Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Hanging A Round Mirror Over The Bed

It’s been a dang long time since we’ve done anything in the guest room, which we scrambled to get ready for my mom’s stay over two years ago. Can you believe that was two years ago? Crazy. Anyway, we’ve always thought that the grabbed-it-that-day-in-a-panic mirror over the bed from Target could stand to be a little bigger since it blends into those dark walls so much and the reflected circle that it sports seems a little tiny for that big bed under it (even if we beefed up the trim or added starburst-like details around it we worried the actual size of the mirror was still a little piddly).

Guest Bedroom From Bathroom

And you know we’re no strangers to tweaking things over the years (more on that here) so we kept our eyes peeled for a larger mirror that might work better. Yup, we’ve spent two years sort of passively (and sometimes actively) looking for a mirror. Is that some kind of record? We just didn’t want to jump the gun and grab the wrong thing again. Then I saw this guy on Joss & Main (called The Charles Mirror if that helps anyone hunt it down) and boom. Love at first sight. Everything from the bright white color (which ties into the curtains) and the fun bamboo shaped frame (which relates to the bamboo side table made from an old luggage rack) to the size (this baby’s three honking feet wide) was perfect for the room.

Vertical Bed After1

The only scary part was the price. It was $169 with free shipping. So we hemmed and hawed (we’re used to spending around $60 on a mirror at Hobby Lobby, HomeGoods, or even finding one for $5 at a yard sale). Then we admitted to ourselves that we loved the mirror, and it was exactly what we’d been looking for over the past 700 days. Most of all, we worried if we didn’t spring for it that we’d spend another two years looking for something else, so we pulled the mirror trigger.

Guest Horiz3

The new guy definitely fills out that wall better and balances out the window on the left of that wall (the dark wall above the bed felt weirdly heavy next to such a light and bright window when it was sporting the darker & smaller mirror).

Guest Vertical3

Here’s a before shot from a similar angle so you can see what we mean. In person it was even more off-kilter looking (so much light flooded into the window but not much light was reflected by that tiny round mirror). In person it felt like “HI I’M A WINDOW!!!” and “psst, I’m a mirror” – so it’s nice to have a new one that fills out the wall in a more compatible way.

Guest From Doorway

As two pretty frugal folks, sometimes it’s hard to decide when to splurge – and we’ve actually received requests from you guys for a post on that, so let’s dive into that for a hot second. Since 95% of the time we do things the cheap way (shopping on craigslist and at thrift stores, cutting each others hair, cloth diapering, driving one car, DIYing as much as we can, etc) we like to remind ourselves that splurging every once in a while is ok too, especially for something that proves to be especially hard to find or is even more via most other retailers (most mirrors of this size are a lot more actually, like this 3′ wide mirror that’s on sale for $499 at Ballard!).

So I guess our answer to that common “when do you know when to splurge” question can be summed up by these few questions:

  1. Do we have the cash to pay for this? (we pay off our credit card in full each month, so if we don’t have the money on hand that purchase is a no-go)
  2. Do we think we can find something that we like just as much for less? (after two years of looking the answer was a resounding “NO!” – haha)
  3. Have we checked craigslist, freecycle, and local thrift stores regularly to see if anything there pops up? (we did this every few weeks for months to no avail)
  4. Can we build it? (even though we thought we might be able to DIY a similar looking frame with lots of time/mitered cuts, it was hard to find any round mirror this large with a rim/frame that we could alter)
  5. Is the item still a good value? (seeing other retailers selling mirrors of the same size for much more made us feel like this wasn’t a bad price for something so detailed/large)
  6. Have we saved money in other ways that make this purchase feel justified? (obviously if we had just booked a vacation or spent a ton of money on something else we would have passed, but since we hadn’t, it felt nice to “treat ourselves” in the always awesome words of Tom Haverford…

But back to the mirror. Once once we got over our nervousness and ordered it, we were excited to get it up on the wall when it arrived. So imagine our surprise when it showed up without any hanging hardware on the back! It freaked us out for a good minute or two before we realized we could fix that little issue pretty easily.

Guest Mirror 1

Thankfully it had a nice thick wood frame back there, so we grabbed one of those packets of heavy duty metal hanging hooks that can be drilled in with two screws so they’re extra sturdy (we found ours for $2 at JoAnn but they also sell them at Home Depot, etc). We screwed two screws into each of the two hooks, which we attached in the same spot on both sides so it would hang nice and straight. Then, ta-da, it was ready to hang.

