I had an old chair -actually there were two of them – and a few years ago I took them and shortened the legs so I could place them in front of the fireplace. They were great there, all nestled up next to the fireplace, but as with any good thing they started to fall apart after so many years.
Now being the good up-cycler that I am, I put the chairs in a corner and pondered what to do with them. At first I had a vague idea of making a sign and hanging it on the back of the chair. Because that was the part I was going to re-use. It would be all fall-like and pretty.
But as things have a way of going by the wayside and doing what they want on this blog, I ended up with something totally different. And so I am going to show you how to make a cool kitchen organizer from a chair.
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What I used:
The How To:
The first step was to take off all the extra pieces so that I was left with the back of the chair only. It was actually quite easy since all I had to do was move the wood back and forth and then just pull the pieces out. I think all those years next to the fireplace have taken their toll on the chairs.
I sanded it down as much as I could. There was a lot of that glossy varnish we frequently find on these pieces of furniture here in Greece.
I then painted it two coats of DecoArt’s Americana Chalky Finish paint in Everlasting. This is a nice solid white. It would serve as my base color. Sorry for the picture quality here, it was taken as the sun was going down.
The next step was to paint the top color. In this case it was some left over paint I had. I had used DecoArt’s Americana Decor chalky finish paint in Escape but had mixed in a bit of white to make it a soft blue.
After it had dried for a day I sanded it down in areas that had normal wear and then used my homemade beeswax to seal it in.
You can see the white peeking through in areas where I did not sand it all the way down to the wood.
I put two nails on the wall and just hung it up like this! Obviously it’s in the kitchen.
It is cool or what? Certainly better than a purely decorative piece.
I just added a bunch of hooks that I had gotten from Ikea. And hung my various kitcheny things. Excuse the dirty glove, you can tell that we really use our stuff around here.
I took these last photos as I was getting ready to leave for the airport so I didn’t notice that a part of the twine had slipped off. That’s also why the color looks a bit greenish. Gotta catch that plane!!
Basically what I did was take a large piece of twine and knot the ends together. Then I folded it in two, then folded it again. I passed the paper towel roll though it so that the knot is hidden inside the paper roll. So that one piece that fell over, well it’s supposed to be hanging.
For now we’ve left it with the holes on the sides. We still have the wood pieces that were originally there and may do something with them. Even left empty they do add a certain character to the kitchen organizer.
So the fall thingy went out the window, but I think this was a far better idea. It is striking because you have this pop of blue in the kitchen. But most of all it is practical. You see we’d just finished the kitchen and we are a bit apprehensive about opening holes onto the tiles. This was the perfect way to organize all these things that normally go on the wall. Or at least hang somewhere.
I hope you enjoyed my easy tutorial on how to make a cool kitchen organizer from a chair. Do you have any leftover chairs that need a re-purpose?
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The small apartment series:
How to organize a Bookcase
Thank you for the tutorial: My husband is near to throwing one of our livingroom chairs out (he’s been at it for ages and it still wobbles and/or falls appart). Guess I will no longer protest when he wants to next time!
It was a very easy project Marjan I just like to get fancy. I hope you share with us when yours is done
Stunning Mary. I love unique storage ideas so much and this is one of the best. I can’t believe how much hanging space there is. Pinned coz it’s really awesome
Michelle that kitchen is tiny so it was a really practical solution! Thank you!
Hey Mary! Hope you are enjoying your vacay during these wild and wooly times here in the USA!
Now that’s a fun project! Great upcycle and a very useful too. There are so many things you could do with that chair back and I like the holes that you left in it.
Have a great day my friend.
Hugs, LYnn
Lynn this is not a vacay it is the real deal. Greece is going no where, it was time to move on. The project was done in Greece for us to have a space to go back to.
I love this idea. Would be great in a girl’s room for purses or necklaces or whatever.
You are so right Jennifer, in fact I’m thinking of making another one.
What a great up-cycle – perfectly Farmhouse.
It is farmhouse, although it is in a beachy house. I guess it is versatile like that!
Mary what a cool kitchen organizer. I really love the colour, it makes such an impact and love the idea of hanging kitchen utensils to have them handy!
Katrin our kitchen is so small there was no other option at this time.
This is like the ladders that are so in fashion as organizers but much cooler and better! Great work Mary! Are you leaving Greece for the states or just visiting?
