Mercury Glass Christmas Decor: 16 Cheap DIY Pieces That Look Like Pricey Antique Silver

Mercury Glass Christmas Decor is the soft, speckled silver look that makes a mantel or table feel like it came out of a grand old family home. Real antique silvered glass can cost a small fortune at flea markets, yet the same effect takes only a can of mirror effect spray paint, a spray bottle of water and a stack of clear glass from the dollar store or the thrift shop. Despite the name, nothing here contains mercury at all, so it is a safe and easy weekend project. Below you will find 16 ideas for mercury glass Christmas decor, from the simple ornament makeover to vases, cake stands, cone trees and place cards, plus a few styling ideas that tie the silver look together for the holidays..

Mercury Glass Christmas Decor From Clear Ornaments

This is the project that started the trend. Home decor maker At Home With Aurore shared a designer store ornament dupe on YouTube, and her ornament video reached more than 77,000 views as people realized plain clear ornaments could look like pricey antique silver. The secret is a light mist of water inside the ornament before a coat of mirror effect spray, which leaves soft spots and specks. If you love easy ornament makeovers, this one takes an evening and a few dollars..

You will need: clear glass or plastic fillable ornaments, mirror effect spray paint, a small spray bottle with half water and half white vinegar, paper towels, gloves.

How to make it: 1. Pull the caps off the ornaments and mist the inside lightly with the water and vinegar mix. 2. Spray a short burst of mirror paint inside, turn the ornament, and repeat until the inside is mostly coated. 3. Let it dry upside down on a cup, then dab any drips and replace the caps. Spray outdoors or in a garage with the door open, and wear a simple mask and gloves.

Study Real Antique Silvered Ornaments First

Before you start spraying, look closely at old silvered ornaments like these. Glass ornaments were first blown in the German town of Lauscha, and by the 1850s makers there learned to coat the inside with a silver solution, which gave them that bright, mirror like shine. Over time the silvering wears, and that worn look is what we copy. Notice the frosted patches, the ribbed shapes and the mix of shiny and soft finishes. A look at vintage Christmas ornaments will train your eye too.

You will need: a few old ornaments for reference, a notebook, your phone camera.

How to make it: 1. Lay out any old silver ornaments you own in good daylight. 2. Take close photos of the worn spots and specks you like best. 3. Keep the photos handy as a guide while you spray your own pieces.

Thrifted Vases Turned Mercury Glass Christmas Decor

Every thrift store has plain clear vases for a dollar or two, perfect for mercury glass Christmas decor. For vases you spray the outside instead of the inside, then turn them so the painted side faces the wall or keep the finish soft and spotty. Three vases in different heights look like a set even when the shapes do not match. Fill them with fresh evergreen and white berries, or try one of these Christmas vase fillers for a change through the season.

You will need: three clear thrifted vases, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, painter’s tape, evergreen stems.

How to make it: 1. Wash and dry the vases and tape off the rim if you want a clear edge. 2. Mist the outside with the water mix, spray a light coat of mirror paint, and dab with a paper towel for specks. 3. Repeat once for a deeper silver, let dry for a day, and fill with greenery.

Group Silver Shapes in Threes on a Pine Bough

Mercury glass Christmas decor looks best when different shapes and finishes sit together. Here a bell, a striped bauble and two small round ornaments rest on a pine bough, and the mix of matte and shiny makes the group feel collected over time. Copy the idea on a side table or a windowsill by grouping your handmade silver pieces in threes or fives. Lay a fresh bough underneath for color and scent. For more ideas that use trays, cups and old silverware, see this roundup of silver Christmas decor.

You will need: three or five silver ornaments in different shapes, a fresh pine or fir bough, a white table runner.

How to make it: 1. Lay the runner and set the pine bough across it. 2. Place the tallest ornament at the back and the smaller ones in front. 3. Step back, swap one piece if two shapes look too alike, and add a sprig of berries for color.

Dollar Store Votives Filled With Mini Pine Cones

Small votive cups from the dollar store turn into mercury glass Christmas decor in one afternoon. Spray them inside so the outside stays smooth and easy to dust. Instead of candles, fill each cup with tiny pine cones, a pinch of moss or a few red berries. A row of six on a windowsill or down the middle of the table looks rich and costs less than a single store bought piece. Find more budget ideas in this list of dollar store Christmas decor.

