Creative furniture ideas on a budget

[Begonia]

Hey all,

I'm sure I'm not the only one on a budget. With 2 boys (one of them a teenager), the budget is getting tighter every day.

I need a mirror for my mantle and don't feel like paying the going rates for what are turning out to be really ugly mirrors .

Then I got to thinking that it might be fun to listen to your creative furniture ideas...like stuff you've made/found/made from found etc.
If you've got any funky ideas for a mantle mirror, that would be cool too. I imagine I could get a chunk of mirror cut (beveled edge too?) and then do something or other to it.

I once say a patio table that was made from one of those big wooden spools that they rap huge cable on...

 

[Enerchi]

Mirror with several layers of Home Depot/Lowes trim around it?
Picture frame it?
Apply to a light plywood and put corks around it? (so -- you better start drinking more than tea! )
Go to a glass and mirror store and ask for off cuts/broken pieces that they could square up for you - or round up, if that's an option, then have them buff the edges and just layer them on the wall at different heights/distances?
Mirrored tiles set "on point", in a variety of colours - gray, bronze, clear, smoked - and look like a patch work?

Just firing off a few ideas - I've done the cork one and the circles, at different client homes, in the past (as a decorator, not as the "hoarder nurse"! lol!! ) and they looked pretty cool!

 

[iheartscience]

Have you checked out local thrift stores, estate sales or yard/tag sales? Or secondhand furniture stores? I see mirrors at those places all the time. I'm in the US though-I don't think you are IIRC.

 

[HollyS]

Well, if you ever visit decor blogs, you've seen that those folks will buy anything - - no matter how scuzzy - - at Goodwill for pennies on the dollar. Then they grab their favorite shade of spray paint and create their own DIY one-of-a-kind piece.

 

[Gypsy]

What's your style, how big does it need to be, what's your budget?

 

[sonnyjane]

Home Goods/Marshall's/TJ Maxx/Ross are GOLD MINES!

 

[Begonia]

I'm on Vancouver Island .

Thrift stores are pretty bad here. Cheap, old mirrors that you can get new for the same price.

I've checked them all and the antique places (in fact I go regularly). Nada. So I'm thinking of smacking something together.

Not much of a hot glue gun/sea shell kinda gal, but something along those lines.

Googling...

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Ikea?

 

[Hera]

You can glue almost anything to the edges of a mirror with glue.

A good google image search would be: DIY mirror frame.

I've seen cork, twigs, 1/2 marbles from the craft store, and driftwood. Almost anything light enough can be glued so think creatively.

This tutorial was a standout but I don't know if it would get expensive.

http://www.remodelaholic.com/2012/05/diy-rough-quarts-mirror-frametutorial/

 

[lyra]

Have you tried Winner's Homesense? There are 2 stores in Victoria. They always have good deals on mirrors. Paint or refinish to your desired effect if necessary. Most of their mirrors are under $100. I think I've bought 4-5 mirrors there so far. Also try Kijiji and Craigslist, people always underprice on those sites.

 

[Cluless]

Don't know if you're anywhere close to here, but seems like a pretty nice deal for dresser & mirror.

http://vancouver.kijiji.ca/c-buy-and-sell-furniture-dressers-wardrobes-Retro-3-Drawer-Dresser-with-Mirror-Item-J21841-W0QQAdIdZ401497959

 

[distracts]

Consignment stores and antique stores ALWAYS have tons of mirrors, often at reasonable prices. Except reading on I see that you've already looked there.

The blog "DesignSponge" has a lot of examples of DIY redone furniture. About two years ago it inspired me to pick out a dresser at a used furniture store, sand it down, repaint it, and attach new drawer pulls. It was hideous when I bought it but solid wood and a great shape, and with a new coat of paint and drawer pulls, it looks amazing. At that same store I got a slightly damaged Design Within Reach dresser (there was a chip on the top back corner, which I covered by setting my alarm clock on it) for less than 1/10th of the retail price.

 

[webdiva]

I also love this blog:
http://www.centsationalgirl.com/

There's a ton of creative mirror ideas online - but I'd hit up Home sense first - LOVE that place! (called Home Goods here in the US).

 

[webdiva]

What is your budget? Overstock ships to Canada too!
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Mirrors/Wall-Mirrors,/category5,/2009/subcat.html?sort=Lowest+Price

Canadian Tire also has some cute modern stuff. Also try Lowe's if you have one near you.

 

[movie zombie]

i got a rather large and in excellent condition oak framed mirror for $9.95 at Goodwill.........hadn't stopped into that particular one in a long time and i think i scored big time. [frame is heavy, about 2 inches and shaped....not a cheapy mirror.]

 

[Begonia]

Thanks for the great ideas everyone!

Local stuff secondhand or antique is crap.

We do have a Winners/Homesense and I've been checking there, but their mirrors have been very cheap-looking (no bevel and gross plastic edges - painting wouldn't help a whole lot). I've looked on UsedVictoria (although not recently I admit, but will do).

Ikea Vancouver didn't have a whole lot when we were there at Xmas. Did buy one, but without bevel edge and with slim wood surround, it looked quite cheap (was too small too).

I think I'll give the antique places another go. I'm with you on that MZ, would rather pay more and get something with a look of quality. I'm off to check all of your links...gawd, decorating is like talking another language with me ya know? I'm getting all sweaty just thinking about it

 

[MissElizabeth]

one of my favorite salvage ideas is using old window frames. you can quickly sand them down and paint them to suit your decor - or leave them rough for the vintage appeal. adhere any mirror cut to fit, and you'd be sitting pretty with a nice focal piece! here are some examples:

http://www.etsy.com/search?q=window+frame+mirror&ref=related&page=1

 

[AnneLuck]

Sheepskin Rugs add the extra elegant look to the place within a budget price.
We bought few from The Wool Company UK. Ordered Online.. And they are fabulous. and they are machine washable.
http://www.thewoolcompany.co.uk/

 

[luv2sparkle]

I would try thrift shops a little farther out from your home if you could. I would also try big furniture retailers that have a return section. My two favorite mirror were once part of dressers. I also have a huge wall size one that I bought at a swapmeet. Both great places to keep in mind.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Do you have Craig's List where you are?

 

[Niel]

I agree glue something to the edge of a mirror from good will. My mom has a few mirrors she's glue old buttons onto. You can probably buy them from eBay (bags of buttons). She collected them other places though.

I personally have 3 goodwill mirrors in my house. The gaudier the better. Gold frills and curly cues and whatnot. Then I just spray paint the boarder. Ones red, one orange, one white.