Upgrade Your Boring Mirrors With This Funky DIY Solution

If you're a design fan, love lots of colors, or have made some of your craft projects using scraps or leftovers, you'll find this to be a delightful DIY project. Whether you've collected mirrors in plain-looking frames from thrift stores or live with something super basic that came with the bathroom, you can transform them in about 10 minutes after you've gathered the needed supplies. If you apply colorful transparent pieces of cut-out window film or colored gels to decorate them, you'll deliver a major dose of cheer to your living room, bedroom, or bathroom.

This is a fun hack if you have a playful spirit, live in a north-facing apartment that's on the darker side, or are subletting a furnished place where you can't paint the walls or permanently change anything. Perhaps none of those things are true and you're just looking for new DIY projects for your mirror to channel and boost your creativity. Regardless of the reason, this is a low-cost design experiment that is temporary, removable, and won't damage or leave marks on your mirrors.

You only need a few items. Plan to get colored window film, a Sharpie or other permanent marker, sharp scissors, cleaner in a spray bottle, plain water in a spray bottle, a rag, and a card. You'll use the card like a squeegee, so it could be a large Tarot card, a stiff playing card, or a credit card.

The big decision here is what type of film to use, and there are several options. Some companies make privacy film for windows, usually a transparent film you can see through but that appears mirrored to passersby outside. Often shops will also carry colored films as a less private option. For example, Decorative Films offers an array of colors for about $17 per foot. A less expensive route is to get a pack of color correction gel light filters for photography like this bunch on Amazon for around $14.

Another option is these transparent vinyl window-tinting sheets, also on Amazon, are $12 for a small roll in a single color. That's more than enough for a mirror, though you may prefer to use more than one color. It's a great choice because it has a light adhesive backing that's perfect for crafting. Since you most likely have the other supplies, the cost of this project could range from $20 to $40 or more, including shipping and taxes. If you have a photographer friend with colored gel filters to spare, it might be free!

To not waste the gels, you might sketch out your ideas first on paper. When you're happy with a design, pull out the transparencies you like and either use your imagination to draw freehand shapes or trace the outline of a graphic you can place underneath the gel. Cut them out and place them aside.

Use your favorite window cleaner to clean and then dry the mirror. If the gel you're working with doesn't have an adhesive backing, lightly spritz some water onto the mirror. Place your homemade decal where you want it, then press a card over the decal, squeegeeing the water out and helping it lightly adhere to the surface. Wipe off any remaining water with an absorbent rag, avoiding the decal so you don't remove it.

For another way to approach this hack, whether you're creating a vibrant atmosphere for a party or just love living in a constantly evolving home environment, consider getting a surplus of film and covering every inch of all your mirrors in one fancy color. If you have any artwork hanging on the wall encased in glass, cover those in solid colors, too. It's like mood lighting without the extra bulbs. Whether you go for a funky border, fun shapes, or overall color, this hack will instantly liven up any mirror in your home.