Friday, June 5, 2009

Thailand Elephant Chair



I got one for myself because I thought it would be a great conversation piece when I got back home.
I had no idea I would be using it for a crib but it sure paid off.

You use foam for the mattress and to put around the sides.
Like a baby basket (which I also made with lace and padding to bring my baby home from the hospital) you can turn it into something truly joyous.

The open side you place against the wall. There is more than enough room for a baby to sleep in for about 2-3 even 4 years but usually after 1 1/2 they tend to go into either a bunk, twin or a double bed and then you are left with a crib you have no use for.

The Elephant chair could be used as a coffee table, which it is now and I also used it for decoration and picture taking.
It is great to put in a doll display, stuffed toys. books, magazines and other displays you want people to see through glass.

Fill it with cushions and kids will still like to climb into it to watch TV, imagining they are sitting atop a huge elephant.

Before long, you find them curled up and sleeping like angels.
They never have nightmares sleeping in this ol chair because so many stories can be invented sitting beside it, and they go to sleep, heroes on a great adventure. (Like something out of a Never Ending Story)

If you have guests with babies, well the good ol elephant chair becomes a crib again because it is so easy to store the padding for it.

Anyway... this is my elephant chair. I enjoyed it so much and have great memories from it.

And besides.....you never know when an elephant may decide to pop in and give you a ride .lol





17 comments:

Vicky said...

Wow! That is an original and unique piece. Its beautiful too and I would not have thought to use it for a crib! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad Dr. John asked what this was. Excellent post and i just love the elephant song...One thing I so enjoy is how you always add the music...terrific :) Have a great day my friend :)

Akelamalu said...

Oh WOW I love it, I want one!

Voegtli said...

It is a beautiful pieceof....furiniture.

crochet lady said...

So that's an elephant chair. Thanks for the picture, it doesn't look like I imagined it would. Very nice, and what a multi-purpose piece of furniture.

Jientje said...

I had never heard of that before I read your post! thanks for sharing, it looks like a wonderful piece of furniture!

George said...

I enjoyed your narrative of the uses you've made of your elephant chair. It's a unique piece that you've put to great uses.

A Lady's Life said...

Vicky, with your piggy mascot and my elephant we make a great pair lol

Thom this song below is the sort of fun we had in this chair. Story telling is lots of fun esp when there is a special something to relate it to.
I remember my son lying in it and giggling while I told him a story about the pick nosed kid who couldn't get his finger out of his nose and was being made fun of.

Crochet Lady there are different kind of elephant chairs, Some are carved and stand like wooden statues. They are comfortable to sit on
Others are designer made with curls
and the head shaped like an elephant with huge ears.It is designed to lie on with feet up in comfort.But mine is like the one they would put on a real elephant.

Thanks all. I enjoyed showing you my chair :)

Robynn's Ravings said...

Why I do believe even MY rear end would fit into THIS chair! lol And aren't you a clever repurposer!

A Lady's Life said...

Thanks Robyn . I try lol

Dr.John said...

Thanks. Now I know what an elephant chair is.

Maude Lynn said...

Gorgeous! I've never seen one before. Now, I want one!

Nessa said...

I want one. Very cool and beautiful and useful. Thanks for showing us.

Gattina said...

How interesting ! I have never seen such a seat so clear and near ! What a good idea to use it as a craddle !
Thanks for your comment on my travel blog !

Unknown said...

Wow! That is an unique piece and I love it. I wonder what is the dimension of it and love to add such item as my collection if I have the space for it. Thanks for sharing!

Grandma Carol said...

That is amazing you used that chair for a crib, because I have a similar but different story about mine. I'm 63 now, but when I was 18, My family moved back from Bangkok,and among a lot of furniture and stuff we brought back, was a teak elephant chair, smaller than yours, but still good sized, and beautifully carved, similar to yours. My parents didn't have a cushion. BUT, after WWII, my dad was going to St Louis U. and working in the records room of St. Louis City Hospital, where he met my mom working as a nurse, and coincidentally, the hospital was throwing out all the antiquated nursery beds when my parents had ME. So they grabbed one. To make an unnecesarily long story short, the mattress that I, my 4 siblings, and probably thousands of other babies for years and years had sweet dreams on(as that hospital was the county hospital at the time,) has padded that elephant chair for 45 years. It's covered in thick rubber, and I believe it's stuffed with horsehair! It was a perfect fit! So now, as my grandchildren come to visit, the babies can continue to sleep on the mattress, but now in the elephant chair, and I'll think of you! Carol

A Lady's Life said...

Gramma Carol - thanks for your comment
I really enjoyed reading it. That is some history. Can you imagine rubber mattresses in hospitals stuffed with horse hair? Wow!