Megan’s Mystery Makeover: A “Lackluster” Mirror Gets a Whimsical Transformation Using Spray Paint and Old Toys — for Under $10!
Sometimes our favorite projects come from surprising places. That’s the spirit behind Megan’s Mystery Makeover: Megan Baker Detloff, Apartment Therapy’s Home Projects Director, mails a surprise to one of her favorite DIYers and challenges them to create a project with it. This time, Megan is encouraging makers to dial up their style using a makeover essential — Stops Rust with Custom Spray 5-in-1 by Rust-Oleum — in a color of her choosing.
This special delivery comes at a great time for Megan Zietz. The DIYer and designer known for her bright, maximalist style recently moved into a new NYC abode with her husband and three children. The move prompted a big reevaluation of how the family uses their space and what they keep in it.
Ready with a fresh can of Stops Rust with Custom Spray 5-in-1 in Gloss Cherry, Megan set out to solve two problems at once: restyling a ho-hum mirror and thinning out her kids’ toy collection. She decided to adorn the mirror frame with an array of wooden animals, airplanes, and other toys that are no longer in her kids’ playtime rotation. Once she glued them in place, it was time for the fun part: painting!
“I was ready to throw the mirror away. It was over a decade old, broken and chipped on the edges, and it just didn’t seem to work in the space anymore,” Megan says. “I was brainstorming the kids’ room design and wanted to bring in more fun, whimsical pieces to tie it all together, but the white mirror just seemed kind of lackluster next to my ideas.”
Stops Rust with Custom Spray 5-in-1 has a unique adjustable dial with five different spray settings to suit every aspect of a project. Megan started with the standard spray setting for full, buildable coverage. Then she dialed down to the low output setting, which delivers a fine mist to evenly cover all the toys’ nooks and crannies without dripping paint. The result: glossy upcycled perfection!
“The dials were so easy to use. I fell in love with the low output setting because I felt like I could really control where the spray was going and get into those nooks and crannies,” Megan says. “It made getting the right coverage without the dreaded drips easy.”
“Red is always a good idea! I’ve been having a bold red moment and adding pops of red throughout our decor, and this cherry red is the PERFECT red hue. It goes with everything and makes a statement.”
Megan Zietz
“Now that the mirror is made over I’m inspired by how vibrant and unique it is. I’m now contemplating on taking it even further by spraying their gallery wall frames and adding a few toy details to each one! I’m thrilled with the results and it’s become THE it-mirror of the house. All of the details and textures with that cherry red are just so eye-catching and fabulous.”
“I’m a Custom Spray 5-in-1 convert and want to use it for every project moving forward!”