Many furniture re-purposers and painters will tell you pre-owned beds don’t sell well. Most consignment shops won’t even take them because they sit around too long. I disagree. There are actually certain types of beds that sell very well and very quickly.
For the first two years of being in the business of refinishing and flipping furniture, I too would have agreed that beds don’t sell well. I’ve had beds that have sat around for a year before they sold to that one person who was looking for that particular size bed in that specific color I chose to paint it.
Nearly two years later, I’m learning that beds actually do sell well, IF you choose the right bed and refinishes.
Two years ago, I refinished this red, twin bed. It was beautiful! I could just picture it with bright white linens and a few red and blue throw pillows to top off the red-white-blue color scheme in a child’s room or guest bedroom. It took me a year to sell this red, twin bed.
Last year, I refinished this lemon-yellow bed. Again, it was beautiful! It even had a second headboard that matched. I could just imagine these two yellow, twin beds set up in a girl’s bedroom to have sleepovers with friends whenever she wanted. It took me about nine months to sell this lemon-yellow, twin bed.
This past summer, I refinished this black, twin poster bed. Again, beautiful! I specifically chose the neutral black color because the bright red and girly yellow beds took so long to sell in the past. It’s four months later and I’m still waiting for the perfect buyer.
Now let me show you a few beds that have sold right away…
This white, full bed with gold-painted, metal rails sold in only one week.
These two queen sleigh beds sold very quickly and I didn’t finish them at all. The oak one actually sold within 60 seconds of me posting it online.
This white queen size bed was just finished this week. This bed has two slots so the rails can accommodate a either a queen or a full size mattress. I’ve already had a ton of interest in it and expect it to sell very quickly.
And finally, this antique white queen/full headboard was finished today. I’m hoping to find a metal rail set that I can paint gold (similar to the bed mentioned above) to make it a complete bed.
As I look back at the beds that took a very long time to sell and compare them to those that buyers snatch up, there a just a few subtle differences that have made a huge diffence.
First, choose beds that are complete if at all possible. Beds sell quicker if the buyer doesn’t have to worry about purchasing a metal frame separately or going to their local home improvement store to have slats cut to hold the mattress.
Second, go big! Queen and full size beds seem to sell better than smaller twin beds. While twin beds are suitable for young children, they’re a bit small for teenagers and adults. In addition, homes are being built larger than they were 30+ years ago and the room sizes are larger, making queen and full beds a better size option.
Third, choose beds with basic shapes. Fancier scroll work seems to date a piece of furniture so stay with more simple lines.
Fourth, consider selling beds in their “as is” state. Since beds are pretty easy to paint, I’ve found that buyers don’t mind painting them. Unlike a dresser or dining table that can be much more complicated to achieve a superior finish, a bed frame is actually pretty forgiving and any mishaps less noticeable because they’re often covered up with pillows and blankets.
Fifth, paint using a neutral color like white, antique white, or a shade of gray if you’re painting with the intention of re-selling it. Most people already have their bedroom color schemes established through their fabrics and wall color and they don’t want a vibrantly painted bed to conflict with any of those. So stay neutral.
Finally, add a touch of glam to an unsightly metal frame by painting it gold, silver, copper, or white. It’s unexpected and not something a buyer will find at a retail store.
While it may be true that some beds don’t sell well, if you choose well and refinish with a neutral intention you shouldn’t have any difficulty selling a pre-owned bed.
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