Cheering Up a MALM Bed Frame

The Malm bed frame at IKEA has a simple profile and it is a good choice for those who prefer clean design lines. I got one of them eight years ago as I thought it was a perfect choice for my condo bedroom below. The bedrooom has an odd shape and did not offer many design choices, so I decided to get this frame as it seemed to fit nicely with the matching PAX wardrobe.


After moving out from my condo, I took the Malm bed with me; however, its red-ish color did not go well with a piece of furniture which I was forced to accommodate in my current bedroom. To make things work I did what all DIY-ers do – I PAINTED IT.
I used the Minwax Wood Finish in Onix Gray. The reason that I decided to use this paint in this specific color is pretty simple: it was a leftover from another project, and I wanted to give it a try and see how it works on veneer.
First I tested the paint at the back of the nightstand by applying it with a lint free cloth in horizontal strokes. I was happy with the first result, so I continued painting the remaining parts of the bed.

I did not do any prior sanding, as I was not sure whether the veneer could be sanded. However, prior to starting with the paint, I thoroughly cleaned the surface with a dump cloth so they were completely free of dust.
After two coats of paint and two nights sleep in our sofa (waiting for the paint to cure) the result was amazing.
The Onix Gray shade applied over the red-ish veneer turned into a deep, rich espresso brown. The horizontal strokes applied during the painting process appear to give a cheerful look to a boring veneer.

It has been over two weeks that I completed this project, and I have been noticing that the paint has tendencies of scratching easily, so I would not recommend it for desks or surfaces involving high traffic.

Anyhow, for now my bedroom looks much nicer, and I got the feeling that the bed frame has been cheered up.As far as the the small scratches is concerned there is always a quick fix with a paint touch up.

Have you used Minwax Wood Finish over veneer? If so, I would love to hear your experiences with this type of product on veneer.

Thank you for reading.

Besa