How To Repurpose An Old Chair For Extra Storage Space On The Cheap

Do you have an old chair lying around the home that you're not using anymore? Don't throw it out just yet! Even if you don't want to place an old, antique chair in your modern living room or dining room, it still has a lot of value — if you know how to use it. There's more than one way to repurpose an old chair. One of the best options is to create a shelf for your wall. 

With a built-in flat surface, an old chair can be a great place to set things! After a few simple tweaks and a little bit of handiwork, your chair can be installed on the wall of a living room, bedroom, or bathroom while creating a stylish and unique look. Upcycling a chair in this way works well — whether your old chair is fully intact or it's broken and tattered and already missing a leg or two. 

Consider using your antique chair to store your favorite house plant, books, a few bathroom necessities, or simply some home decor. Doing so helps achieve a charming, antique look while being functional as well. Repurposing an old chair can be well worth the small amount of time and effort it takes and is a much better choice than simply getting rid of it.

The first step to upcycling a chair is to choose the right one to use. You'll want to choose a chair in which the back is fairly flat so that it can be placed against the wall adequately. The seat itself should also be flat and work well for setting items on top of it.

When cutting up an old chair for shelving, a hand saw works well. Consider removing all of the legs of the chair completely so that only the back of the chair and seat remain. As an alternative, some people choose to leave either two or all four legs in place when hanging the chair. You may also want to cut back the front half of the seat to make a thinner shelf or remove it completely and add a new plank of wood for shelving instead. It all depends on your desired look. Shape the seat, back, and legs in whatever way you desire. Also, keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to hang the chair upright. An upside-down chair can serve as an excellent shelf and will look great. 

If you don't want to cut up your old chair but would still like to use it as shelving, that's also a possibility. Instead, use wall hooks to hang the chair in place. This lets you keep your precious antique chair intact — and you won't need to use your hand saw.