Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

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Not your average framer
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Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by Not your average framer »

I've got a few sheets of mirror glass that I will be turning in to ready made mirrors and I have not found mirrors to be particularly fast moving sales items, but lots of people seem to be giving their homes a bit of an indoor face lift at the moment, so it could be that this might not be too bad a time to see if I can sell a mirror, or two. The only question is what sizes are most likely to create some potential sales interest. My gut instinct is that smaller mirrors are less likely to sell and I'm thinking that maybe a couple of 24" x 20" mirrors might have a bit of a chance in my shop windows. I suspect that anything smaller is going to be too small to be worth the effort.

I have some very weather beaten pinewood planks, that used to be part of an exterior door and they have that ridged look that you only get from well weathered timber. So I've already got the mirror glass and the well weathered plank and they have not cost me anything, so I've not really got anything to loose. The plan is to make some really rustic, old looking frames and the only thing that will have cost me anything at all is the backing boards. The frames will be old fashioned looking butt jointed frames, with hidden pocket hole screw construction and a slightly grubbly and manky looking cheap bit of hand finishing. I know how to do this and I have got all the materials just sitting around doing nothing.

But what size it going to be a good size to make these sell.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mark.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by fusionframer »

I wouldn't bother if it was me. I made some in the past and couldn't even give them away to friends. They always seem like a good idea, but they never seem to sell well.
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by pramsay13 »

I'm not sure it matters as much as frames for pictures so they can be any size.
Have a think where people might hang them and what they would be used for, so long narrow one for back of door, bigger one for above fireplace etc.
I don't sell any but every so often I make one up to give away on my social media pages.
I broke a large mirror that I got cut to size so I just use pieces of that.
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by Not your average framer »

Thanks,

Well I've got the materials so I think that I may as well make some. My thinking goes something like this, there are too many smaller ones of standard sizes in the larger / cheaper shops and plenty in the charity shops too, so I don't want to be trying to compete with them. I am thinking that making decent sized bigger framed mirrors will mean that I not going to be competing with the mainstream shops.

I have noticed that the don't have display facilities for larger frames and mirros, so this could be better for me to compete in this part of the market. Long and thin mirrors for ladies who like to check their appearance before answering a visitor at the front door, sounds like a possible good size as well. You just don't see long thin mirrors for sale at all, they don't appear to be something that anyone seems to be doing, so perhaps good for me, or perhaps not.

I guess that time will tell.
Mark Lacey

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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by prospero »

I have four unsold mirrors in my bathroom. :shock: :lol: :wink:
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Peter,

That kind of says it all. If the mirror glass had not come my way for free, I would not be bothering. I have a friend who sells stuff on ebay and nice looking mirror on there fetch crazy money. On the internet people will pay a lot of money for anything which looks special and a bit trendy. if this is so, how come it's such hard work selling the same things locally? It does not make a lot of sense t me.
Mark Lacey

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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by prospero »

I had some short bits of plain gesso'd moulding that were ideal for mirrors. Sort-of smooth reverse profile.
I made frames about 6" square from it and did some very nice finishes on them. A bit OTT but classy and attractive.
I had the brainwave of hanging them diagonally <>, which actually makes them look bigger. Sold a couple. :D
I think if I had done more and pushed them a bit more I could have shifted more, but they were mostly for showing
of finishes. Each one was individual. Thing is, everybody has got a space for a little mirror. :P

I have another which has a very nice frame on it. I made it for an oil painting 26x36", but I made it the wrong size. :oops:
So I stuck a mirror in it and hung it above my mantlepiece. :lol:
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Peter,

I am wondering about hinged pairs of small mirrors. I'm guessing the type of hinges and the way they are fitted needs to look classy. I've not seen anything like this in other shops, but I have seen pictures of these in books and on the internet. I used to visit auctions quite a bit at one time, but I never saw any in auctions either. The idea sort of appeals to me, but are the customers likely to be interested. I can't say that they are particularly all that trendy, often customers will only buy stuff that they think are trendy, so maybe not.

I'm not really sure if this means that there has never been any demand for items like this, or if there is a market for them prospective buyers would buy them if they were available. I have a couple of small matching mirrors, which have been sitting around doing nothing for years. I was going to take them apart and turn them in to vintage looking box frames, but it never happened. I wonder if it worth joining them with hinges, but if they did not sell, they can't easily be converted back to individual mirrors again.

What do you think?
Thanks.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by GeoSpectrum »

Try framed chalk boards. Nice in a fancy kitchen.
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Re: Sensible sizes for ready made framed mirrors.

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi Alan,

That's an interesting idea! I hadn't thought about that. I think that could have a bit of potential. It would not need an expensive moulding, a cheap hand finished pine moulding and a piece of board painted with blackboard paint, I think that I could easily go for that! Should have a reasonable profit margin too!

Thanks for that, very useful idea.
Mark.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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