how to paint bedroom furniture

Hi Everyone,
I was just given my old bedroom set from my parents, and while it's good quality furniture and in decent shape, it's not a color finish that I want. SO... I really want to take these pieces of furniture and turn them from orange/cherry color to solid black. I am completely and totally incompetant when it comes to this though :-) I doubt it's as easy as just taking it outside and painting it black, but I'm not sure if it needs to be as difficult as stripping off the finish on it now and then sanding, priming, etc. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? I certainly want to do it right and not ruin it, but at the same time I'm not sure that if it's a long process I want to do it. Any feedback from your knowledge and/or personal experiences would be VERY helpful!

Thanks,
Courtney

 

If the finish is intact, clean the pieces with mineral spirits and clean cloths to remove all the grease, grit, and grime of life. Rub the pieces with a green scotchbrite pad to knock down any sheen. Prime with a good primer such as Zinsser 123, then paint with a semi-gloss of the color of your choice. I prefer two coats on furniture for durability. Remember top quality brushes and finishes aid success immeasurably.

Hope this helps.