You will need: six small glass votive cups, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, mini pine cones or moss.

How to make it: 1. Mist the inside of each cup with the water mix. 2. Spray mirror paint inside in two light coats, dabbing between coats for a spotty finish. 3. Let them dry, then fill with pine cones and line them up on a sill or table.

Keep One Clear Bowl for Contrast

Not every piece needs to be silver. A clear round bowl like this one keeps your mercury glass Christmas decor light and makes the silvered pieces shine by contrast. Fill it with one pine cone, a dried orange and a sprig of red berries, and leave plenty of open space so the shape still shows. Set it in the middle of your silver group and the table feels balanced. You can find more ways to dress up thrifted bowls and jars in these DIY vase ideas.

You will need: a clear round bowl vase, one large pine cone, a dried orange, red berry stems.

How to make it: 1. Wash the bowl and dry it with a lint free cloth. 2. Set the pine cone and orange inside and tuck the berries around them. 3. Place the bowl in the center of your silver pieces on the table.

Mercury Glass Christmas Decor Cone Trees for the Mantel

Silver cone trees are a favorite in high end holiday shops, and you can make a set from clear plastic cone shapes sold at craft stores. Spray them inside so the outside keeps a smooth, glassy surface, and the light catches the specks from every side. Stand three heights together on the mantel with a fresh garland, and they look like heirloom pieces. If you like the shape, these cone Christmas trees show many more ways to build them from paper, yarn and wood.

You will need: three clear plastic cone shapes in different heights, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, a fresh garland.

How to make it: 1. Mist the inside of each cone with the water mix. 2. Spray mirror paint inside in light coats until the silver looks even but still speckled. 3. Dry them upright, then arrange the three heights along the mantel with the garland.

Add Clear Ornaments With Silver Stripes

A clear ornament with painted silver stripes is a lovely partner to your speckled pieces because it shows the tree right through it. Use a silver paint pen or a fine brush with metallic craft paint to add bands around the middle, crossing them like a plaid. Hang a few between the speckled ornaments so the tree has both shine and sparkle. You may also like these hand painted ornaments for gifts and keepsakes too.

You will need: clear glass or plastic ornaments, a silver paint pen or metallic craft paint and a fine brush, a paper cup to hold each ornament while it dries.

How to make it: 1. Set the ornament in a paper cup so it stays still. 2. Paint three bands around the middle, let them dry, then add three bands the other way. 3. Hang your striped ornaments between the speckled silver ones on the tree.

Warm Gold Mercury Glass Christmas Decor for a Vintage Tree

Not everyone loves cool silver, and the good news is that you can make a warm gold version with the same method. Spray the inside with mirror paint as usual, then add a light coat of gold or amber glass paint over it once it dries. The result looks like old champagne colored glass from a grandmother’s attic. Mix gold and silver pieces for a cozy vintage tree. For more ways to make your tree look rich on a budget, see these Christmas tree hacks.

You will need: clear fillable ornaments, mirror effect spray paint, gold or amber glass paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels.

How to make it: 1. Make speckled silver ornaments using the steps from the first slide. 2. Once dry, swirl a little gold or amber glass paint inside and pour out the extra. 3. Dry them upside down, replace the caps and hang them on the tree.

Mix in Star Ornaments for Sparkle

Star details are an easy way to break up a sea of round shapes. An ornament dotted with silver stars, like this one, catches light from every angle and feels festive without adding color. Hang star ornaments at the ends of branches where they can turn and sparkle, and keep the speckled silver ones tucked deeper in the tree. You can also add star stickers to a clear ornament before spraying, then lift them off to reveal clear stars. More ideas live in this guide to handmade Christmas ornaments.

You will need: silver star ornaments or clear ornaments, small vinyl star stickers, mirror effect spray paint, tweezers.

How to make it: 1. Press small star stickers onto the outside of a clear ornament. 2. Spray a light coat of mirror paint on the outside and let it dry. 3. Lift the stickers with tweezers to reveal clear stars, then hang the ornament near the branch tips.

