Oh, my mama heart—this latest project might just top our previous DIYs like the storybook art, the kiddie desks, and the reading nook for pure little-girl charm.
Maybe that’s the former ballerina in me talking, but we built a ballet barre in Olivia’s room and she’s been twirling nonstop since we finished it this weekend.
Isn’t it sweet? I meant to photograph Olivia dancing in front of it, but she was at preschool while I took these shots. This is technically a repeat project—we installed a barre in her old room at our previous house—but this time we gave it a little extra polish and solved a fresh challenge: installing the barre and mirrors above a chair rail. If you ever need to hang a heavy mirror or decor over molding, our approach might help.
Supplies Used: (Some affiliate links were used in the original post.)
- Mirrors of your choice — the center mirror used to hang in my parents’ dining room; the two skinny mirrors were from Kirkland’s.
- 2 pieces of 2″x4″ lumber
- 1″ diameter wooden dowel, cut to the width you need for the barre
- 2 sturdy shelf brackets
- Primer
- Paint to match the wall
- Hangman-style picture hangers for the mirrors
- Power driver or drill
- 2 1/2″ wood screws
- Four 50 lb drywall anchors
- Level
- Tape measure
- Circular saw (for cutting the 2x4s and dowel as needed)
We wanted the mirrors to be rock-solid, but we didn’t want to be limited to studs for each mirror location. So we anchored full-length 2″x4″ boards into the studs and fastened the mirrors to those boards. That gave us flexibility to position mirrors over the chair rail while still securing everything to studs for strength.
The Steps
1. Measure the total width for all three mirrors, including 3″ gaps between them, and cut the 2″x4″ boards to that length.
2. Mark the height on the wall where you want the top edges of the mirrors and the top of the barre to sit.
3. Use a stud finder to locate and mark the studs; these are where you’ll drive wood screws through the 2″x4″ boards to anchor them securely.
4. Position the top 2″x4″ at the marked height, check it with a level, and screw it into the studs.
5. Install the second 2″x4″ just below the chair rail at the height where the barre will sit, again making sure it’s level and anchored into studs.
6. Attach Hangman hangers to the top 2″x4″ to support the mirrors.
7. Prime and paint the 2″x4″ boards to blend them into the wall—this hides the structural framing and keeps the finish clean.
8. Hang the mirrors on the picture hangers once the paint is dry.
9. Install the shelf brackets between the mirrors underneath the lower 2″x4″. Fasten the brackets to the drywall with 50 lb anchors where needed and screw through into the 2″x4″ for added strength.
10. Screw the wooden dowel into the shelf brackets to complete the barre. We primed and painted our dowel to match the room, but you can also leave it natural and seal it with polyurethane or polycrylic for durability.
This 2″x4″ mounting trick is a handy solution anytime you need to hang heavy decor over chair rails, molding, or board-and-batten. It lets you fasten to studs while keeping the visible surface neat and paintable to match the wall.
If Olivia outgrows this placement, we can easily remove the mirrors, unscrew the lower 2″x4″, move it above the chair rail, repaint as needed, and reattach the dowel. Or she might still be twirling around—it feels likely.
The room redo is nearly complete—only a few items remain on the list, and it’s turning out even sweeter than I imagined.
Here’s what’s left:
Paint walls/ceiling/trim/doorsHang wallpaperPut together bedFind a light fixture that works with a canopy bed on 8′ ceilingsHang Roman shadesFind a cozy rug that doesn’t compete with busy wallpaperMove nightstands in from the master bedroomPaint thrift-store lamps- Choose and buy bedding
- Install curtains
- Paint the dresser
- Hang artwork
Sources used in this space so far:
- Wall color: Behr My Sweetheart
- Trim/ceiling color: Benjamin Moore Simply White
- Door color: Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
- Wallpaper
- Bed
- Roman shades
- Light fixture
- Rug
- Nightstands (Craigslist makeover)
- Lamps (thrift-store makeover)
- Large butterfly wall decor (spray painted white)
- Skinny mirrors
Hopefully by the next update this room will be completely finished. I’m so ready—and I know a very excited little girl is ready, too.
