Old Frame to New Chalkboard

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.

When I purchased this vintage art piece the mirror edging was perfect but somehow in storage 2 sides had cracked, now what?

Well I donned my safety glasses and a few pry tools and snapped these pieces off. 2 sides came of perfect but the other 2 had been reglued in the past with who knows what (black blobs) and were stuck. Eventually I got it all off and disposed of.

To fill the grooved edge they had been applied to I used Country Chic Paint's embossing paste in honey using 3 coats letting dry well between each coat then sanding with a final coat stippled on for a textured effect.

To start the painting process I applied a coat of Old Fashioned Milk Paint in pitch black followed with federal blue while still wet for a mottled look.

The top coat was Homestead House Paint Co. in Loyalist dry brushed over the entire frame including the back side.

The whole frame was sanded smooth to reveal texture and colors then all sides and surfaces sealed with Daddy Vans clear wax followed by their white wax when the clear was dry.

I like to paint my black board surfaces all at once as easier and faster seeing the mini roller zips along. I use Rustoleum chalk board paint rolled on with a mini foam roller and use 4 coats for good coverage.

See the gold frame finished here, a red tray here, and a robins egg blue tray here.