Guest Mirror4

John held it up on the wall and shifted it around with the headboard still on the bed while I stood back and said “an inch to the left, wait, a little higher!” and then after we marked the wall for the two heavy duty anchors and screws that we added to hold it up, we removed the headboard and the pillows so they wouldn’t be in the way while we got to work hanging the mirror.

Guest Mirror5

Then we added back the headboard…

Guest Mirror6

… and the pillows.

Vertical Bed After1

Cowabunga, dude. Come on guys. Let’s bring back cowabunga.

So that’s a little update in a room that we haven’t touched for two years. What are your rules for when to splurge? Do you ask yourself a ton of questions first or is it just something that you go with your gut on? Sometimes I hate that we over-analyze everything, but in the end I think our bank account thanks us for it…

Comments

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hahah, we have a crown molding update post (with a video!) for you guys in the works! We’re getting it up in all the remaining rooms and can’t wait to be done!

      xo
      s

    • Julia says

      Look fabulous! But yes the second “after” picture is unintentionally funny. Check it out y’all. First we put back the headboard. Oh,and then we put the pillows back with one hand while we installed crown molding with the other. Ya know. No biggie! ;)

  6. Kristen | Popcorn on the Stove says

    The mirror looks great! I really like the shape of it – it’s very interesting visually and fits much better in that space.

    I talk myself out of both big and small purchases all the time, mostly by just asking myself “do I really need this?”. But sometimes, I just have to go for it! The best examples are our card catalogs and my more recent purchase of knobs from Anthropologie that were not on sale.

    Reply

  7. Anele @ Success Along the Weigh says

    I have a hard time splurging unless it’s on big items and we’ve had trouble finding what we like. I splurged on a big desk that is gorgeous but TOO BIG for the space it’s in and I have $1600 buyers remorse. It’ll get put into storage when we put the house on the market because it just overtakes the room completely. But yeah, if I think I can’t make/hack it, I’ll wait until it’s on sale after cyber stalking it and pray we don’t have to go on a witch hunt to find it. This drives the Mr insane. :)

    Reply

  8. Chelsea @ Riding Escalators says

    Oh that’s perfect. We do that too when we decide what to splurge on. If we drool over it for at least a month or two (or a lot longer depending on the price), then we give ourselves the ok to save up and buy it – but we always make sure we have the cash! No need to go into credit card debt over a splurge! :)

    Looks great, guys!

    Reply

  9. Hannah says

    Ooo so pretty! And there’s crown moulding now too. You’re guests are really in for the fancy schmancy treatment now! LOL

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yeah, we’re slowly but surely adding crown molding everywhere- we owe you an update on that too (we’re making a video with lots of steps so it’s less intimidating than a big post full o’ words).

      xo
      s

  11. Brandy says

    I love how when you added the pillows…BAM! There’s crown molding too. Love the updates…your guests are lucky to have such a gorgeous suite :)

    Reply

  12. Jess @ Little House. Big Heart. says

    The room looks so much more balanced with that mirror! I think would have been an improvement even to have simply painted the other mirror’s frame white.

    Kevin and I have two budgets for home improvement right now; one for big projects like our backyard and one for smaller purchases. If we don’t have the cash in either of those budgets, it doesn’t happen!

    Reply

  14. Sara says

    LOVE the new mirror! I’m predicting the old one will be getting a face lift before it finds a new home somewhere else around the house. In other news, can you come decorate my home because I’m obsessed with just about every room in yours.

    Reply

  15. Wendy @ New Moms Talk says

    We splurge when the item or experience meets our goals or needs and we have saved on other items to cover it.

    Some areas of are also “splurge” areas- like after a big race. Yet for those, I plan an extra $50 into the race fee for post race food or a special pre race meal.

    Reply

  16. lauren says

    It looks awesome! I love a white mirror on a dark background – we have a cool white quatrefoil mirror on a dark grey living room wall, and it really pops. (PS – I think I learned about quatrefoil from your blog!)

    Reply

  17. lizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzy says

    I ask myself the same three questions that I learned from my BFF’s mother when I was a teenager. (I would follow her around shopping… she would put things in her cart and deliberate on them and then put them back. The questions have forever been stuck in my mind, and so now I have taught them to my children.)

    1. Do I really want it?
    2. Do I really need it?
    3. Can I live without it?

    Reply

  18. Annabel Vita says

    I have a savings account for splurges (separate to our rainy day savings account) that I get to spend guilt free! I find it helps me weigh things up – like, would I rather have this big thing or continue saving for a DSLR? Normally I end up not spending it (although I splurged on a holiday to Madeira with a girlfriend recently!)

