DIY Oyster Shell Mirror on a Budget

Create a stunning oyster shell mirror on a budget with this easy DIY for an eye catching seashell home decor accessory! You won’t believe how easy it is.

Greetings friends!!  I’ve been dying to try oyster shell crafts and had a chance to create a DIY rectangular oyster shell mirror with my friend last Friday.  She had hosted an oyster roast and already had cleaned and set the oysters to bleach in the sun for a few days.  Seriously she spoils me.  We love doing crafts together and already tried our hand at pinecone wreaths which turned out beautiful. 

If this is your first time here welcome! I’m Kathy, the creative owner behind Up to Date Interiors where I share colorful, eclectic-glam spaces with loads of DIYs and design inspiration. We are a newly retired military family who has had lived all over the country and Japan. Check out a few of our home tours and some DIY and Home Decor archives.

How to make an oyster shell mirror!

This is such a fun DIY to do with a friend or group and if you have an outdated mirror laying around it’s free.  Otherwise just grab an inexpensive mirror from a thrift store or discount store to create this beautiful Oyster mirror on a budget!  

What you need for an oyster mirror:

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1. Cleaned and sun-bleached oyster shells (about 62 pieces)
2. Mirror
3. High heat glue gun

How to decorate a mirror with shells:

• Prepare your mirror with a couple of light coats of white spray paint if it’s a darker color or finish.
• Lay out a frame of oysters around the outer rim of the mirror with the round edges facing out.

• Create a second row tucking in oyster shells in between the first layer of oysters.  It doesn’t matter if they sit all the way on the mirror as long has the bottoms are in contact with the frame.  If your mirror is flat then you can secure them to the glass and frame. This will give you lovely scalloped layers.

• Start hot gluing them into place!  I used a heavier duty hot glue gun than my usual small craft one.  It worked very well. You can see that I tried a different adhesive but the hot glue worked the best.

Keep a glass of ice water nearby for hot glue burns on your fingers. Works like a charm! (You can see I’m speaking from experience.)  But please be careful!!

This mirror looks so luxe and expensive! But it’s so simple to make and you could really do it on a shoestring budget. Seashell home decor has such great textures and are such an easy neutral item to decorate with. I really think they have a special look to them that makes them stand out! Don’t you love decorating with seashells?

I decided to hang this beauty one the wall over our tall wood dresser.   I styled it with Daphne to the right (every bust needs a name!) who is wearing some Hawaiian and jade beads. She needed to be a little taller to balance out the mirror so I propped her up on a couple of home decor books.  The feminine vignette really balances out the more masculine chest.

Check out how I made peonies and ranunculus tissue paper flowers  that are in the bud vase! Another fun DIY you could try this summer.

I know DIYs aren’t for everyone or might be more cost effective to purchase a gorgeous oyster mirror if you don’t have oyster shells at your disposal. So here are some of my favorite oyster mirrors online.

Can you believe how easy it is to make such an expensive looking shell mirror? I can’t wait to make more of these in the future. Have you been working on any summer DIYs? Leave me a comment and let’s chat!

Make sure to check out my summer page full of DIYs, decorating tips, and printables for the season.

You might also enjoy these sea shell related DIYs! Perfect for those hot summer days you need to spend inside.

DIY Sea Shell Wreath

Create a beautiful seashell wreath to add coastal decor to your home with this easy DIY and step by step instructions.

Modern Shell Wall Hanging

DIY a beautiful and modern shell wall hanging with your coastal and beach finds using this easy DIY seashell decor idea and dollar store supplies.

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