You may remember the quick sunroom update from a few months ago, when we transformed our former third bedroom—previously home to a West Elm daybed and a desk—into Clara’s nursery. Since we like to make the most of what we already own, we moved the old daybed into the sunroom. At the time we mentioned we’d eventually prime and paint it white to balance it with the other white West Elm daybed it sits beside. When the piece was dark it didn’t look terrible next to the room’s metal-framed glass doors, but after priming and painting it feels much more cohesive.
We’re not obsessive about perfect matching, but because the two daybeds have different designs and pillows, unifying them with the same white finish helps the L-shaped layout feel balanced. The painted daybeds will be a calm foundation as we add more layered pattern, color, and texture in future phases of this room project.
It also helps that the trees are green again and that we swapped some displaced pillows into the sunroom—these came from the guest bedroom which we converted into our home office/guest room/playroom. Two floral pillows were a family gift (we think from Bed Bath & Beyond), and a larger blue pillow was a thrifted find from Marshall’s.
Here’s how we primed and painted the daybed. First we removed the mattress and bedding and set each foot on a square of cardboard to protect the rug:
We applied an oil-based Kilz primer in a thin, even coat to block the dark wood stain from bleeding through. If you don’t paint regularly, use a drop cloth to protect floors and rugs; we relied on the cardboard-under-feet trick because of habit, but a drop cloth is safer. If a wooden surface is glossy or sealed with polyurethane, sand it lightly to dull the finish and help primer adhere. Fortunately this daybed had a matte, absorbent surface so sanding wasn’t necessary.
Typically one coat of primer is enough: it creates a bond for the topcoat rather than providing complete opaque coverage. Primer often looks rough when it dries, so expect visible brush strokes and an uneven appearance—this is normal. The trick is applying the primer thinly and evenly; heavy, thick coats invite drying problems and bubbling later on.
The next day, after the primer had cured, we painted two thin coats of white about an hour apart. We used a Freshaire No-VOC semi-gloss latex in the store’s standard white and applied it with a small foam roller to achieve a smooth, factory-made finish. A 2″ angled brush would have worked too if you prefer a hand-painted look—both tools produce good results depending on the finish you want.
Thin and even application is crucial. Allow ample drying time between coats and before reusing the piece: we waited a day between primer and the first paint coat, at least an hour between paint coats, and then let the daybed cure for a full week before replacing the mattress and linens. Patience prevents creases, dings, or tacky spots. While it sat naked for a few days, our dog Burger seemed to enjoy the elevated vantage point.
Once reassembled, the daybed looked as if it had always been white. The painted finish closely matches the other white daybed enough for our needs—if you need a perfect color match, bring home paint swatches and compare them in your room, but we were content with the close match we ended up with.
With the daybed painted, the room now feels lighter and fresher: all that glass, the airy white furnishings, and a few pops of green and blue give the sunroom a breezy, relaxed vibe. This was phase one of the refresh, and the guiding principle was working with what we already had. The entire move and repaint cost us nothing since we already owned the primer, paint, and the daybed that was freed up by creating our nursery.
We also shuffled other furniture around: a dresser and large mirror were displaced from the guest bedroom when we converted it to an office, and we swapped the sunroom’s small bookcase for that dresser and mirror. The larger mirror and dresser add storage and reflect more sunlight and the leafy view, while the smaller bookcase fits perfectly in the office to hold Clara’s toys. Everyone benefits from the swap.
This is only the first stage of the sunroom’s transformation. We’ll add more pattern and color in later phases, so stay tuned.
What about you—have you ever moved a dresser or daybed from a bedroom into a living space? Have you painted furniture to help it fit in or to make it stand out? Share your experiences.
For more furniture painting tips and techniques, consult a detailed tutorial on the subject. Happy painting!