Decorating & Design
November 2, 2017
DIY: Georgian-Inspired Mirror Wreath
Design editor Lauren Petroff shares how to transform a mirror with a Georgian-inspired wreath overlay.
’Tis the season to add holiday flair to your home. I love decorating with wreaths indoors, and this one is elegant enough to be hung anywhere from the front hall to the dining room. My take breaks away from the generic circular shape and riffs on Georgian-style mirrors with broken-scroll pediments for a stately, old world look. It’s the perfect way to welcome visiting family and friends.
This wire-framed wreath attaches to a rectangular mirror with temporary hooks and is easy to remove once the holidays are over.
You’ll need a mirror, pliable metal mesh (I used 1⁄4″-wide mesh), safety gloves, wire cutters, cedar and bay branches, floral wire, 3M Command hooks, ruler, indelible marker, garden pruners, orchids and berries.
Measure your mirror’s height and width, including frame. Add 4″ to the width so you’ll have a 2″ allowance on each side (so wire mesh can wrap around edges of mirror). Add a 2″ allowance at the bottom, and a 10″ allowance to the top for the decorative shape. Sketch these measurements onto the mesh with an indelible marker and free-hand the broken-scroll pediment shape at the top. Cut out the shape with wire cutters.
Cut the center section from the mesh so that the mirror itself is not covered in mesh. Once the mesh has been cut, put on safety gloves, and curl the mesh inward. This way, it will hug the edges and look three-dimensional without scratching the mirror frame.
Make two loops out of floral wire and attach them to the back side of the mesh frame in each of the top corners. These will be used to hook the wreath onto the frame of the mirror.
Form small bunches of cedar and bay leaves, and tie them together using floral wire. Make enough to cover the wire mesh. This is time-consuming but will achieve more fullness. For a shortcut, try wrapping a cedar garland around the mesh instead.
Using the ends of the wire used to create the greenery bunches, fasten each bunch onto the mesh frame, building up thickness as you go. For a tidy look, make sure all bunches face the same direction. Repeat until the wire mesh is covered and the wreath looks nice and full.
Attach a 3M Command hook to each upper corner of the mirror frame so that they will line up with the locations of the wire loops from Step 3. Hook the completed wreath frame onto the mirror using the wire loops. Attach floral embellishments like orchids and berries with floral wire for a seasonal touch and enjoy!
Kim Jefferey
House & Home December 2016
Lauren Petroff