# Tips for Designing a Stylish Nursery with Secondhand Furniture Designers say antique and vintage pieces add character to baby rooms. - **Source:** [Architectural Digest](https://brifing.si/source/d2a803b5-44d1-459b-8d0d-ae4594d3d9a4) - **Published:** 2026-08-14 - **Topic:** [Design & UX](https://brifing.si/c/design) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/c4ab11ac-6acb-40ed-b2d7-cf3b18a34bce ## The Role of Vintage Furniture in Nurseries Designers highlight the aesthetic and practical advantages of using vintage furniture in nurseries. Alex Yeske notes that antique pieces are more durable due to prior use, and minor damages add to their character. This approach is ideal for a room meant to collect memories. Except for items that don’t meet modern safety standards, vintage furniture adds a unique charm to baby rooms. ## Antique Chairs Over Nursing Chairs Kendall Knox recommends using antique chairs instead of traditional nursing chairs in nurseries. A Napoleon III chair offers elegance and remains useful long after the baby outgrows it. Reupholstering the chair in a favorite fabric ensures it can be repurposed elsewhere in the home later. This provides both an economical and sustainable solution for nursery design. ## Stylish Changing Units with Antique Dressers Amanda Knorr mentions parents are repurposing antique dressers as changing tables. These pieces offer a permanent and stylish alternative to temporary furniture. Adding a simple changing pad to an old English pine dresser creates a functional and aesthetic solution that can be used long after diapers are no longer needed. ## Elegant Storage: Vintage Baskets Using vintage baskets in nurseries provides both practical and decorative benefits. Different-shaped baskets can organize toys or daily essentials. A low woven tray creates a play area, while harvest baskets keep items like diaper cream within easy reach. As the child grows, these baskets adapt to new uses. ## Vintage Toys: Future Heirlooms A 1960s Danish modern rocking elephant adds character to nurseries. Its warm teak wood and clean lines make it perfect for safari-themed rooms, though its charm suits any nursery. Such vintage toys can become cherished family heirlooms over time. ## Nostalgic Touches with Vintage Books Vintage children’s books bring nostalgia to nurseries. A 1939 first-edition alphabet book or a $5 flea market find retains timeless appeal. Kendall Knox keeps her husband’s childhood Dr. Seuss books in her son’s nursery, where they also serve as charming artwork. ## Cozy Ambiance with Vintage Lighting Soft lighting in nurseries makes nighttime feedings and morning cuddles more comfortable. A vintage Louis Poulsen lamp, with its oak and rattan design, embodies Danish modern elegance. Such lighting enhances the room’s warmth and atmosphere. ## Personalized Spaces with Vintage Pieces Incorporating vintage items into nurseries creates sustainable and personalized spaces. Designers emphasize how antiques add character and longevity. This approach transforms nurseries from ordinary rooms into special places. Vintage pieces also become part of the family’s legacy. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/the-secondhand-nursery — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._