The deed is done. Everyone on Team Paint The Mirror White (not to be confused with Team Edward, which I’m totally a member of) can rejoice. Our mirror above the sink went from this:
To this:
And I guess we should show how it originally looked when we moved in for the full before:
But back to the white paint choice. After much thought (and a decent amount of flip-flopping) we decided to go with our first instinct and paint the mirror white to match the trim. It definitely looks integrated and a bit less heavy, so the nook is now a little less look-at-me-right-now distinct (which is a good thing since we’re trying to make it blend in as opposed to stand out). Now it looks as if it’s always been there, and it’s not too high contrast to draw all attention to the sink nook.
So my apologies to all other teams (like: Leave It Black, Paint It Gray, Paint It Teal, Paint It Yellow, Paint It Gold, Paint The Molding Black, and Paint The Vanity Black). We definitely considered all possibilities and there’s certainly more than one way to skin this cat (gross expression, sorry). All of those options probably would have worked, but in the end it just had to come down to good old fashioned personal preference. And you know we love us some white…
Speaking of white, here’s how we got the look: Behr’s Premium Plus Paint (the can of paint with primer & paint in one) in off-the-shelf white in a semi-gloss finish. I just brushed on four thin and even coats with a paint brush. I did this instead of spray priming and spray painting it (which we’d usually recommend, and would also work swimmingly) because the Behr primer/paint stuff is low-VOC and spray paint isn’t. Thankfully it worked like a charm. Oh and I used a straight razor to scrape the paint off the surface of the mirror for a nice clean result.
And for those who like contrast, don’t blow a gasket. Here’s what it looks like at night:
We actually LOVE that going with white was the bold choice at night since we spend a lot of not-day time in the bedroom, and the white frame totally pops out from that black background out the window for awesome at-night drama that we can enjoy before heading off to sleep. Back when it was black it practically disappeared at night.
And look, here I am:
Stop the presses. My hair is down. Can you believe it? I know. Shocking stuff. After many many requests, there you have it. It’s like a ponytail but different. For actual video footage of me with my hair down (and a whole bunch of it’s-Friday giddiness) check out this Texas road trip video of yore. That trip was thebomb.com. For reals.
Oh and although there are a ton of Team Frost The Windows peeps out there, we’re leaving them bare for now. Just because we like looking out ’em when we’re tooth brushing in the morning. Sometimes we spot a robin or two at the bird feeder. Shucks, that’s quaint. So even though they look frosted in a few of the photos, they’re not.
And for those wondering what things look like from the neighbor’s perspective (it’s a side window), since we live on almost an acre of land, we’re pretty far apart apart. But here’s what it looks like during the day from about a fifth of the distance between our houses:
Yup, it’s invisible (most exterior windows are reflective during the day, and ours is no exception). We even took the shot above with the bathroom light on to hopefully highlight the silhouette but all you see are the sky and some tree branches reflecting on the window panes during the day.
And here’s what it looks like at night:
So not bad right? I mean, we have 99 curb appeals problems, but the mirror ain’t one. Yes, that’s a reference to 99 Problems by Jay Z. Because I’m gangsta like that.
Psst- Why Team Edward and not Jacob? Even though I’m from Jersey, tan juice-head body-builders have never been my type. As demonstrated by my tall, angular, and sometimes pale hubby. Does it make me insane to admit that the whole time I read Twilight, I actually pictured John as Edward? Remember this was before the world had been introduced to Robert Pattinson.
Psssssst- To everyone worried about if I could reach the buttons on the dryer, we updated that post with a pic of me in action. Go Team Five Foot Two Inches!
Jessica says
I can’t commit to a team (for twilight or the mirror), I guess I’m just indecisive, but I looove the mirror white. I have a hard time picturing it before it’s done but whoa i love it, especially at night!
karen @ our slo house says
It looks beautiful. Brilliant, really.
The more I looked at photos of your black-framed mirror, the more I thought it needed to be painted white. Now, it looks like it was always there. In a way, it resembles those old fashioned stained-glass windows.
BTW, the bathroom is starting to look all serene-like and styin’. I bet you enjoy looking at it. ; )
Lori says
I love the mirror white! Great job.
