14 Simple And Stylish Ways To Repurpose A Thrifted Luggage Rack Around The House

Heading to the thrift store to get your hands on unique, affordable finds is a great way to decorate your home. Some of these decor scores are even DIY projects in the making with everyday household items you never thought would work, like a luggage rack. While normally used to hold suitcases, you can easily transform it into a functional piece in your home. Get creative and create a side table or one of these other 15 simple and stylish ways to repurpose a thrifted luggage rack around the house.

A common luggage rack typically features two x-framed legs with straps or boards across the top. Some of these suitcase holders may have cloth or leather covers, and wood or metal slats. There are even vintage options made from durable wood and metal, especially in train baggage racks. Most luggage racks can also fold, making them a convenient piece of furniture to put out and away. Normally, you will find many of them in hotel rooms or vacation rentals. There are many different types of luggage racks, including wallsaver, curved leg, straight leg, and wave leg. These racks may also have wall bar supports and additional racks around the legs. Most of these racks are made from wood, metal, or a combination of materials, including fabric. While perusing the thrift store, you may find some sturdy luggage racks that you can easily refurbish. Many of these refurbishments include painting, staining, new covers, and new straps or wooden slats.

Add some greenery and height to your plants by converting a luggage rack into a plant stand. There are a couple of ways to complete this. First, you can add a tray and place pots on top of it. Or, while shopping, pick up a suitcase to make it into a vintage thrift store item that turns into a stylish DIY planter. Since leaving this kind of planter standing outside can weather it, you should keep it as an indoor plant piece, making it a cool focal point in your home.

An interesting way to reuse a luggage rack in your home is in your kitchen. There are a couple of ways to do this. One simple option is to take the foldable rack, set a tray on top, and use it to hold cookbooks or baked goods. Alternatively, if you scored an antique train luggage rack, a unique way to utilize it is to hang it on your wall to store extra kitchen supplies, such as pans, spices, linens, and more. 

Repurpose a refurbished luggage rack into a stylish side table by placing a large tray on top of the opened suitcase rack. Being somewhat low, it makes the perfect side table for couches and armchairs. It also makes a cute bedside table for a low bed. Place a lamp and some decor items to add ambiance. Since this will be a furniture piece, make sure your luggage rack is sturdy enough to withstand all the weight it may hold.

The entrance of your home should make an impression, meaning you need an organized and functional zone. Don't forget to use creative storage ideas for a clutter-free entryway, keeping things off the floor. You can easily do this by using a thrifted luggage rack. Open it up and place a flat surface on top, like a tray or vintage suitcase. Then, once you enter your home, you can immediately place your purse, keys, wallet, or even shoes. Place a bin on top for the entire family to put umbrellas or backpacks.

Don't throw your delivered packages on the ground, a chair, or even on your dining room table — which is a sneaky way you're bringing germs into your kitchen. Instead, set a luggage rack near your front door to hold all your deliveries until you are ready to open them. While luggage racks can hold some weight, try not to put extremely heavy boxes on them, or you may break your suitcase holder. Also, be mindful of how many boxes you place on top to avoid a tower of boxes falling over. 

Never toss your throw pillows, shams, and throws on the floor ever again. Instead, cleverly use your luggage rack to hold them until you make your bed the next day. You can even place one of these in your living room for any decorative pillows or blankets you have lying around. Once you make your bed, fold the rack and neatly store it away until you need it again. Avoid using it to hold more than a few blankets and pillows at a time; creating a tall tower can make your stack tumble over.

A simple and stylish way to repurpose a luggage rack is to use it to hold books and magazines. An easy way to achieve this is to set it out and place wide, decorative books on top. You can also add a tray or flat surface on top of the straps and cover it with smaller books and magazines. Take it to the next level by placing it next to a chair or by adding other cozy items, such as a mug and battery-operated candles.

Convert an old luggage rack into a beautiful DIY table by using a mirror. For this project, you'll need your luggage rack and a framed mirror, as well as some spray paint if you'd like to change the color of either piece. Then, simply place the mirror on top of the luggage rack. Set the combo in your living room and add a plant or even coasters, making it into a functional, statement piece.

A portable outdoor table is a great addition to anyone's backyard space, especially if you want a raised surface to place things on. Luggage racks are typically easy to tote around for both indoor and outdoor use, making them perfect for your camping trips and any other outdoor adventure, whether it's to enjoy the sun in your backyard or take a family trip into the woods. Unfold your luggage rack and place a sturdy, flat surface on top to create a quick tabletop to hold all your essentials.

Create a portable bedside table with your luggage rack. The easiest way to achieve this is to open the rack and place a tray on top, making it easy to add your items. This tray table is ideal for when you're sick, letting you hold all of your supplies, such as food, medicines, and humidifiers. This is also a great makeshift table if you need a surface to hold your craft or project supplies. The best part is that you can close it back up and store it away once you're done. 

Utilize a luggage rack for what it was made for by strategically placing it in your guest bedroom and encouraging guests to use it. This is great for a room that doesn't have a closet for them to unpack or if your guest prefers to live out of their suitcase. Place the luggage rack in an open area of the room, against a wall, so that your guests have room to throw open their bags. To make things comfortable for everyone, have a couple of suitcase holders.

Stylishly display your towels by placing them on a thrifted luggage rack. For this style tip, the easiest way is to open the rack and roll towels into a pyramid shape. The towel tower should be placed near your bath or shower. Don't forget to add this setup to your guest or spare bathroom for any family or friends who stay over. If you have a smaller bathroom, utilize the wall space by hanging a metal vintage train luggage rack.

Repurpose a thrifted luggage rack into a funky bar table by opening the rack and placing a large tray or low-walled basket on top. Then, add your liquor collection, and now you have the perfect spot to entertain your guests. Once you have it set up, don't forget to decorate the bar cart to give your space some personality. Recipe books, plants, bar accessories, and glasses are great pieces to add to your DIY bar cart. You can even add a punch bowl and glasses as a drink station.

Showcase some of your favorite seasonal decor with a thrifted luggage rack. There are a couple of ways to present these items. The first way is quite simple: open the rack and place a large decor piece, like a stuffed animal or basket, on top. The other way involves placing a solid, flat surface, like a tray or wood block, on top of the rack and then setting out your small festive items. You can even get a vintage metal train luggage rack to hang decor off of it.