The weekend after we finished our big bathroom makeover, we hopped in the car and drove five hours to the family beach house in Rehoboth, Delaware. It wasn’t that we were tired of our shiny new bathroom—we kept sneaking in to admire it—but we needed a mini-vacation after all that work. My main tile guy, John, especially deserved a break. We love visiting the beach in the off-season: it’s quiet, cozy, and perfect for playing board games, eating home-cooked meals, and catching up on movies and Law & Order episodes we’ve been meaning to watch. We also managed to stop at the outlets (yes, $9 shoes!) and even picked up a few cute baby-girl outfits on sale.
John decided to lead the hunt for a nursery chair because the beach area is full of home decor shops, thrift stores, and salvage spots. At first we struck out—most places either charged steep beach-front prices or sold stiff, uncomfortable chairs. We did, however, find a pillow that looked exactly like our dog Burger, which made us smile. Despite that minor distraction, we kept searching and eventually wandered into the All Saints’ Parish Thrift Shop. That’s where we hit the jackpot.
Before I describe the find, here’s what we were looking for and why. Initially we considered gliders—many parents love them—but after testing several and seeing some with $800 price tags, we decided a comfy chair and ottoman would suit us better. We knew I’d likely nurse on the sofa most of the time with a Boppy pillow, since the den (where I work and the TV lives) is right off the kitchen. The nursery chair would probably be used a couple of times a day for quieter moments, so splurging on an expensive glider didn’t feel necessary.
We also talked to friends and family who had opted for non-gliding nursery chairs. Their advice was consistent: get something comfortable, add an ottoman, and avoid armless slipper chairs—armrests are helpful for support while nursing. Armed with that guidance, we went into the thrift shop determined to find something cozy and supportive.
Inside the shop we found an egg-shaped, bucket-style chair that immediately felt like a hug. We must have sat in dozens of chairs that day, but this one wrapped around us in a way nothing else did. Even John, who didn’t seem convinced at first, tried the chair and announced he didn’t want to get up. The chair’s compact scale is ideal for our modest nursery, and we knew a fresh coat of paint, a small lumbar pillow, and an ottoman would make it even better. Best part: it cost twenty dollars.
Because the chair looked vintage, we were concerned about lead paint. The shopkeeper suggested it could be an original from the ’60s or ’70s. We planned to use a soy-based stripper if needed, but we wanted a definitive answer, so we bought a Lead Check kit at Home Depot. Following the instructions, we snapped the test stick, rubbed a little reagent into a few chipped areas, and watched for a color change. The test shows pink if lead is present; ours stayed yellow. No pink, no lead—huge relief.
We still plan to repaint the chair with no-VOC paint and update the legs, but we haven’t rushed to strip or paint it because we already love sitting in it. When the house is quiet, you’ll often find one of us curled up in that chair with our feet up—even in the dark. It’s easily the most comfortable seat in the house, and pictures don’t do it justice.
To make sure the chair would hold up for nursing, John’s sister—who has three kids—came over and nursed her three-month-old in it. She declared it very cozy and said the arm support was perfect. Her approval meant a lot to us.
In the end, we didn’t end up with a glider or an overstuffed armchair, but our $20 thrift-store find is supportive, comfy, and perfectly scaled for the nursery. It feels like the right choice for how we plan to use the space.
Stay tuned for updated photos once we repaint the chair and add a plush lumbar pillow. Until then, you’ll find me in the nursery with the lights off and my feet up—life is pretty good while pregnant.
Psst- Wanna see our nursery progress from the very beginning? Here’s our painting post, our big shopping spree, our crib hunting rundown, and our curtain-making tutorial.