A Silvered Cake Stand for the Dessert Table

A clear glass cake stand from the thrift shop becomes a showpiece when you spray only the underside. The top stays smooth and clean, so you can still serve cookies or a cake on it later, while the silver shows through from below. Between desserts, pile it with small ornaments and evergreen. See more ideas for setting the table with vintage china this season.

You will need: a clear glass cake stand, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, painter’s tape, small ornaments.

How to make it: 1. Turn the cake stand upside down and tape off the top surface and rim. 2. Mist the underside, spray mirror paint in light coats and dab for specks. 3. Let it dry for a day, remove the tape and style the top with ornaments and greenery. Keep paint off any surface that touches food.

Nest Silver Ornaments in Faux Snow

Silver and white is one of the most elegant color pairs for the holidays. A single silver ornament set in a soft bed of faux snow looks calm and wintry,. Fill a shallow tray or a wide bowl with faux snow and nest three silver ornaments in it. For a full room of ideas in this palette, browse this guide to white Christmas decor.

You will need: faux snow, a shallow tray or wide bowl, three silver ornaments, a flocked pine sprig.

How to make it: 1. Pour faux snow into the tray in a soft, uneven layer. 2. Press the ornaments into the snow so they sit low and do not roll. 3. Lay the flocked sprig along one side and set the tray on a coffee table or shelf.

Mercury Glass Christmas Decor From an Old Window

An old window frame with its glass still in place becomes a stunning antique mirror for the entry. Spray the back of each pane with the water mix and mirror paint, and the front turns silvery and softly spotted, just like old mirror glass. Hang a small evergreen wreath in the center with a ribbon, and you have a holiday focal point that stays up all winter. For more ways to give old mirrors new life, check out these thrifted mirror makeovers.

You will need: an old window frame with glass panes, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, painter’s tape, a small wreath and ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Clean the glass and tape the wood on the back side. 2. Mist the back of each pane, spray mirror paint and dab for specks, then add a second coat. 3. Let it dry, remove the tape and hang the wreath in the center.

Thrifted Amber Bottles for a Warm Glow

Old amber bottles with pressed patterns add a warm note next to your silver pieces. You can often find them at thrift shops and yard sales for a dollar or two. Line up two or three with a single evergreen sprig in each, and set them on a shelf near your silvered vases. If you enjoy the hunt, here are more great thrift store decor finds to look for this season.

You will need: two or three amber pressed glass bottles, evergreen sprigs, a bottle brush for cleaning.

How to make it: 1. Soak the bottles in warm soapy water and clean the inside with a bottle brush. 2. Dry them well and trim the evergreen sprigs to stand just above each neck. 3. Group the bottles on a shelf beside your silver pieces.

Mercury Glass Christmas Decor Place Card Holders

Small silvered votives make charming place card holders for Christmas dinner. Tuck a sprig of evergreen inside each one and slip a kraft paper tag with a guest’s name into the greenery. After dinner, guests can take their little silver cup home as a keepsake. It is an easy way to tie the table together without spending much. For more small touches that make guests feel special, see these Christmas table favors.

You will need: small glass votive cups, mirror effect spray paint, water and vinegar spray bottle, paper towels, evergreen sprigs, kraft paper tags, a pen.

How to make it: 1. Spray the inside of each votive with the speckled finish and let it dry. 2. Write each guest’s name on a kraft tag. 3. Set a votive at each plate, add a sprig of evergreen and tuck the tag into the greenery.

A Silver and Pearl Table Runner Idea

To finish the look, run a strand of faux pearls and a few silver ornaments down the center of a white tablecloth. One red glitter bauble adds a happy pop of color without breaking the silver theme. Fill the gaps with your speckled votives and cone trees. It is a simple, budget friendly way to make the room glow. Find more inspiration in these Christmas table ideas.

You will need: a white tablecloth, a long strand of faux pearl beads, six to eight silver ornaments, one red glitter ornament, faux snow.

How to make it: 1. Lay the tablecloth and sprinkle a thin line of faux snow down the center. 2. Lay the pearl strand along the snow in soft curves. 3. Set the ornaments along the strand and place the red one slightly off center.