# Tone down gold mirror frame?



## rndar (Jun 1, 2011)

Have a large mirror with ornate frame that is an outdated, shiny gold.  Is there some way to just "tone down" the shininess of it?  I don't want to spray it a solid color, even metallic.  I want to give it an "antiqued" , somewhat darker look.  Any ideas?


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## BritKnee (Jun 2, 2011)

teabags are good for staining and giving a darker look. take the mirror out of the frame and take an old chain to it. scratch it up a bit, THEN tea bag stain those scratches. 

I saw it on a design show once. looked great. They did it to a dresser to 'antique' it.


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## nealtw (Jun 2, 2011)

You didn't say what the frame was made from or what kind of finish you think this is.


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## DIYHomeDesign (Jun 7, 2011)

You can mix some gray or other dark color paint with either paint thinner or water and "rag it on." Just use a rag to wipe it on the frame, then wipe off excess.


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## rndar (Jun 7, 2011)

Thank you all.  The frame is wood.  It's heavy with some apparent carving - at least it appears to be carved.  The finish appears to be a shiny gold paint of some kind.  In the depressed areas of the carving, it is not shiny - rather a flat greenish-gray to appear that is is old enough to have collected dust and lost its shine (but it came that way).  It appears to me that the wood was originally painted with whatever made the depressions that dull, flat grayish-green - THEN, it looks like the shiny gold was brushed on because it's almost like you can see brush marks.


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## nealtw (Jun 8, 2011)

I have made things look a little darker and older with minwax polyshades, but it's usually just trial and error.


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## janellelk (Jun 17, 2011)

DIYHomeDesign said:


> You can mix some gray or other dark color paint with either paint thinner or water and "rag it on." Just use a rag to wipe it on the frame, then wipe off excess.



This works wonders!!


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