The Red Counter Height Swivel Stool

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.

Red always makes a statement right? And these two beauties look fabulous in red!

The before of this solid wood counter height stool was lacking pizzazz but was well made and solid, and it was the perfect height the customer was searching for for their kitchen desk area.

Flash forward to the finished chair in its new home! PERFECT!! Can you see the solid maple tray in the kitchen too?

First step in the makeover was a thorough scrubbing then taken apart for ease of painting after the stainless steel footrest was removed too.

Not wanting the white to pop thru the red, it was spray painted a few quick coats of matte black spray paint. Spraying outside provides lots of ventilation too.