Fort York Red Salt Shaker

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.

Solid wood salt shaker gets a bold red update. It was custom ordered to go with this fun teal pepper grinder for a quirky fraternal S&P set.

As always the wood project gets a good scrub inside and out and left to dry.

Then three coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in Fort York red color were brushed on. To keep the aged look with no distressing to match the grinder, Fusion Mineral Paint's ageing wax was applied in the nooks and crannies.