Kids Desk in OFMP

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.

This sweet hand made kids desk was brought to me to custom paint for a customer who is going to donate it to her sons preschool fundraiser. How sweet is that?

Step 1 was to scrub it all down well and do repairs including rebuilding the long drawer shown here glued and clamped and later staples to secure further.

She was open to any colors but mentioned she really liked the fun milk painted end table I just finished. I wanted to use milk paint as the vintage pieces look fabulous in it so chose Old Fashioned Milk Paint in tavern green and federal blue for this desk.

The colors blended so well to give a layered look.

When dry a sponge sand was done to smooth the surface.

An aerial view show the colors once dry

If you have used milk paint, you know it has a mind of its own and will chip where it wants ;) I did touch up some of the larger areas but in keeping with its age, the chippy paint looks authentic.

To seal it I chose polycrylic for a smooth surface with a semi gloss sheen for a bit of shine. I applied 3 coats with a sand between each when dry for the perfect durable finish.

Here it is all ready to head to the fundraiser!