Turn a Vintage Ironing Board into a Stunningly Useful Table

Ironing boards aren’t typically left out in the open of a well-decorated, organized room — especially if it’s not the laundry room. But an old vintage ironing board positioned against a wall or piece of furniture as a table brings a sense of timeless charm when it blends in with the rest of the room’s decor. Perfect for small spaces and hallways, an ironing board is long and narrow enough to fit almost anywhere while still being able to hold quite a few different accessory pieces.

If you have an old ironing board lying around (or if you can pick one up at an antique store or a garage sale), you may want to look for some inspiration from a few of the following ideas below to figure out how to use yours and turn it into something really spectacular looking!

Plant and Garden Display

Ironing boards that have a particularly rustic look are great for holding up smaller plants and herbs. Who needs a plant stand when you’ve got one of these? [Photos from Remodelista]

vintage ironing board 3 — Use an old ironing board to display potted plants

ironing board table 1 — Use an old ironing board in your sunroom to hold plants and herbs

ironing board table 21 — Use an old ironing board as a simple and convenient table

For this garden-inspired ironing board table, holes were cut out to hold planters in place.

ironing board table 13 — Cut holes in a vintage ironing board to hold planters

Rustic Reflections

If you have a large mirror handy, you can hang it on the wall above the ironing board (or stand it up on the board itself to lean against the wall) in a way that creates a vanity-style look. This board found on The Rustic Pig uses dark colors to pull the design together, while the ones found on Funky Junk Interiors and The Long Awaited Home create stylish yet very rustic-looking hall tables near stairways.

ironing board table 5 — Place a mirror or wall art above your vintage ironing board

ironing board table 9 — Build off the old, rustic look of an ironing board with accessories and plants

ironing board table 12 — Use a vintage ironing board as a hall table

ironing board table 17 — Use large decorative items and table linens to dress up an old ironing board

Bookworm Storage

For more of a functional, toned down rustic look with your old vintage ironing board, why not use it to store your books? You can leave them in stacks or line them up as if it were a bookshelf. Examples from DIY Homegirl and Etsy shop owner Bonnbonn show you how to do it.

ironing board table 18 — Place an ironing board in a small, empty corner to add a decorative touch

ironing board table 19 — Use an ironing board for stacks of books

ironing board table 20 — Create a bookshelf out of an ironing board

Vintage Dining

You can fill empty wall space in a kitchen or dining room with a vintage ironing board table. Both tables from Eclectically Vintage and Celebrations At Home Blog use them to create buffet areas with added wall art displayed above. And this one from PopSugar shows you how you can bring it outside for entertaining!

ironing board table 16 — Create a buffet from an ironing board in your kitchen or dining area

ironing board table 10 — Another great example of a restaurant-style buffet on an ironing board

ironing board table 22 — An ironing board makes a great food/beverage table for outdoor entertainment

Bath Trays

You’ve seen vintage ironing boards used in all sorts of places in the home, but not in the bathroom! An ironing board on its own without the legs makes a wonderful tray to lay across the tub so you can keep your beverage, books, bath salts, or anything else nearby when it’s time for a relaxing soak. [Photo from Remodelista]