Some clients request major renovations while others desire to give their existing space a cosmetic face lift. This is Jill with Pure Design Interiors & I’ve recently had the opportunity to work with a client who desired an eclectic master bath retreat on a conservative budget.  My ultimate goal was to create a dramatic retreat by carefully selecting pieces with the biggest impact.

One of the most dramatic changes was made to the existing frameless mirrors suspended over the vanities.  To replace these with custom framed mirrors of this size would exceed the client’s budget.  So I chose to reclaim the mirrors by framing them out with reclaimed wood. This would provide a textural element while adding drama & interest to the space.

I selected a wood originating from a Kentucky tobacco barn.  The raw texture of the wood & the grey undertones support the look & feel I was wanting to achieve.  This particular wood was exactly what we needed to balance out the more traditional cherry cabinets.

I had the frames professionally installed using cut planks of reclaimed barn wood with mitered corners.  The simplicity of the frame is offset by the organic detail of the wood.  Wow!  What a dramatic transformation!

Interested in creating this same look with your own mirrors?  First determine how the frames will be affixed.  Liquid nails can be used if adhering directly to the mirror.  Your overall dimensions will be based on placement of the frames.  These frames were installed directly onto the mirror at the base & overlapped onto the wall at the top.

Next determine the width of the boards.  I asked the installer to cut the barn wood to a 4″ width. The length of the boards will be based on the size of the mirror, placement of the finished frames & your corner detail.  Corner details can be straight cuts flush with the adjoining boards or mitered. A miter saw is required for mitered corners.

Remember when dealing with reclaimed barn wood, it is a natural product.  The wood may include color variation & imperfections such as nail holes, mortise holes, insect holes, staining, irregular edges & bowing of wood.

If you’d like to order this reclaimed tobacco barn wood, please contact Pure Design Interiors for more information.

Interior Designer :: Jill Thomas, Pure Design Interiors 
Photography by :: Captured by Mary Lessig

Note from Kim:

Oh boy, I wish I had saved  the mirrors in our bathrooms at the vacation home. This would have been perfect! We had new granite countertops with a backsplash put in and I have already found and hung framed mirrors. I love this idea so much more. Great work, Jill!