Painting IKEA furniture in the
children’s
bedroom – tips on paints, varnish & DIY
With a bit of paint, old or dreary IKEA furniture can be transformed into real showpieces for a child’s bedroom! But be careful: using the wrong technique or paint can quickly ruin your DIY project. Which paints are suitable for a child’s bedroom? When should you use varnish instead of wall paint – and is a primer really necessary? We’ve put together all the tips and tricks so you can paint your IKEA furniture safely and give it a creative makeover. This way, every piece of furniture will become a personal favourite in your home!
Paint or varnish – what’s the difference?
Paint
is often opaque and matt, and above all gives a fresh, colourful look. It’s ideal if you want to give your furniture a quick makeover or get creative with individual surfaces. Varnish, on the other hand, creates a harder, glossy finish that is particularly durable and well-suited to furniture that sees heavy use – making it perfect for drawer, tables or shelves in a child’s bedroom. There are also water-based and solvent-based options: water-based paints and varnishes have a milder odour, dry faster and are better suited to children’s bedrooms. This way, you can ensure that your DIY project is not only attractive but also durable and safe.
💡 DIY tip: Use a paint-mixing service
Do
youhave a favourite colour in mind that would look perfect in the children’s bedroom? Or would you like to match a piece of furniture to the rest of your décor? Many DIY stores now offer a handy paint-mixing service: Simply bring along a sample, a colour chart or a favourite item – the machine scans the colour and creates the right shade for you. You can also select and mix your desired colours online with many suppliers, so you get the exact colour for your project.
Step 1: Sand before painting
For veneered furniture, it is advisable to roughen the surfaces with fine-grit sandpaper and then remove any sanding dust so that the varnish or paint can adhere properly later on. It is important to note that you do not need to sand everything down; simply roughening the surface is sufficient.
Step 2: Painting
If you want to be on the safe side, apply a primer as the first step after sanding. Depending on the colour your piece of furniture was previously and the colour you wish to paint over it, you can also skip this step. Then apply one or two coats of varnish or paint. For painting corners and edges, it’s best to use a paintbrush. When painting smooth surfaces, you’ll get the best results with a paint roller.
Don’t fancy painting?
Step 1: Preparing the pine wood
Simply roughen the surfaces with fine-grit sandpaper. You don’t need to sand the entire surface. Use masking tape to cover the areas that are to remain unpainted.
Step 2: Priming the wood
An additional primer coat is only recommended when painting untreated/raw wood with a white or very light-coloured varnish, as untreated wood may release substances that can cause the surface to appear yellowish. Otherwise, the varnish can usually be applied straight away.
Step 3: Varnishing the piece of furniture
Pour some varnish into your varnish tray. Start by painting the corners and edges with a varnish brush; for the flat surfaces, you’ll achieve the best finish using a varnish roller. When varnishing, make sure you apply the varnish evenly. | Image source: @xavi.charlie.and.me
Can I paint children’s toys without any worries?
As mentioned earlier, KOLORAT paint is well suited for use in children’s bedrooms, as it is highly scratch- and impact-resistant, as well as being vapour-permeable and resistant to standard household cleaning products and disinfectants. Even the classic, colourful IKEA MULA gets a special look with a few brushstrokes. | Image source: @marie_sverndal
Painting IKEA furniture – the best alternatives
If you’d rather not go to all the trouble of varnishing and painting, you’re welcome to use furniture film or wall stickers instead! These are available in lots of different designs at yard goods and are really easy to apply here at Limmaland. Customised furniture film – for example, for the IKEA KURA bunk bed, for the DUKTIG play kitchen – or by the metre for the entire IKEA range – transforms plain IKEA furniture into a personalised highlight in the children’s room or throughout your home.
Discover more IKEA hacks
