Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - repainting IKEA furniture?

(SORRY I POSTED THIS IN ANOTHER THREAD BUT IT PROBABLY IS MORE APPROPRITE IN THIS ONE....)

Hi, I'm moving into a new apartment in Manhattan.... I haven't got alot of money to spend so I went on craigslist.com and found a IKEA Bed & Dresser that I love but, they aren't the nicest color (the website says Solid Pine, stain & clear lacquer), so I was hoping to figure out a way to repaint these items. (link: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/store...umber=50067168)

Does anyone have any experience/advice about how to go about repainting these pieces? I heard that I should use a high grade sanding box, then use a primer (Suggestions?) and paint it. Also, if anyone has any fun suggestions for what color I could paint these? I'm 23, and my bedroom will probably be a butter yellow color with the doorframes left white... I'd like something a little bit fun and edgy. Thanks!

THANKS!!

Sorry, I don't have a color suggestion... (though my local Benjamin Moore paint stores do great color consulting, free-- I'm a long way from Manhattan, though!)

But I'd be really interested in how you make out, painting over the Ikea lacquered finish. I posted last week, in a thread a little further down: I too have a clear lacquered pine furniture item, and want to change the color. Looks like painting is the best option -- so if you try it, maybe you could post about how it turns out.

Good luck!

If it is lacquered you will definitely have to sand it first.

i know a fun color that may look nice in your room if your edgy enough for it would be a blaze orange/or maybe neon orange would be cool.