Farmhouse Rustic Grey Accent Table

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 rustic farmhouse dresser in grey I did awhile back has been the top post on my Pinterest page for many months. It seems to be a much loved finished so when I purchased these country planked looked table set I knew the paint finish would look awesome on them too.

I started with the round accent / end table first.

Step one was to power sand the top and shelf with my Dewalt orbital sander to smooth the old finish then spray with Zinsser Bull’s Eye spray shellac to seal and give an even surface under the paint.

The entire piece and all under edges were first painted 2 coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in a soft grey from the tones for tots line called little lamb.

To warm up the cool grey I did a wash of Fusion Mineral Paint in chocolate over it all. I added a wee bit of water to give a bit more open time to wipe back the paint but it is still best to do in sections.

Once all is dry I dry brushed Fusion Mineral Paint in lamp white over it all then sealed with Fusion's clear wax over all the top surfaces followed by Fusion's black and ageing waxes to add more dimension, depth and detailing to the rustic look.