I am gone goodbye Katerina. It was long overdue. Thanks for the sweet comment. It is cool because it is that lovely shade of blue!
So nice and original as always! Love it.
Thank you Patricia. It turned out to be very practical as well.
This is such a fun idea! I never would have thought of this but I do love it.
I got to save something old and use it in a practical way, thank you Stacey!
I love this, Mary. The paper towels hanging on it are awesome! Plus I really like the color.
Yes that color is really nice, just like a beach color. Which of course I’m always aiming for.
It looks great Mary, and I love the blue color! It makes a great organizer. I still have half a wooden chair that I’m not sure what I’m going to do with, and one whole one that I’m saving for the master bath.
I also see two potential pumpkins hanging on your organizer. (wink)
Haha Linda you are too funny!!
You amaze me, Mary. You keep finding ways to upcycle stuff and turn it into not only decorative things but useful too. This is really really cool. I still have the back of the chair I chopped to make the romantic bench and resisted to throw it away, so I may be copying your project.
I hope so Pili. I wish I had more chairs to use as organizers.
Great idea! I love having things readily available in the kitchen, and this certainly keeps all of the essentials nice and handy. Turned out great!
Thank you Amy. I just couldn’t bare to put holes on the new tiles, not yet anyway.
Now this is my kind of project. I love it. Very handy to hand and unique. It is just up my alley.
And to think that I actually considered turning it into a sign! Silly me, this is so much more practical!
Oh, I want one of these chairs to repurpose! The last one I had I found in the woods, and I let it rot out in the weather. It would have been perfect for this. Love the blue color you painted it, and aren’t those rungs so handy for all kinds of hanging things? I like it.
Now I need another one because I’ve got too much to organize.
I wasn’t quite sure how you were going to pull this off, but you did and it looks terrific. Again, I love your blue!
Thank you so much Jeanie. It is much better as an organizer than a sign.
That was a great idea, Mary! It’s beautiful and practical and I love the color you’ve chosen.
Thank you Julia. It needed to be practical for my small space.
What a great project! I love the idea and how clever you are! I got to thinking you could add a some cute knobs in the holes and then you have more things to hang from it. 🙂 But it is perfect as is too!
I think so too Janine. Some knobs would definitely make it more functional.
My favourite kind of upcycle, looks good and is practical. Well done!
Claire this was such a smart idea to use it practically instead of just adding a welcome sign to it.
Mary, this is such a fabulous repurpose!!! Love it to bits!!
Thanks Sam and it was very easy to do!
You’re always thinkin’ Lincoln ;).
Good job, and I hope you’re enjoying your time in the States!
xxx
Thanks Doreen this little organizer is a work horse.
Awesome upcycle of an old chair back, Mary. I love, love, love the color
Ahh thanks Angie, there was no way I was going to paint it any other color.
What a clever idea for repurposing a chair back – you can hang a lot of handy kitchen gadgets on there! pinned
So much stuff and I’m sure the hubs has hung even more stuff now. It truly is an organizing workhorse.
Super cute, Mary. I love the color you chose. What a great upcycle!
Thank you Carolann! The color matches those chairs in the apartment so we have pops of that color.
This turned out great Mary!
Thank you Sandra, I am so glad I turned it into an organizer and not a sign.
Mary, You never cease to amaze me with how creative you are in repurposing anything. It turned out perfect and very useful. Love it, my friend!
That’s what makes me happy Carol having it be useful.
I love your chair organizer. What a fun idea.
And super practical too!
MARY YOU PUT ME TO SHAME. WHEN DO YOU EVER FIND THE TIME TO TRAVEL TO NY? BACK YET?
I COULD NEVER COME UP WITH THESE IDEAS. I MEAN REALLY. NO IMAGINATION. BUT YOU MAKE THE ROOF EXPLODE WITH ALL OF THESE PROJECTS AND THEN I SAY OOOOHHHH. I JUST DON’T BELIEVE THE IDEAS I WISH I COULD DO WHAT YOU DO BECAUSE THEN I COULD SAVE STUFF TOO. WHICH I DO ANYWAY BUT IT JUST BUILDS UP AND WE NOWHERE TO MOVE.
New York is the place to be Baba!!
