Faux Sho'

I picked up a couple of magazines on Friday that are all about designing with flea market finds, the ultimate in reusing and recycling.  But don't assume that flea market hunting has to be synonymous with overly frou-frou Victoriana, Louis XIV, or a page out of Country Living magazine. My style preferences lean toward contemporary eclectic (for lack of a better descriptor) and so my key criteria for vintage finds are as follows:

1. Does it have an architectural or sculptural presence?  That's important because any object that has that kind of integrity can work in any decor.
2. Can it be re-purposed into something other than its original intent?
3. Can that "repurposing" be done inexpensively and with not too much labor?

I bring this up because those fabulous antique printers type trays I found at the Candlestick Flea Market a couple of weeks ago (see below) have been quietly leaning up against my living room wall waiting for me to figure out what to do with them. And by golly, I think I have.

You've seen people make mirrors out of old window panes; well I'm going to do the same with these, then faux finish them in a paint wash made of two shades of turquoise. Why turquoise?  It's one of the accent colors in my largely red and gold oriental rug. I'm taking the trays to The Painter's Place on Hayes Street to see if they can't remove the wooden backs for me and replace them with mirror glass. 

This project will probably take a few weeks or so all told, but stay tuned for the Before and After, which I'll post here.