Faux Finishing - Need Ideas

I posted this in "mirrors" and I got one response, maybe someone here has more ideas. I've copied what I wrote the other day....
"I HATE the full length mirrors on the wall! I can't remove them because we are renting this place.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to cover them? They are in the dining area and are 8 ft high (floor to celing) and are in the corner of the room (L Shape) one wall is 8 ft and the other 5.5 ft.
I thought of a mural but it will not adhere to glass.
Then I thought maybe to get sheetrock and apply the sheetrock then the mural.....does anyone have any ideas about this? Remmember I can't remove them....
Thanks.

Welcome to the forums!

It would be best to learn to live with it while you are renting.
Most anything that would disguise the glass - might be dangerous. We all know to be carefull around glass but if you don't know the glass is there.......... :eek:

Erecting a wall can creat it's own set of problems. What about the electrical in the mirror wall? How would you secure it [top,bottom and sides] without any damage to the floor, ceiling and walls?........ and would the landlord even allow you to make these modifications? even if they are temporary.

Would something like a hutch, set against most of the glass make it more palatable?

Welcome to the forums!

It would be best to learn to live with it while you are renting.
Most anything that would disguise the glass - might be dangerous. We all know to be carefull around glass but if you don't know the glass is there.......... :eek:

Erecting a wall can creat it's own set of problems. What about the electrical in the mirror wall? How would you secure it [top,bottom and sides] without any damage to the floor, ceiling and walls?........ and would the landlord even allow you to make these modifications? even if they are temporary.

Would something like a hutch, set against most of the glass make it more palatable?

Thanks for responding Marksr, how about a removable mural. The landlord won't mind as long as I don't break it or destroy it. I thought about maybe having a painter paint a mural, as long as it could be removed. But can that be done over a mirror and be removed, do you think it would look stupid? I just really hate the mirrors....and sorry the hutch would work because of the space...thanks for looking and hopefully coming up with some solution.
Be well.

letmefixit -
I had to mask a couple of windows in my wife's small theater. What I ended up doing was to take 2x2s and build a simple rectangle that fit snugly just outside the window moldings (sp?). I then stretched black vinyl across, and stapled to the back-side of the rectangle frame. In the end, they fit over the moldings (mouldings, whatever), block light for performances, and are easily removeable.
I describe that thinking that you could do the same thing. Basically build canvasses that fit just outside the profile of the mirrors, using a wooden frame with a paintable fabric surface stretched across them (you probably would want a smaller dimension framing option than 2x2, though). You'd probably need to hang them like you'd hang a picture frame, and they'd protrude slightly from the wall like a picture frame would, but they'd be easily removeable when you move, and you could do whatever you want on the outer exposed surface.
Maybe that's an option for you.

You could also use those folding screens to cover the area. Many are made of covered fabric and some are used for displaying photos. They are not that hard to make if you couldn't find them in a stop. Nice thing is that they are portable if you do move.

Hi there!

I amd not sure if this is something that would work for you but I have a friend who took large mirrors and ran tape down and across the mirror marking off squares to replicate window panes. BUT IT GETS BETTER! She mounted curtain and drapery rods then sheer curtains with solid valances and panels and it was AMAZING!

She did this at one end of her dark basement family room and by adding small lights above the mirrors it really made one think that the basement had a large window in it! I was amazed at what a little tape and curtain rods could do.

If these mirrors are in a dining room , you could place anything in front of your new "window wall" and the mirrors are hidden forever! Looked positively AWESOME!

I liked the idea about making it to look like a window with lights.

I have painted on glass using acrylic paint. It sticks on the glass so long as nothing hits it or scrapes it off, but the glass has to be cleaned first. Paint can easily be scraped off of glass with a razor blade if you move.

What kind of mural were you looking for?

How about using some wood lattice? You could use it to hang pictures, posters, plants, lights, etc.

How about a dark window tinting film? Or some of those decals that cling to windows?

How about wood, vinyl, or textured paneling? They come in 8x4 sheets.

Use rubber cement to "paste" up old newspaper clippings, brown paper, stuff printed from your computer, etc. Just make a collage. Leave a blank page for people to add to when they visit. Rubber cement can be rubbed off easily.

Good Luck. Let us know what you decide on.

Twig Lady beat me to it, I was going to mention the decorative window film like these:

Stained Glass Decorative Window Film, Privacy Stained Glass, Decorative Stained Glass Window Film – Wallpaper For Windows (http://www.wallpaperforwindows.com/Products/StainedGlass.asp#top)

Could even combine this with the fake window idea.