Milk Painted Vintage Rocking Horse

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.

If you have followed me for awhile you know I love horses and hand crafted wood pieces. This hand crafted rocking horse it the PERFECT combo of my loves.

When it arrived though (thanks Mom) it was neglected and rather bold colored.

First step as always was a good scrub to get everything clean.

I wanted the rockers to be a dark chocolate color and it so happened I had Krylon spray paint in camouflage brown I had bought for a project on the ranch. I sprayed it outside in a sheltered area to get the perfect coverage.

Then it was on to the horse, I love milk paint for antiques and old wood things. Homestead House Paint Co. milk paint in Champlain was my color of choice.

I have used Champlain on this antique tall dresser and this vintage farmhouse hutch

Here is the first coat applied, do not fret, milk paint always looks sketchy after the first coat ;)

Here is the second coat with the edges distressed and the flat surfaces sanded smooth as butter.

To keep most of the horse this pretty warm white I applied Fusion Mineral Paint's clear wax rubbed all over the entire horse.

Then to add dimension and detailing to the nooks and crannies and give an aged look I applied Fusion Mineral Paint's ageing wax on the areas of choice.

I LOVE this cutie, how about you?