Asked on Jan 01, 2013

Re-purposing a baby highchair

V Valencia
by V Valencia
I have an wooden baby highchair that I used for both my daughters now 23 and 16...I just can't seem to part with the chair. It was initially white and I painted it for my second daughter. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can repurpose this special chair?
Baby highchair
  37 answers
  • Kimberly Barney Kimberly Barney on Jan 01, 2013
    I wouldn't repurpose it. I would simply hold on to it for the grandchildren.
  • Miriam Illions Miriam Illions on Jan 01, 2013
    I saw this one idea for a cook book stand on Pinterest via Junk Market Style: http://pinterest.com/pin/4222193370798405/ You'd have to take it apart somewhat, though.
  • Z Z on Jan 01, 2013
    I too would hang onto it for your future grandchildren, but in the mean time you could removed the tray and keep it stored somewhere safe and add a shelf across the very bottom rungs by just placing a piece of wood cut to fit and use it as in Miriam's picture. Great find @Miriam.
  • Kelly S Kelly S on Jan 01, 2013
    Use it as is for a night stand a guest bedroom, complete with an extra throw rolled up and placed in the chair or a stuffed animal.
  • V Valencia V Valencia on Jan 02, 2013
    Hello, thanks so much for your suggestions. I love both ideas of using it for book storage or night stand...great usage while maintaining the integrity of the chair for grandkids...
  • Cherie Cherie on Jan 02, 2013
    Keep ours in corner of breakfast room ... and old wooden stirrup napkin holder, S&P, candle on tray ... drape current place mats over back and napkins on seat. Also good for a nice green plant!!
  • Carroll A Carroll A on Jan 02, 2013
    Use it for a plant stand until them grand babies come along. It is a keeper for sure.
  • Z Z on Jan 02, 2013
    The only thing I'd add if you use it as a plant stand, which is a great idea, is to make sure you never over water. I'd place a tray under the pot, just in case...
  • Vintage Headboards Vintage Headboards on Jan 02, 2013
    Just a thought... If you removed the tray and spindles that support the tray what was once a baby high chair would morph into a regular chair for the baby. Think of it the same way that baby beds are changed into day beds. I wouldn't throw it away - help the chair mature into the next stage of the baby's life. Keep the spindles and tray as they can be re-attached later in life for that child's baby when they grow up. Give it a shot???
  • Jamala W Jamala W on Jan 02, 2013
    I see its in the kitchen.. i'd put a decorative bin in the chair and roll up the kitchen towels and mittens to keep them handy and close by. perhaps put your favorite apron around the chair back :-) - just a suggestion
  • Marcia T Marcia T on Jan 03, 2013
    this is a nice pic of a repurposed high chair that just happens to be on craigslist. I'm not selling it, I just happen to find it. http://austin.craigslist.org/atq/3511809749.html
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Jan 03, 2013
    I think if you use it as a plant stand, I'd make sure the change wasn't permanent cause eventually, (sooner than it seems possible) you'll have grandkids and want to use the chair for them...what a wonderful piece to have!
  • Jeff C Jeff C on Jan 03, 2013
    I see this as being a cool barbers chair for some reason.
  • Rosalie M Rosalie M on Jan 03, 2013
    I have one of these old high chairs also. I kept mine varnished and use it as a decorative piece in my dinning room. Their original purpose was to remove the tray and convert into a youth chair. I keep a beautiful doll in mine and when babies come to visit, it can be used for them as well.
  • Z Z on Jan 03, 2013
    I wish I would have kept the wooden one we had, but we moved so often when the kids were little it was one of those things we had to leave behind eventually.
  • Jeanie M Jeanie M on Jan 03, 2013
    I bought a wooden chair for $19.00 in a resale shop this spring and painted it bright colors. I put it in my garden. I used the legs to trellis tomatoes and the seat and tray to hold pots of flowers. However, it was rough on the chair and I wouldn't use that idea for an heirloom.
    • Rita Robbie Rita Robbie on Feb 11, 2015
      Hi Jeanie, Have you tried Americana brand Patio Paint? It is made for outdoors and holds up well. Also, you probably need a varnish which is made for outdoors. As it begins to look worn, you could repaint with the patio paint and apply a weatherproof finish (don't forget the undersides and leg bottoms - especially anywhere that gets dampness from the dirt or grass) For better protection you should varnish several coats, drying well between each coat. You would be amazed how much better it will hold up outdoors. You can find the paints at Beverly's, Michael's or similar craft stores, or online. It is a well known brand among decorative artists (tole painters). Good luck. After all the creative work you put in, you want it to last :-). PS check for wear every year and revarnish any areas that have worn to keep it in good shape.
