How would you paint this?

[Brainrack]

Moving into our own place soon after many years in rented, so wanting to have a bit of fun with paint colours. Was thinking of buying these as bedside tables and jollying them up with paint and perhaps some brass knobs to replace the wood ones

www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/storage-furniture/chest-of-drawers/hurdal-chest-of-2-drawers-light-brown-art-60269024/

Not had a chance to call into IKEA yet, to look at surface finish, but I think they are just plain varnish. Would I be able to paint straight over with gloss, or should it be primed in some way?

I'd use a coat of a Zinsser primer suitable for varnished wood then use satinwood or gloss paint over the top. No need to sand.

I've used chalk paint straight onto a heavily varnished dressing table and once waxed achieved a lovely finish. Chalk paint is brilliant for furniture makeovers, it's amazing what you can do! I've always used autentico paints.

Thank you both, I'll do a bit of research. Sounds like the Zinsser might be the thing, but I hadn't thought about a chalk rather than gloss finish. Time for more daydreaming with colour cards

If you have one near you Zara Home have a lovely range of unusual replacement knobs. I always think they'd be fab on a project like your describing. Properly bespoke.

Ooh, thanks for the recommendation - I'll check that out.

That would be lovely painted and with new knobs. I'll second autentico paint. They do an eggshell paint which doesn't need a wax finishe. It just needs two coats of paint. I was sceptical at first (daughter of a painter so was raised with the mantra preparation preparation preparation) but I'm a total convert now.

Also if you're cash strapped and not in a huge hurry, aliexpress.com have tons of knobs etc REALLY cheap.

Try eBay for knobs

m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=small+brass+knobs&isNewKw=1&isRefine=true&mfs=KWCLK&acimp=0&_trksid=p2056088.m2428.l1311.R1.TR11.TRC2.Xbrass+knobs&sqp=brass+knobs