How can I paint over an old varnished wardrobe?

[Wilbur]

I have been offered an old wardrobe for dd which is a great size and perfect for her, but it is a bit hulking and dark with old varnish (prob from 50s or 60s) and I'd like to paint it. Has anyone used that primer for melamine? Could it work over varnish? Obv it would be best to sand it all down, but I can't, in my wildest dreams, imagine finding the time for that. Any thoughts?

Is it wood? If so, give it a light sand (to give the paint to give something to stick to), then undercoat it (one coat should do) and then one or two coats of your chosen paint.
Should be fine, should take a few days.

Yes it's wood. So I don't have to sand all the varnish off? Tra la!

No, you should be fine. A light sand (dh calls this keying?) just to create a slightly rough surface should be all you need to give the undercoat something to stick to.
If you are going to paint the wardrobe in a light colour you may need several coats of paint to cover the dark wood. But painting is the easy bit

Also, for the wardrobe doors and sides use a gloss roller instead of a brush. Not only will it give a nicer finish, it will also make the painting faster!