Home Bloggers' Crafty Ways to Save

Diane screwed two sets of prefab pine shelf brackets she bought at the home center to the bottom of the window sash so that it would stand upright. Then she primed the brackets and sash, and painted them in a white semigloss, uniting the different parts. To give the glass a mirror-like finish and obscure the view into the firebox, Diane applied five coats of Krylon Looking Glass spray paint to the back of the panes.
What It Cost: $30 for the brackets and mirror paint; the window was free
Tip: If you don't have an old divided-light window kicking around, pick one up at your local reuse center or salvage yard for as little as $10.