I just recently found your blog and I’m having fun catching up and following along.
We also live in Richmond and have a 14 mo. old baby boy. We love it here…such a great city. Anyway, thanks for the decorating inspiration! I have a very traditional style, but thanks to your blog- I’m branching out a bit with our master bedroom redo right now.
Stacy @ design something better says
I have to admit – I wasn’t so sure about the painting thing at all… because I do love a bold statement. But, I LOVE it guys! The after totally changed my mind because it looks like a seamless part of the window frame – gorgeous!
A slightly related or maybe not at all question: Does it bother you guys that the head of your bed can be seen from the front door and vice versa? I couldn’t get it out of my mind after watching the video tour yesterday… What about placing it on the wall common to the back yard? Then your seating area or leaning mirror could be on that long wall?
Just wondering… :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Stacy,
Click back over to that post’s comments for a little commentary on that. In short, we tried a bunch of things and we liked this best (off-centered windows on the other two walls made it impossible to work with them). And now that Ed the bed is looking so dapper with his new duvet, we don’t mind seeing him when the door is open and the room is visitor-ready (if it’s not we just close the door).
xo,
s
Christy F. says
I love it!! It looks really classy and deffinately helps the sink area not stand out as much. Good call :)
allison says
so when you said “team edward” I totally thought that you meant ed the bed. and I thought “Well, why in the world wouldn’t you be on “Team ed” the bed???” took me until you said the word Twilight to actually figure out the Team Edward comment:)
brandt @ New House on the Blog says
First of all, let me agree with all the comments – the white really makes that mirror pop, especially with the wonderful coloring of the walls.
And Jay-Z? 99 Problems? How am I supposed to be a cultured sophisticated male when you bring that up (AND LINK TO THE YOUTUBE VIDEO!?!?!?!?). Is it time to rock out? I think so. But you’re a Jersey girl, shouldn’t you be philisophically at odd with a New Yorker like Jay-Z? It’s like Detroit and Chicago coming together for a truce! NEVER GONNA HAPPEN!
(alright, enough from me. Good post!)
Rachel says
So much better!!! I love the mirror painted white… and I’m Team Edward too. <3
Nuha says
I was a bit iffy at first when the mirror was black, but now I love it! Looks very cohesive :) And btw, I love your hair! Did you dye it? I feel like a total stalker asking you that haha
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Nuha,
Nope, my hair is au naturale. I used to dye it blond in high school (gag!) but since college I’ve been happy to leave it alone.
xo,
s
Pam says
Love the white mirror and even more the video of trip to Texas! Hadn’t seen it, loved it and the music~
Liane says
I LOVE IT!!!!!
Sabrina says
Looks so much better! I love it. When you first hung it I was thinking, I bet that thing doesn’t last a week looking like that.
beckhen says
Gorgeous is the word. The nook rehab is one of my favorite projects you’ve ever done. It seems to me that, though the current light fixture is perfectly innocuous, the space is now calling out for something more fabulous and elegant.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Beckhen,
Totally agree! We actually went light shopping yesterday but it was a total bust. Boo!
xo,
s
elaine says
Great post, love the hair down, and Team Edward all the way! I wanted to paint some wood frames in white and am going to pick up the same paint from Home Depot. I guessing you used a semi gloss or gloss since the mirror is in the bathroom, but what would you use for frames that would be hung in a bedroom? And do you use a bristle brush, as opposed to a foam one? If you can’t tell, I don’t do much painting… yet!
Hanna says
It looks gorgeous! It is looking more and more like a lady’s vanity table and less and less like a bathroom sink!
Lesley says
love the white! hey, is that Natalie Portman in your bathroom?!?!? lol
Christina S says
Hold on…I thought Edward was supposed to look like MY tall, skinny, pale hubby!
I LOVE how the mirror turned out! That whole space has come together really nicely. I was on team paint it grey, but the white looks so crisp, while blending in with the window frame. Nice work kids!
Erica says
Hooray for the white! It looks SOOOOOO much better!
