Jumbo Wood Tray

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 gorgeous wood tray was purchased at a local church thrift sale. It had such beautiful grain and size I could not pass it by.

Somewhere along the lines it must have had handles of some sort. I filled this with wood filler and sanded the tray smooth.

I will add this sleek new silver handles but which orientation? I did a poll on the Creative Moment's Instagram and Facebook pages; there were loads of votes but both were split about 50/50.

We decided to go with on the side for ease of handling, easier storing and better stability. My handyman drills new holes for the hardware and I installed it.

I had envisioned the word GATHER on this tray. Using my script stencil I moved it around to see where it would look best. My sister suggested the lower corner which I loved!