    Reply

  20. Barbara in CT says

    If you ever get tired of the DIY gig, you should switch to “Personal Finance”.

    The new mirror is definitely an improvement and very much worth the expense.

    Reply

  21. Jen says

    I have a mirror that looks just like your original one above my mantel. It is the perfect size, but I have been looking at it for months thinking I should paint it white. This post just convinced me to go for it!

    Reply

  22. Liz says

    Love the mirror! I actually have the same bedding (I stalked it from Pottery Barn for a year) and a similar mirror hanging in my guest room with bright yellow (buttercream) walls! I took a chance in this room with brighter and bolder colors and love it!

    Reply

  26. Plein Jane says

    Ha — I kept thinking you would hang the laundry room mirror there, since it also has bamboo detailing! Maybe horizontally? But I think the white wins out. What a huge improvement!

    Reply

  27. Kate F. says

    After 2+ years of searching for a light for above the dining room table, we splurged on the Restoration Hardware one we fell in love with right after we moved in. We spent over 2 years looking for something that would be “the look for less” and even though it was just a drum shade pendant, we could never find it. It was always either too big/small/white/tan/tall/short. So after we painted the adjacent bookcases a teal like yours and decided that the yellowish/countryish make do light fixture REALLY for reals had to go, we splurged on the RH one. We found an old gift card that had like $35 on it, but it somehow helped us feel like it wasn’t so expensive. In fact, I just realized I haven’t blogged about that yet, so thanks for the reminder!

    Reply

  29. Constance says

    That makes SUCH a difference – love it! And great splurge tips that are right-on.

    Also, only somewhat related – I organized a full-day “Treat Yo Self” themed birthday for my husband this past December. Gotta love Tom.

    Reply

  30. Sarah says

    I love the mirror! And I must say I have been loving the recent video links.

    Fine leather goods…. Treat yourself! Cashmere candy cane!

    Reply

  31. Misty says

    I just had to comment to say that I cannot believe on your $5 mirror post you only had 21 comments! 21! I don’t think you could write a post about dirt and only get 21 comments now. :-)

    Reply

    • Amanda says

      The funny part about that surprising number 21; 14 of them are from a year (2009) + after that post was written. From people reading back once you got fa-aim-ous! (yes I know I spelt that wrong)

      I’ve been reading since then though — I remember when you originally posted that $5 mirror!

  32. Sheela says

    That’s a really pretty mirror! It definitely brightens up the room. If any readers are looking for a similar (but smaller) mirror, Michael’s has one that’s 26″ and the regular price is $65, but it was recently on sale for 50% off! Of course, even if it’s not on sale, they always have the 40% off coupons. My sister bought one and really likes it. Here’s the link:

    http://www.michaels.com/26in-White-Round-Mirror/fr1372,default,pd.html

    As for splurges, we definitely take our time with most of our major purchases. But like you, if the perfect thing finally came along after 2 years and we knew we’d love it for the long run, we would definitely go for it!

    Reply

  33. Petra says

    White on teal looks so much better than black on teal, and of course, more welcoming!

    Spelling police here: it’s over-analyze, not over-analyize, in the last paragraph :)

    Reply

  34. April says

    What a difference! Looks great and makes it ‘pop’.
    I found one similar at Home Goods for $40 which has gold tones that I’ll probably repaint white one day. However, I’m surprised you didn’t use the old mirror, glue paint sticks and paint it white. I’ve seen that around as well.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Oh yes, check out the top of the post for why we didn’t want to alter the one we had (we thought the mirror part was just too piddly, even if we beefed up the frame).

      xo
      s

  35. Katie Shacklett says

    I looked at the “after” picture, and thought “yeah, but they also changed out the bedding for brighter stuff, too” – and then I looked at the “before” picture again and realized it was the exact same bedding! Talk about changing the whole look of the room – I love it!

    Reply

  36. Jenny says

    I’m in amazement that such a minor switch can make such a huge difference. It really transformed the room! I love it! I have a thing for large round decorative items over rectangular headboards. We have a huge round basket over our bed (probably over 3 feet wide) that I scored at PB for $59. They can make such an impact without breaking the bank. I even think $169 for a mirror that looks as nice as this one isn’t really breaking the bank.

    Reply

  39. Andrea B says

    Oooooh!

