Blue & Red Frame

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.

After painting the ornate frame a fun beach glass color, I chose the middle light wood artists frame on the left to paint up. I decided to go with a fun whimsical color combo of red and turquoise.

First coat was American Paint Company blue green called beach glass went on all sides. I used it recently on this cute jewelry box.

Then APC paint in fire works red was layered over the beach glass on all sides again. I did some fun salt and pepper sets in both colors recently as well. Once dry the frame was sanded smooth, lightly distressed and sealed with Minwax dark wax.