It is best if the current clear coat is removed. With this finish removed the process becomes much easier. You could experiment with some paint and varnish strippers and see how they work. You don’t have to remove the stain, just the clear coat.

With the clear coat removed, a gel stain can be used to recolor the wood. This method is the easiest to do and doesn’t require any new skills. The stain will be easy to work with.

If stripping of the finish isn’t possible, you could try a gel stain over the current finish. This is more difficult to do as the gel stain will be floating on top of the finish. The preparation for using a gel stain over a clear coat is quite basic.

1) Prior to staining, ensure the bedroom set is clean and free of any dust or debris. Soap and warm water should be fine. Now, wipe down all surfaces with a deglosser. This will remove any remaining oils and degloss at the same time.

2) Lightly sand with 220 or finer grit sandpaper or sanding sponges. This will help with adhesion and control of the gel stain.

3) After sanding, wipe everything down with a damp cloth or tack-rag one more time to remove any dust.

4) Now you can apply the stain with a soft white China bristle brush. Apply light coats only until the desired color intensity, allow each coat to fully dry before recoating.

5) Apply a clear finish to protect the new stain. Any clear coat will work, polyurethane with be the easiest to apply plus it’s available in spray cans.