If you are a regular reader then you know how much I love breathing new life into thrift store vintage jewelry boxes. They are like mini furniture makeovers. Today I'm sharing a soft lavender armoire style vintage jewelry box makeover and how I switched the dated door glass for a unique wire cloth.

Upcycled Vintage Jewelry Armoire

Vintage jewelry boxes come a dime a dozen at the thrift store. With just a little paint and a few hours of time, they can be completely transformed. Plus they are a beautiful gift idea for Mother's Day, graduation, birthdays, and Christmas (with a lovely piece of jewelry waiting inside).

This is what the jewelry armoire looked like before the makeover.

Big difference, right?

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the jewelry box makeover, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Here's How I Did It

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

First, I removed the glass from the door and put it aside. We'll be talking more about that further down in the post. Next, I sanded the wood with 150-grit sandpaper to get rid of the glossy finish and to give the paint some bite.

Then I gave the jewelry box a good clean with my go-to cleaning solution of 2 parts warm water, 1 part vinegar, and a drop of Dawn dish soap.

I try to salvage the original felt liner inside vintage jewelry boxes if it's in good shape. I'll pick the exterior of the jewelry box in a color that compliments the color of the felt.

Pro-Tip For Cleaning Jewelry Box Felt

Use baby wipes to clean the felt inside jewelry boxes. I'm always amazed by how even the filthiest felt will come out looking almost new.

Painting The Jewelry Armoire

The chalk-style paint color I chose is called wedding cake from Country Chic Paint. I bought it specifically to use for the DIY décor I'm making for my daughter's wedding this summer. I snuck a little out of the can for this jewelry box makeover to give it a try and I love the color.

I brushed three coats of paint on the entire jewelry box, including the knobs. I also sanded between coats with 220-grit sandpaper for a smooth finish.

With a small artist's brush, I painted the center of each knob with Simplicity white chalk-style paint followed by a pearl wax from Country Chic Paint to give it the pearlescent luster.

Protecting The Paint

For a protective finish, I used white wax applied with a lint-free rag. I love how it softened the lavender color even more.

Now that the jewelry box is painted it's time to address the glassless jewelry armoire door. I think, besides the color, what makes this jewelry box extra special is what I used to replace the original glass.

Glass Door To Wire Cloth

Lucky for me, Mr. Frugalista works for a company that makes wire cloth. Recently he was editing their small samples and asked if I could put them to good use. Oh heck ya!

The sample I used for the jewelry box door is called Structura architectural wire cloth. Understanding these samples are not readily available, alternatively, you could use decorative metal sheets.

To do this, place the glass over the metal sheet, lining up the pattern placement. Trace the around the glass with a marker and cut it with tin snips. I think it's time to replace my rather large vintage tin snips.

Because my wire cloth isn't rigid enough to simply set inside the opening, I used the original glass to hold the wire cloth against it. This also gives the new owner the option of using the original glass if that is their preference.

As I mentioned earlier, I love doing jewelry box makeovers. Here's another armoire-style Painted Mint Jewelry Box makeover you may like. Here's a link to my jewelry | trinket box makeover page where you'll find jewelry boxes in numerous different styles.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by this vintage jewelry box makeover. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

I hope this painted jewelry box has inspired you to think twice about walking by these vintage jewelry boxes during your next trip to the thrift store.

If you enjoyed this upcycled jewelry box idea, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Painted Jewelry Box Ideas or DIY Gift Ideas board on Pinterest.

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