Sara B says
I love the way the mirror looks but mostly I am commenting to say thanks for outing yourself as a twilight reader. :) I am too, and as a late 20 something feminist hipster living in North Brooklyn I get sh*t from my friends for my admitted love for the books. :)
(btw I’m Team Jacob, as he reminds me of my big strong italian-american boyfriend)
Ginny says
Love it! This would have been my choice as well. I think in the daytime pictures, it looks like a picture window with fancy trim work/mullions.
Kim says
SO much better! I love the cohesion.
Christine B says
I really like the white it blends it but pops out at the same time if you know what I am saying.
form2form.wordpress.com
Lindsey G says
I am loving the white mirror. It definitely feels very cohesive with the white trim and helps not make it the focal point of the room. Very stunning. I am actually about to go review your painting posts to start some projects of my own! ;) love your alls blog!
btw- you look so pretty with you hair down. i am ponytail kind of person too though!
Have a lovely day!
Julie says
Wow, I have to admit I wasn’t a huge fan of the black mirror but it looks so awesome now. You guys have such foresight when it comes to seeing the potential in projects like these. I wish I had an ounce of that. Oh well, I’ll just keep “borrowing” ideas from people like you! And, I’m team 5 foot 2, too, so I celebrated your triumph over the stacked washer/dryer!
Lisa says
Love it! Such striking before & after pics!!
I can’t wait to see what cool chair you pick for the vanity. (Drumming fingers… waiting patiently…)
Keep up the great work!!
karen @ our slo house says
Just wondering…
Do you use the low-VOC paint because of Clara, or would you use it regardless of little ones?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Karen,
All of the above. We like it because it’s better for our own personal health (especially since we paint a lot) and it’s better for the pup and the baby, and it’s better for the planet. Win-win-win!
xo,
s
Hillary says
The mirror looks fantastic — I love the white and I love the shape and I love the nighttime silhouette from outside. Beautiful. And, I would imagine that if I were the kind of girl who spent more than five seconds applying makeup, I would really love the natural light coming in from behind the mirror. That’s got to be amazing!
Felicity says
I know you said you don’t want to hear, “have you considered?” But, have you considered frosting that window too, just to give you a bit more privacy? The kitchen door turned out so well and the at night photo still looks so revealing. I grew up on 20 acres of land and figured out the hard way that it only takes one (perfectly innocent) person looking up at the right angle at the wrong time for me to be totally embarrassed and scared straight into pulling all the shades at night. Oh and there goes my paranoia taking again ;)
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Felicity,
Check out this post for that info. We actually mentioned down towards the bottom why we didn’t want to frost it just yet. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Lance says
I am one of the few dudes (know from your survey awhile back) that loves your blog. As a closet rap lover, 99 Problems was originally done by Ice-T the year I graduated HS in 1993. Ah the memories of hearing it the first time. Keep up the great blog that I cannot admit to anyone that I actually read. =)
YoungHouseLove says
Announcement:
Comment of the day goes to Lance! Love that you can’t admit that you read our blog. Hahahahaha.
xo,
s
kirsten D says
I think I might just have to steel this idea, down to the paint color. We have the same set up as you with our bathroom, except for the window problem. We are thinking of ways, on the cheap to redo our bathroom. I am so excited to see what else you come up with.
Jana says
I LOVE the white! I had been thinking since you first put up the mirror that I’d like it better white, but never voiced my concerns, so I’m glad you ended up painting it! Looks fabulous.
Julie says
I love it white and I think it looks great since you’ve painted. BUT… I have to tell you, it’s the floors that blow me away each time you show a picture of the view from the bedroom to the bathroom. They are INCREDIBLE!!!
Ana Silva says
I love it. I looks so much better and integrated. I looks built in, doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb…it doesn’t look out of place or weird. Great job.
nue says
it’s perfect!
Lauryn says
I love it! Looks great :-) And Im so jealous of your long locks Sherry! I have been growing mine out since June…making some progress, but probably another year before I reach your length!
Janel says
It looks gorgeous! Once again you guys do something I never would have dreamed of and it looks like it was meant to be all along.
