You might remember the quick sunroom makeover from a few months ago when we converted 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 that old daybed into the sunroom. We mentioned at the time that we hoped to prime and paint it white to better coordinate with the other white West Elm daybed nearby. While the darker finish had worked with the metal framing of the glass doors, painting it white gives the room a more balanced, intentional look.
Now that the daybed is primed and painted, the whole arrangement feels more cohesive. We’re not sticklers for everything matching exactly, but because the two daybeds have different designs and pillow styles, putting them both in the same white palette helps the L-shaped layout read as a unified pair instead of feeling lopsided. The painted daybeds will also act as a calm, neutral foundation as we layer in more color, pattern, and texture in later phases of the project.
It also helps that the trees outside are green again, and we’ve added a few colorful pillows to each daybed—pillows that were previously in the guest bedroom, which we later turned into a combined home office/guest room/playroom. The two floral pillows were a gift from a family member, and the larger blue pillow was a budget find from Marshall’s.
If you’re curious about how we primed and painted the daybed, here’s the process we followed. First we removed the mattress and bedding and set the four legs on cardboard squares to protect the rug and keep the piece elevated while we worked.
We used Kilz oil-based primer to block the old stain and prevent it from bleeding through the finish. We applied the primer thinly and evenly with a brush. A drop cloth is a good idea if you don’t paint often—our cardboard-under-the-feet trick works because we’ve done a lot of painting, but a drop cloth is safer for most people. If the wood surface is glossy or sealed with polyurethane, you’ll want to sand first to dull the sheen so the primer and paint will adhere. Fortunately our daybed had a matte finish, so sanding wasn’t necessary.
One coat of primer is usually enough to create a proper base—primer naturally looks rough, so don’t expect a perfect smooth white finish at this stage. The key is applying the primer thinly and evenly; heavy coats can cause long drying times and bubbling. Brush strokes are normal with primer, so aim for consistency rather than perfection. After the primer dried, we were ready for paint.
The next day, after allowing the primer to cure, we applied two thin coats of white paint about an hour apart. We used a Freshaire No-VOC semi-gloss latex in the store’s standard white. For a smoother, “factory” look that would match the other daybed, we rolled the paint on with a small foam roller. A 2″ angled brush or a foam roller are both acceptable tools depending on whether you prefer a hand-painted finish or a smooth, machine-like appearance.
The repeated advice here is intentional: thin, even coats and sufficient drying time are essential. We waited a day between primer and paint, at least an hour between paint coats, and then left the finished piece untouched for 3–6 days before reassembling. In our case we let the daybed cure for a full week before putting the mattress and linens back on. It’s worth the wait to avoid dents, creases, or other damage from impatience. Meanwhile, our dog Burger used the displaced mattress as a temporary lookout and seemed perfectly content.
Once everything was back in place, the daybed looked like it had always been white. The color matched the existing white daybed closely enough that they now visually complement each other without needing an exact dupe. If you want a perfect match, bringing home white swatches to compare is a good idea, but we were happy with the accidental harmony.
With the daybed painted, the sunroom feels lighter and fresher—thanks to the glass walls, airy white furniture, and added pops of green and blue. This was phase one of our sunroom refresh, centered on working with what we already had. The cost was essentially zero since we already owned the daybed, primer, and paint.
We also shuffled some other pieces between rooms: a dresser and a large mirror from the former guest bedroom were moved into the sunroom, while a smaller bookcase that used to be in the sunroom now holds Clara’s toys in the office. The larger mirror and dresser add storage and reflect even more light and the leafy view, while the smaller bookcase fits nicely in the office footprint. Everyone wins, and this swap is just the first stage—expect more pattern and color updates in future phases.
Have you ever moved a dresser or daybed out of a bedroom and into a living area to make it work? Did you repaint anything to help it fit in or stand out? Share your tips and experiences—we’d love to hear them.
Psst—For more furniture painting tips and tricks, check out our thorough tutorial. And happy painting!