    THANK YOU. I have a giant, amazing, gorgeous starburst mirror my husband bought me for Christmas. I have waited THREE MONTHS because I was scared to put it over a headboard (well, that and we don’t have a headboard yet) for fear it would be too “heavy” visually.

    Now I know it won’t be. My gut instinct was correct! Over the bed it will go! (Now off to figure out how to squeeze a headboard DIY into the budget.)

    Reply

  40. Amanda says

    I’ve reached a point where I have to really, really, really, LOVE something in order to splurge on it. I can talke myself out of almost anything so if I love it enough that even I can’t talk myself out of it then I figure it’s worth the splurge. Haha!

    Reply

  42. Jess says

    Stellar change! The new mirror looks great! Question – where did you get the white mirror in your living room above the desk and how much did you pay for it?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      That was also from Joss & Main but it was less I think. There was a free shipping sale (it was before Christmas of 2011 I think) and maybe it was $98? $110? Sometimes I see that mirror for $150+ on J&M, but my theory is that their prices fluctuate a lot so it’s nice to hold out for the lowest one :)

      xo
      s

  43. Amanda says

    I just bought our third (third!) dining room rug in four years. Some of the problem was that we didn’t know exactly what we needed in the room, but mostly it was because I am too cheap to buy the right rug. After much agonizing I finally bought a rug off Joss and Main and I can’t wait for it to get here. I hope I won’t be back on the rug market in six months!

    Reply

  44. Pam the Goatherd says

    That mirror is perfect! Well worth the splurge.
    When I was younger and living on a shoestring budget, if I couldn’t make it myself or find it at a yard sale for a dollar I did without and missed out on a lot of stuff. Now that I’m much older, but still working with a shoestring budget, I have learned to allow myself the occasional splurge (like an upgraded, stainless steel range hood and a kitchen faucet that pulls out for filling large stockpots)while DIYing things (like building two wall hutches to flank my refrigerator instead of buying new cabinets) to make the money available. Every time I am able to wash my 24qt stockpot in the kitchen sink, using the pull-out faucet, instead of having to wash it in the bathtub, I say a little thank you to myself for the splurge.

    Reply

  45. Yadira Batres says

    That, mirror is so cute, I been looking for some myself that bug , but they are pretty pricy. I been thinking of maybe going with collage of them. Have you seeing the gold ones from target.

    Thinking about splurging is a tough thing.
    We also pay our full credit card bill every month,so we don’t pay any interest. do you guys have chase.

    One thing I love is there reward points, you get 1% back on all purchases, and 5% back in certain stuff every three months. Right now is 5% on gas and other places.

    Well anyways, we do all of our purchases with a credit card and pay it at the end of the month, Lets say your credit card bill is 3000 you get about 150 back from the 5% and 1% purchases you do.In less of a year we got back over 1100 dollars back just in rewards which of then I reward myself to the accent chairs I been wanted.

    (http://weallneedalilcreation.blogspot.com/2013/03/long-time-coming.html)

    Maybe that’s another way you guys can get a little money back from all the spending ya do anyways.

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Ooh yes, a collage of the gold mirrors from Target would be so pretty Yadira! You’ll have to send pics if you do that! We also cash in rewards points each year! Love it.

      xo
      s

  46. Margaret Mailman says

    I love all of your posts and pictures! I especially like how you try and do renovations ‘frugally’, and how you justify making more expensive decisions. Thanks for sharing (BTW – love your sense of humor too!)

    Reply

  47. Heather P. says

    Thanks for sharing your philosophy on when to “Treat Yo’ Self!” Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond the price tag, but I think you made a wise investment on a neutral mirror that you can use for years to come…so I’m sure you’ll get your money’s worth out of it!

    Reply

  48. katie says

    Is the yellow rug the one that used to be in the living room? Where is it from? Sorry if this is like the billionth time you’ve had to answer this question. We suddenly need a new living room rug due to some mischievous cats, so now rugs are catching my eye. Thanks!

    Reply

  49. Megan @ Rappsody in Rooms says

    I love it! I also love your thoughts on splurging. I have such a hard time with it, I always like hearing people tell me it’s okay. Usually it’s my husband saying, “Just buy it Megan!” But I also love your oh so important tip that you shouldn’t buy anything if you don’t have the money! That’s key!

    Reply

  50. InfoDiva says

    You really scored on that gorgeous mirror. It’s the Selamat Designs Charles mirror, and it’s more than twice the price on sites all over the internet!

    Reply

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