Crystal says
I totally did that too!!!! I thought I was the only one! haha It wasn’t totally Blake (my hubby) but it was like a “description in the book” plus “Blake’s features that I love!” But I read them after I saw the movies (yeah I was one of those people) so I had quite a few hybrids going on in my head. But, in the books, I am Team Edward ALL THE WAY, but in the movies I am sooo Team Jacob! I haven’t decided if it’s because in the books, Edward seems to be hotter and in the movies, Taylor Lautner puts the “mmm mmm” in “mmm mmm, good” or if it is just because in the movies Jacob isn’t as annoying in the books! Can’t wait for Breaking Dawn part 1!! :)
Claudia says
BUMMER! I thought the black popped so much more. It’s sad to see everyone on blogland painting everything white. Just not my thing, but you love it, so that’s what matters :D
Tiffany T. says
Love it!! I also second Julie the floor are fabulous!
Allyn says
Psh… Team Jacob all the way. I even have a boyfriend with a tribal tattoo on his arm. I swear that has nothing to do with why we’re dating. Also, his has his Hawaiian name and has nothing to do with Native Americans. I promise.
No, really. Oh dear.
Ashley says
I had no idea that the Behr paint and primer was low voc. I was using the Olympic no voc but we decided to paint our kitchen the same as the hallway and foyer and we had used regular Behr paint when we did that 3 years ago before we knew about VOCs. We were worried about color matching to the other brand, so we opened all the windows and used the Behr Paint and Primer to save ourselves a step. We didn’t notice a huge smell so thats good!
Stacey says
for the record…
LOVE the white mirror…
LOVE a gangsta reference…
LOVE your hair, and…
am on team “i’ve neither read, nor seen, any twilight anything and don’t understand the appeal of robert pattinson, taylor lautner or jersey juice heads despite being a born & raised jersey girl with an affinity for skinny british boys and, ironically, being married to a broad-shouldered all-american kinda guy” ;o)
Dawn says
Ha, I had just read the post about the new washer and dryer which I saw was written by John and I still had that in my head when I started reading this post so the ‘I’m on team Edward’ comment was especially amusing to me.
I love this transformation. It’s absolutely amazing what a few small changes can do to a space.
Tiffany T. says
Hey I love everything you’re doing and keep up the great work..I was wondering/ hoping if there will be any house crashing soon? Those are one of my favorite things yall do here!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tiffany T,
So funny you say that because we have one lined up (hopefully going up next week). Stay tuned!
xo,
s
Roger Balwinski says
A couple things. How soon before you pull that vanity out and put in a old school dresser with a sink in it… maybe a white-ish marble top. That would make the nook look a lot less like a bathroom. In the minimum, add cabinets to the left side of the vanity.
And the 2nd thing, have you posted any pictures around the outside of your house? I didn’t know your bedroom was so high up…
Great site!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Roger,
A while. We like to work with what we have. So although we realize a lot of our house could be dramatically upgraded by gutting it and replacing things, we stick to slow and steady changes while we save money and try to make the best of what we have. We’re starting to love the existing vanity a lot actually (with new knobs, hinges, and a bit of “cosmetic surgery” we’re excited to see what it can become!). As for exterior shots of the house, you can see some of them by clicking the House Tour tab up by the header and then clicking the “Current House” tab. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Rebecca @ the lil house that could says
Okay I was totally team keep it dark… but you guys were right, it looks so much better white! It definitely looks like part of the window now!
Erin says
Love it white! Won’t lie…I hated it black. as When it was dark the mirror was the only thing you noticed in the space and it looked odd. Now it looks fabulous!
Ashley says
I just got giddy when you mentioned Twilight. My life is currently on hold so I can start my second journey through the saga. That’s totally normal for a mid-twenties girl, right?! That’s what I thought…
Oh, and the mirror looks fab.
Amy says
Ah, the white mirror looks so much better! I was hoping you’d paint it!
Lane says
Looks great! Did you have to texture the area where the old granite backsplash was, or did you just paint right over it after spackling? How did you get the texture to match the wall above it exactly? Thanks for being so inspiring!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Lane,
Check out this post for that info: https://www.younghouselove.com/2011/01/take-it-away/
We don’t have textured walls, so we just spackled it, sanded it smooth, and painted right over it.
xo,
s