I didn’t know how to do any of this stuff either till I started to follow lots of blogs and then I got so many ideas and inspiration from them. Good luck!
Mary this is great!!! We have so many old chairs in Crete (in grandmas house) that I never thought to break one, accidentaly of course.. 😉 and make an organiser!!! It would be great for the storage room as well!
Yes it would and I know you have these chairs. Everyone in Greece has at least one.
What a marvelous way to repurpose. It has so much charm.
Thank you so much Elise.
What a fun project! We’re in the middle of a kitchen renovation, and this would have been perfect for an awkward space we used to have next to our refrigerator. Thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
I hope you can make one for your kitchen too.
Love how you turned this chair into a great kitchen organizer. I love chairs and can never pass one by along the side of the road. Always so many things you can do with them.
I will keep this in mind for one of my chairs.
Hugs,
Bev
Glad I could inspire. Now Beverly maybe you can send one of those chairs to my because there are no more in the basement. 😉
What a clever upcycle, Mary!! I think this is one of my favorite projects of yours. And such a cheery color. From Instagram, I see you’re in NYC. Have a lovely time!
Thanks Cynthia. We moved here a few weeks ago and are loving it. The project was so easy and is so practical too.
This organizer is so clever and has just the look I want. My kitchen is sooo small. I may find a place for this project in my bedroom though since it matches the decor up there perfectly.
That’s a great idea Jeanna. I am actually looking for another one to use as a scarf hanger.
Love it. And useful is the best way to go!!! I made my own a while ago, did you see it? The back leg of the chair had broken so I had to cut it off shorter than you did. Here’s the link:
https://junk4joy.com.au/2017/04/06/one-chair-back-three-ways/
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I love your idea Zefi. The chair back is such a versatile piece it can be used almost anywhere. Thanks for sharing your idea. I will share on FB also!
Mary, I experience almost weekly the project ideas that turn into something completely different than the original idea! Making the chair into a kitchen organizer was brilliant idea and a great solution for organizing the kitchen!
Yes so much smarter than just a cutsie sign that sits there!
Mary, this is genius! Makes me wish I had an old chair to upcycle! I’ll have to pick one up somewhere.
Jean it makes me wish I had more chairs. I want to turn another one into a scarf organizer.
Wow! I absolutely love how you created an amazing functional piece for your kitchen. I would have never been able to even think about repurposing an old chair this way.
Thanks so much. I am just glad I went with this instead of a decoration piece for it. Now I can fill it up.
This is lovely, such a quirky feature for the kitchen. And don’t worry, your oven glove is really not that dirty – we would never have noticed except you pointed it out!!!
It is only fitting that a DIYer should have such a quirky piece right? Shhhh we don’t talk about the dirty gloves… haha!!
This looks fabulous! I would never have thought it possible to make something so cool from a chair! Thanks for linking up with #TwinklyTuesday
Thank you so much Lisa. I am glad I found a place to hang all that stuff.
I love how you reused this chair Mary such a clever idea and I love that shade of blue
Amber thank you it is a life saver for that small kitchen.
What a great job, I love what you’ve done here and the colour is perfect.
Thank you Fiona I am so glad with the way it turned out and how practical it is!
From the first moment I saw this I said wow!!! It is the most clever thing I have ever seen with a part of an old chair! You are my favorite repurposing blogger you know that???? Hugs & kisses 🙂
Thank you dear Christina, I try the best I can, and this one is so practical!
What a great upcycle, and in my favorite hue as well. Nice project Mary, thanks for sharing it at #FridaysFurnitureFix this week, and also your project entry was selected for the giveaway! Can’t wait to see what you do with the products!
Thank you Brenda! I have loads of projects that need to be done so this comes at the perfect time. I’m so excited!
Mary, I love love this repurpose of an old chair!! Very clever and useful and it looks great as an organizer in the kitchen! I think the holes add character to it as well. Great job my friend!!
Keri I did this one as an afterthought but it turns out to have been hugely popular. Thanks so much.
I loved your kitchen rack. I could see those holes being filled with some kind of peg to hold more stuff. I know I shouldn’t complained because my kitchen cupboards cover most of my kitchen walls, but I’d love to have an empty wall to hang something like this rack on!
Right now I have no walls at all in my kitchen and I really miss this pretty organizer that held so much.
I love how country chic your project is.
Thank you Elise, and practical too.