was all meant to be.  I sighed in relief and crossed my fingers that the mirror would be in stock at IKEA and would truly fit as planned.  Lucky for me, it all worked out. 

To affix the new mirror to the tray, we started with a Mirror, Marble & Granite Loctite adhesive.  I wanted to go right for stuff meant for these types of projects to reduce the risk of the mirror detaching and falling from the frame.

We were generous with the application of the glue....

And as excited as I was to see it up on the wall, we waited a full 48 hours for the glue to cure to the mirror (which fit the frame like a glove).  The adhesion seems very solid, the mirror isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The tray came with some rubber feet attached, which we left on the back to keep it cushioned against the wall.  To hang the mirror, we went with our trusted picture hanging system consisting of screws, hooks and wire rated to handle the weight of the mirror and tray (similar).

Just be sure to select a screw that is not as thick as the tray, or add a washer or two to make up the difference.

And that was it!  One of the easiest projects in the space, yet one of my absolute favorites.  I just love the warmth it adds, and that I was able to get the look of the CB2 option for half of the cost!

And I thought the handles might bother me, but they don't at all.  In fact, I sort of love the quirkiness that they add.

Knowing that every HomeGoods stocks and offers different products, it may be hard to track down this exact tray.  However, I still wanted to share in case you had one on hand, see one when you are out or use the powers of Google to track down something similar.  Also, the odds that IKEA happened to sell a frameless round mirror that fit perfectly was all about luck.  In my searches I did notice that both Lowes and Home Depot offer a giant variety of frameless mirror options; round, oval, square and rectangular.  And if all else fails, you may be able to find a home improvement or glass shop that could cut one for you.

There has been a lot of tray talk around here lately!  I guess it just goes to show how versatile they really are.  Not only do they rock for storage all over the home, they also make a pretty amazing framed mirror!