She Painted Maleficent Across Five Drawers of an Old Jewelry Box, but the Back Has Another Surprise
A small wooden jewelry box with five stacked drawers, tapered sides, and ornate metal handles had a dark reddish-brown finish. Its unusual shape resembled a miniature dresser, with two narrow side compartments and a lift-up top hiding additional storage.
Reddit user u/Fox_hunt_1980 chose a Maleficent theme for the makeover, replacing the brown surface with mint-green paint and a portrait of the Disney villain that stretches across the drawer fronts.
The painting didn’t stop at the front. The artist used the side panels, doors, and back to continue the design, turning a small jewelry organizer into a piece with different artwork on each surface.
Dark Wood and Metal Handles Covered the Original Jewelry Box
The original jewelry box featured five narrow drawers arranged between two tapered side panels. Small brass-colored ring pulls occupied the drawer fronts, while larger decorative handles provided access to the side compartments.
A raised wooden top and molded base framed the cabinet, with curved edges giving the small piece the proportions of traditional bedroom furniture. Its drawer arrangement and storage compartments remained intact for the makeover.
Maleficent Was Painted Across All Five Drawers
Mint-green paint replaced the dark brown exterior, with pale gold damask patterns covering the front panels. Against that background, the artist painted Maleficent with black horns, a purple collar, green skin, and a long dark gown.
The portrait begins near the top of the cabinet and continues across the drawers, with the character’s clothing extending onto the molded base. A black raven sits beside her shoulder, while the original-style ring pulls now have a dark finish.
The drawer gaps interrupt the painting, but the figure connects across the separate fronts when the cabinet is closed.
Side Doors Open to Purple Jewelry Compartments
The narrow panels beside the drawers are doors rather than fixed sections. Opening them reveals deep purple interiors fitted with small gold hooks for hanging necklaces and other jewelry.
A rectangular mirror lifts from the top of the cabinet, providing another feature concealed when the box is closed. The mint-green exterior continues around the doors, while their inner surfaces use dark purple with small decorative details.
A Castle and Thorn Branches Cover One Side
One side of the jewelry box features a gray castle silhouette above a landscape of pointed branches and thorns. Bright green flames rise from the bottom, with dark outlines separating them from the gray background.
The painting extends across the tapered side panel, fitting the scene within the cabinet’s original shape. The artist used the narrow surface for a separate illustration rather than continuing the front portrait around the corner.
A Dragon Covers the Back of the Jewelry Box
The biggest surprise is on the back, where the artist painted Maleficent’s dragon form with a long purple neck, black wings, pointed horns, and yellow eyes.
Green flames rise around the dragon’s feet and extend across the lower corners. The illustration covers the rear doors and surrounding panels, with the existing hinges left visible.
Unlike the front portrait, this part of the design would remain hidden if the jewelry box were placed against a wall.
The Opposite Side Has Another Painted Pattern
The other side combines black ornamental patterns with a green design near the lower section. A dark curved shape sits above the flames, while damask motifs cover much of the upper panel.
The mix of decorative patterns and hand-painted illustrations gives the two sides different designs without changing the cabinet’s construction.
Purple Drawers and a Lift-Up Mirror Complete the Interior
Lifting the top exposes a purple compartment with ring slots and a separate open section for small pieces of jewelry. The rectangular mirror is mounted inside the lid.
The five drawers pull out beneath it, revealing matching purple interiors. Their painted fronts form sections of Maleficent’s gown when closed, but each drawer retains its storage purpose.
From a Brown Wooden Jewelry Box to a Maleficent Design
The before-and-after photographs show the same tapered cabinet with its original drawer arrangement, molded base, and side compartments. Dark wood has been replaced by mint green, gold patterns, and a painted portrait, while the interior received a contrasting purple finish.
The artist transformed the exterior without removing the features that made the jewelry box useful, and the dragon on the back gives the piece another scene beyond the five drawers.
Would you display this jewelry box with Maleficent facing forward, or turn it around to show the dragon?
Images and project details courtesy of Reddit user u/Fox_hunt_1980.