Something Old Made New Again....Edgar


I am so excited for you all to meet my latest project, the antique mirror named Edgar. (Keep reading to find out why he is called that) I met Edgar while vacationing in St Pete, Florida earlier in the summer. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, Mr. Thrifty and I spent quite a bit of our vacation rummaging around in thrift shops, antique stores, and various other treasure troves. For months, I had been wanting a large, antique mirror to repaint and hang in my dining room, but nothing had ever looked right or was way too over priced.

One afternoon, we got lost in St Pete and happened upon a local thrift store that a friend had been telling us about. When we went in, I headed for the frames and mirrors to see what I could find. I thought I had struck out until I moved a big, ugly painting and found Edgar hiding behind it. He was dusty, dirty, and upside down, but I knew immediately that he was a treasure. I pulled him out for a closer look and almost fell over. He was so heavy! Next, I looked for a price, figuring I wouldn't be able to afford him. To my surprise, he had been marked down to $2.50!!
I did my happy thrifting dance and drew more than a few stares.

Upon further inspection, I discovered that Edgar had been made by the Kindel Furniture Company of Grand Rapids, MI. He was a northerner like me :) I later did some research and found that Kindel has been in business for over 100 years. My best guess is that Edgar was probably made in the 1920's of mahogany and was stained with Kindel's Oxford stain that they are still using today. Currently, mirrors of a similar age and style are going for $200-$450 on antique websites. 



I always intended to paint whatever mirror I found, but I have to admit that I was nervous about painting Edgar. I was concerned about ruining such a beautiful piece, but I took a chance. I decided on an ocean blue that would coordinate with the lovely, yellow Lucille the dresser (make sure you read about her if you haven't already!) You see, Edgar was my great grandfather who was married to my Grandma Lucille. They were quite a pair and as soon as I started working on the mirror, I knew he needed to be called Edgar.


Because of his age, I only had to sand him lightly to knock off any remaining varnish. I used painters tape and newspaper to cover the glass so that no overspray would harm it. Then I started spraying him. I chose to use Valspar canned spray paint with gloss finish. It was a lot cheaper and easier to work with for this smaller project. I did several light coats of paint letting each one dry thoroughly in between.





I love the way the paint and color accentuate all of the details. It is amazing to me the craftsmanship that went into this piece. I wonder where it used to hang and who used to look at their reflection in it before he came to live in my house. 





Once he was dry, Edgar got to be reunited with the lovely Lucille in my dining room. Hanging next to him are some thrifted wooden boxes that we painted to match and filled with antique glass bottles. On top of Lucille are my fun thrifted phone (I don't have a home line, but I LOVE this vintage phone) and some thrifted glass dishes. I am so unbelievably happy with how it all turned out! For about $75 (includes paint and supplies) I have a chair, buffet, mirror, shelves, and knick knacks that I love in my house and suit me perfectly!

Mr Thrifty and I had so much fun working on these projects that we are thinking of starting a little business of this. Who knows what will get painted next!!

peace, love, and cute shoes,
~chrissy

Comments

  1. both edgar and lucille are gorgeous! i love the colors together. i have a dresser i want to spray also...just trying to decide the color. :)

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