Furniture, Wood and Cabinetry Finishing - painting furniture

I want to paint an old nightstand for my son's room. How do I prep the wood for painting (it has already been stripped and sanded) and is it OK to use the same paint that I used on the walls?

MJ:

The good news is you're almost finished - apply two coats of a good primer (I use either BIN or KILZ), sand lightly after each has dried to remove irregularities, then paint.

The wall paint will work, but remember this is 'in-use' furniture - it will stand up to a lot more abuse with less sign of wear if you use a semigloss rather than a flat wall paint. Oil based enamel is more durable still...your call.

The bad news is you didn't have to strip the piece in order to paint it - although in some instances it does give you a better final result.

After I have finished painting the nightstand, what should I finish it with? I want the paint to be able to hold up to a lot of abuse.

If you use an oil base enamel you won't need anything else. If you're going ahead with the wall paint you mentioned in your first post, I'd suggest MinWax Polycrylic. It's a clear, non yellowing finish that's a lot more durable than flat wall paint.