How to Choose Beds That Re-Sell Well

Many furniture refinishers and painters will tell you that 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. Here’s how to choose beds that re-sell well…

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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 had beds 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 learned that beds actually do sell well, IF you choose the right bed and finish.

For example. One Christmas season, I refinished this twin bed and painted it red.   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.

But it took me a full YEAR to sell this red, twin bed!

Potential reasons it took longer to sell: Single twin bed. Bright, bold color. The antique width not exactly the same as today’s mattresses.

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Then, I refinished this bed and painted it a soft lemon-yellow. To achieve the color, I painted it yellow and then topped it with a white glaze. The finish was so pretty (much nicer than my photo shows) and one I imagined seeing in a small custom shop in a high-end little shopping town like Wellesley, Newburyport, or Chatham, Massachusetts.

Again, it was beautiful!  But it took me about nine months to sell this lemon-yellow, twin bed.

Potential reasons it took longer to sell: Single twin bed. Unique color and finish. No wood slats

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Then I refinished this black, twin poster bed.  Again, beautiful!  I specifically chose the neutral black color because the bright red and girly yellow bed took so long to sell in the past.  This one sold quicker than the prior two, but still took 6 months to sell.

Potential reasons it took longer to sell: Single twin bed. Bright, bold color. The antique width not exactly the same as today’s mattresses. No wood slats.

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Now let me show you a few beds that have sold right away…

Beds That Sell Well

This set of antique twin beds was refinished and painted a lavender purple with a white glaze. The color is soft and sweet and beautiful. Although not shown, both beds also had side rails and slats.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: It was a matching set of twin beds.

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This full size bed was originally a dark wood with the typical powder-coated brown rails. I painted the headboard and footboard white. Then spray-painted the rails a shiny gold to add a little surprise glam. The bed sold in only one week at full price.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: Full size bed with frame ready to fit a boxspring. Neutral color. Unique gold painted side rails.

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If you would like to know the exact products I I use to refinish furniture including prep, priming, painting, and clear coating, refer to my Painting Furniture ebook here:

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This full size bed also started off with a dark brown stain. Two coats of Dior Gray later, including painted side rails and the bed also sold in about one week.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: Full size bed with side rails.

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This queen sleigh bed sold within about 60 seconds of me posting it online and I didn’t finish it at all.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: Queen size. Solid wood complete set.

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This white queen size bed has two slots so the rails can accommodate either a queen or a full size mattress.  As soon as I posted it for sale, I immediately had a ton of interest and it sold very quickly.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: Full / Queen size with side rails. Neutral color.

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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.

This headboard also sold very quickly, with the buyer stating that she “had a really hard time finding a queen size headboard”.

Reasons it may have sold quickly: Queen / Full size. Neutral color.

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So not that you’ve seen a few examples, let’s dive deeper into why certain beds sold quickly…

How to Choose Beds That Re-Sell Well

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.

#1 – 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.

#2 – Matching twin beds sell better than individual twin beds. Historically, a single twin bed would always take 6 months to a year to re-sell. But when there was a matching set, they sold within weeks of being listed.

#3 – 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.

#4 – Choose beds with basic shapes. Fancier scroll work seems to date a piece of furniture so stay with more simple lines.

#5 – Choose solid wood. I avoid upholstered beds and only refinish solid wood beds.

#6 – 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.

#7- 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.

#8- 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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