Six Ways to Upcycle a Broken Mirror

There are several ways a mirror can be damaged in your home, but the most common way to lose your favorite reflection piece is by it falling, and consequently shattering into pieces on the floor.

While you may be able to easily replace the glass within the frame, don’t throw out those broken shards just yet. There are several DIY projects that you can use large or smaller pieces of broken mirror to take something from blah to bling.

Use the glass as part of the new mirror frame. If you want something that looks a bit abstract to replace the boring old frame, try gluing the old pieces in an abstract puzzle like pattern to the frame. The broken against the clean new reflection will contrast brilliantly. Leaving space between the pieces will give it a tiled look.

Update that old coffee table. Coffee tables take a lot of wear, especially if they are wood. Moisture rings and scratches may be ugly blights upon your still fully functional and needed coffee table, but instead of trying to restore just the wood, try a glass overlay tiled with the broken glass shards. It will update your furniture in an unexpected way, and become a centerpiece for coffee and conversation.

Make a mirrored monogram. Using a large cut letter from a craft store, cover the letter in large and small pieces of the broken mirror to make an amazing piece of wall art for any room. If you want more than a simple letter, you can spell out entire areas like “kitchen” or try to reiterate the vibe of the area with a reflective “relax.”

Make your own fairytale princess slippers. While this one requires a little more time and care to ensure no injuries (ouch!), glass pieces glued to a pair of old heels will transform those old boring pumps into your very own glass slippers. Your Cinderella creation will help you feel like the bell of the ball in these handmade creations.

Upgrade the party will a DIY Mirror Ball. Everyone knows the secret to a good party vibe is the right lighting. If you want to get everyone out on the dance floor, gluing those old reflective pieces to a foam craft ball will make your guests feel like they are back in the disco days and ready to groove. Make sure you have the spotlight pointed right at your DIY project ball, so the mirrored pieces really shine on the walls.

Add some sparkle to your walkway. If you are trying to achieve that magical garden look in your backyard, adding pieces of the glass to your walkway among other small reflective rocks or tile pieces will make it sparkle with every step. Make sure to embed them with grout to make it a safe, flat surface.