Worn and weathered kitchen step stool in Annie Sloan Florence

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 we moved to our new house just over 7 years ago I gave my little farmhouse step stool a paint job in bold turquoise along with 3 bar stools.

Over the years of use the finish needed a fresh coat of wax but I decided to change it up completely.

The entire outside was power sanded back to raw wood for a fresh start. The inside was power sanded where it could reach then hand sanded but not completely to bare wood.

To rehydrate the wood and seal it I applied Homestead House's natural stain and oil finish

Keeping some of the original turquoise on the inside I dry brushed on some angora white from House & Canvas then Annie Sloan's Florence. I used Florence on this ornate mirror too.