  • Karen Worden Karen Worden on Jan 28, 2013
    I still have mine. I take the tray off and it slides right under our table for a chair for the toddlers. My grandkids all use it now
  • Julie Julie on Feb 26, 2013
    I have my Dad's old highchair. I use it for a plant stand, I have a big fern sitting on it. When the grandkids come, we still use it! The plant gets moved to the porch.
  • V Valencia V Valencia on Apr 04, 2013
    Thanks all for your input. As noted previously, I was having difficulty in parting with my daughters' high chair...I have now re-purposed it and it will be ready for grandkids in years to come.
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Apr 13, 2013
    What a CUTE, (temporary) use you found for it! LOL This is adorable!!!
  • Lindsey Freeman Lindsey Freeman on Apr 16, 2013
    a flower pot... put pot on tray!
  • KathrynElizabeth Etier KathrynElizabeth Etier on Jun 20, 2014
    I just repainted an old high chair (will post when the project is done). This wouldn't work for you because your kids are too big (think grandchildren), but I'm going to add lettering and stencils, and make it into a time out chair. Since I can fit in it comfortably, I'm sure it's gonna work for my grands who are 8 and 6. It's going on the deck. When the kids are too big, it will be a planter with a pot of something tall or viney in the seat and something short on the tray.
  • V Valencia V Valencia on Jun 21, 2014
    Hello @KathrynElizabeth Etier I posted this question awhile ago. Since then I took the advice of Hometalkers and made it a bookshelf and put it in my dining room. I painted it white and distressed it a bit. Books can be removed and used for future grandchildren :)
  • Irene Irene on Feb 16, 2015
    I would leave it alone. You will want this chair for Granchildern before you know it!
    • See 1 previous
    • Snapoutofit Snapoutofit on Dec 24, 2015
      @Irene I agree. Decorate it for seasonal themes, put a plant on it, etc. Just use it as a decorative piece to change when you have your next creative whim (like we all have...often in the middle of the night, when it is a work week, and we have a meeting first thing in the morning....)
  • Teresa Teresa on Sep 15, 2015
    Nice job! Repurposed for now but can use for grandbabies in the future too! Best of both worlds!
  • Kathryn Pelletti Kathryn Pelletti on Oct 25, 2015
    Keep it just the same I think the same have it for grandbaby's
  • Mary M. Prinzavalli Mary M. Prinzavalli on Nov 04, 2015
    I had an old highchair and used it for a plant since it sat in front of a sliding glass door. Then when I got grandchildren I used it for them. A Boston fern or airplane plant would look nice.
  • Mary Mary on Dec 08, 2015
    Hey just a thought to add to its already special qualities, but maybe start collecting vintage children's books that have meaning for you and other members of the family. Then when grandkids come along it will be center of attention and very special to all (= Blessings and Happy Holidays Btw gorgeous paint job (=
  • Smk1442994 Smk1442994 on Jan 19, 2016
    It's lovely the way it is. Great condition !! But of course it's up to you. That's so wonderful that you still have it. I wish I would have kept the high chair my kids used.The grand children will love it.
  • Stephen Canas Stephen Canas on Sep 30, 2016
    If your into woodworking you could turn it into a rocking chair! Basically it is a regular chair made for a basic dining room table you can take the baby table and platform off it to expose the regular seat. Take the baby foot support off . Install long rockers on the bottom, (don't use short ones or you'll get a head ache falling over every time. Extend the back and use a pillow backing to make it comfortable and like a cardinals sette use that shape to install armrests.
  • Stephen Canas Stephen Canas on Sep 30, 2016
    ....your going to need a rocking chair to tell your grandbabies stories are you not?
  • Joan Conn Spengler Joan Conn Spengler on Oct 29, 2016
    Why wreck it! It is delightful as is.
  • Lois Kelly Lois Kelly on Nov 02, 2016
    It's a beautiful piece of furniture and you will need it for grandchildren before long. However, I took the back, tray and spndles off mine and used the sturdy bottom for a rather large round piece of plywood, attached it through the seat and am using it with a beautiful green tassdaled cloth over it and a glass for the top.
  • Nelia Amaro Nelia Amaro on Nov 02, 2016
    you can hang upside down or right side up, either way a good storage idea
  • Norma Wheeler Norma Wheeler on Nov 05, 2016
    plant stand
  • Pam Denny Pam Denny on Sep 10, 2020

    I also have a antique high chair; was used by my husband when he was a baby and then we used for my daughter. However, when grandkids came along, my daughter did not feel it was as safe as the newer high chairs. So has not been used as such since. And places that might take used baby items will not take for the safety reasons cited above. So I am looking for some other use. Have seen some good ideas though.