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From Gilded to Grounded: A Standing Jewelry Armoire's Dark Moody Transformation

Sometimes, a "bright and airy" makeover just doesn’t fit the vibe. I found this standing jewelry armoire after it had already been given a white and gold facelift by someone else, but it felt a bit too "glam" for many people. I knew it had the potential to be something much more sophisticated, mysterious, and—of course— moody . In this tutorial, I’m taking you through the process of retaining some of the previous DIY and layering on a deep, velvety dark green finish. We’ll be leaning into those shadows, highlighting the unique curved silhouette. Whether you're looking to tone down a piece that's "too bright" or you're ready to embrace the dark academia aesthetic, here is how I turned a high-contrast piece into a seamless, moody masterpiece.
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Classic Black Antique Dresser


A childhood friend brought her Grandma's antique dresser to me for a reloving. Growing up, it was never a favorite of hers but once it was passed on to her she did not want to throw it out and thought perhaps we could make it pretty. I loved it from first sight and knew it could be made gorgeous.


I went with classic black as my color choice. She had loved this dresser below I did for my middle daughter so felt it would be the right pick.


As per my usual look I wanted to keep the wood top stained. I started this process with a thick coat of paint stripper and a few different grits of sandpaper to bring it back to the natural wood. A good scrub for everything and let dry.



Keeping the classic black theme, I went with Fusion /Homestead House's new stain and finishing oil all in one in ebony to rehydrate, stain and seal the beautiful wood grain. I used 4 coats with usually overnight dry time and fine sponge sanding between coats.


The one side and a bit on the top had bad damage on the veneer so had to be wood filler filled (shown above) then sanded smooth


The base and mirror frame only needed one coat of Fusion Mineral Paint's coal black. The original dark finish helped keep it to one coat.




                    A good sponge sanding distressed the edges perfectly and kept the aged charm.


All the painted areas were given a good coat of black furniture wax to deepen the color and add a old fashioned wax sheen to the stunning dresser.


black wax is on the middle drawer to show the sheen it adds ...


and the original hardware brass polished up beautifully (above top)

Once all put back together with the drawer slides waxed


                                    




#paintitbeautiful




*Disclosure
I have received product as a brand blog rep in exchange for this post, but ALL the opinions are entirely MY own.  This post contains sponsored links for Fusion Mineral Paint & Homestead House Paint Co. 



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Comments

  1. Stephanie AbbottJuly 23, 2017 12:10 PM

    That turned out great. Love the black finish with just a slight distressing. Classic look. Pinning. Thanks for sharing at To Grandmas House We Go Link Party.

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  2. AnonymousJuly 28, 2017 8:34 AM

    What a beautiful makeover - so classy painted black. I love how you kept that beautiful grain on the top with ebony stain. Lovely! pinned

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    Replies
    1. Creative MomentsAugust 04, 2017 5:14 PM

      thank you , I love wood grain too and love to keep where I can!

      Delete
  3. Cindy from Logan, OhAugust 08, 2017 9:25 AM

    I'm not one for painting or changing an antique to anything other than what it was when it was made. I like the antique look of old furniture and what it was intended to be. But I have to say this dresser is beautiful. You done a fantastic job on it. It looks like it was black to start with. And it didn't really change the look of the piece like most painted looks too. Just the right amount of distressing look makes it look real and used.
    Great job. You should be very proud of this piece.

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    Replies
    1. Creative MomentsAugust 09, 2017 2:53 PM

      thank you so much for your kind words, I do try and keep them looking old and keep wood grain where I can ;)

      Delete
  4. edensongAugust 08, 2017 9:41 AM

    Beautiful job! Was the mirror just dirty intially or did you do something to it to make it look new again?

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    1. Creative MomentsAugust 09, 2017 2:54 PM

      I believe just dirty, good scrub always is in order for this old gems ;)

      Delete
  5. DanielleHAugust 08, 2017 11:32 AM

    At first I thought you painted the whole thing and I wanted to cry because of that gorgeous top. SO glad you kept the top natural, it looks great, classic but modern.

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    Replies
    1. Creative MomentsAugust 09, 2017 2:54 PM

      thanks, I keep wood grain when I can for sure, it has such beauty ;)

      Delete
  6. Stephanie CAugust 09, 2017 6:20 PM

    Absolutely beautiful! You did a terrific job!

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  7. Leslie | My Gluten Free CucinaJune 15, 2026 6:16 PM

    I just love what you have done with this old piece! It reminds me of my grandmother's dresser, especially the mirror. This must have been the style back in the 1920's I'm guessing. Beautiful job and black really makes it elegant.

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    Replies
    1. Creative MomentsJune 15, 2026 6:45 PM

      thank you Leslie, your kind words touch my heart!!

      Delete
  8. Jennifer WiseJune 22, 2026 10:04 AM

    Wow, it turned out beautifully! The old piece looked like it was in such bad shape (the finish, anyway) that I'm especially impressed with the gorgeous end product. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Will Blog for Comments #86 linkup. Wishing you a lovely week to come. Hope to see you at #87 which opens next Monday morning.

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    Replies
    1. Creative MomentsJune 22, 2026 2:53 PM

      Thank you Jennifer, it was such a great refinish for a good friend!

      Delete

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