If you're wanting to darken wood that is just stained, i would get a darker stain so that you still see the wood grain.
Can You Paint Over Varnished Pine Furniture. It does require a few steps to ensure that the paint adheres to the surface. It does not work well and the paint will not likely stick.
5 Options for Painting Wood Furniture Without Sanding It First | Architectural Digest from media.architecturaldigest.com
I don't regret any of it. If you're painting over old paint, then regular paint for wood from home depot etc is fine. If you've found a piece of ugly wood furniture with a silhouette that matches your decor, you can do some painting to make the outdated surface better fit.
Revitalising an old varnished piece of furniture like a table or a cabinet is easier than you think.
Don't attempt to paint over varnish. I've painted over all my stripped pine furniture and my french cherry wood armoire. Have a read through this article to find out if you can paint over varnish, as well as some top tips to keep in mind when painting over varnish! Here you can see all of the antique (old) pine furniture that has arrived over the last week or so (23rd july 2020).
