Mealtimes with your little one can be so messy – food all over your floor, stained outfits and high chair that seems impossible to clean. That’s why so many parents choose a basic IKEA Antilop high chair. Very simple and affordable options in the UK market. But parents soon realise they want it to be more comfortable and practical. That’s where the IKEA high chair hack comes in. With just a few simple tweaks, you can transform it to be comfy, easy to clean and look stylish to match your home interiors.
The IKEA Antilop has become a go-to because:
1. It’s budget-friendly (only £15 in store)
2. Lightweight and easy to move around
3. Simple design fits most kitchens
4. Easy to clean seat and tray
It is great, but still has lots of room for improvement. You can find lots of IKEA highchair hack ideas here - everything from correct posture to stylish transformations.
The IKEA high chair is missing one key feature – a footrest. Dangling feet can be distracting and uncomfortable for babies. It also increases choking risk! Check AZEbabydream ikea high chair footrest hack here. Make sure your baby is sitting right, as healthy posture promotes proper alignment of their developing musculoskeletal system and increases focus on eating, chewing and swallowing.
Let’s be honest – the IKEA high chair tray is huge and doesn’t fit in most sinks. Fitting this huge tray in a tiny sink can make more mess than the meal itself. A fitted silicone placemat is the best fix. Just lift, rinse and it is ready for the next meal. No stiff tray removal and no splashes in the kitchen.
IKEA highchair is too deep for smaller babies, which causes wriggling from side to side and makes mealtimes less comfortable and safe. Our inflatable cushion insert can fix it, as you can inflate it fully for young babies and deflate the sides as your baby grows. A supported seat means better posture, more comfort, and a baby who can focus on eating. It’s a simple but essential IKEA Antilop hack, check this video how.
Cotton and polyester cushions need constant washing and drying, but who has time for that? Our wipe-clean cushion covers mean you can simply wipe and use it again, keeping things quick and stress-free. They can also be machine-washed when needed, but you don’t have to do this daily thanks to their easy-clean finish. Practical, hygienic, and designed with parents’ busy lives in mind.
Another great Antilop IKEA hack every parent should know. No fabric is completely stain-proof, and foods like beetroot, tomato, and curry can leave marks. We recommend to clean straight away, chuck cushion cover in the wash if needed, and if it is still stained – leave it in the sunshine. The sun acts as a natural bleach, fading stains gently without harsh chemicals.
The plain silver legs of the Antilop can feel a bit boring, but our high-quality vinyl leg wraps completely transform them. These come with a wood grain effect, which looks just like natural wood. Gives your chair that warm, modern feel without the hassle of paint (which often chip). It’s a quick IKEA high chair upgrade that transforms a basic chair into a stylish piece of furniture.
Our cushion covers help to style the whole chair. Designed in complementary colour palettes, you can mix and match prints (dots, rainbows, stripes) for a look that fits seamlessly into your home. It’s an IKEA Antilop hack that makes your setup both practical and stylish.
For that high-end, styled feel, try to mix and match high chair accessories. You can pair a cushion cover with a matching silicone placemat, add our solid oak wooden footrest and leg wraps, then add a messy mat, long sleeve bib, and suction plate in coordinationg colours. It’s a very easy IKEA high chair hack that looks straight out of a magazine but is still totally practical for everyday mealtimes.
👉 Check AZEbabydream TikTok and Instagram to see how mums coordinate prints and colours.
No more bowl throwing across the kitchen! Our suction plates and bowls stick really well to the tray. They also pair perfectly with our fitted silicone placemats giving you an easy to clean setup. When your little one is done, just lift the placemat with everything on it, rinse, and you’re ready for the next round.
👉 Check our suction plates and bowls and fitted silicone placemats hack here.
Keep long sleeve bibs, suction bowls, and spoons close by in a little basket or on a hook near your high chair. Small touches like this make mealtimes so much easier.
Every parent gets nervous thinking about floor cleaning after each meal. Our messy mats under the IKEA high chair help to protect wooden floors, tiles, or carpets from stains and splashes. Just shake it out, wipe, or machine wash after your last meal of the day. It’s one of those hacks that saves endless scrubbing on your knees.
The IKEA Antilop high chair is a brilliant budget friendly option, but with a few clever tweaks, it becomes so much more. From the supportive IKEA Antilop footrest hack to chic leg wraps and wipe-clean cushions, every IKEA highchair hack makes life easier and mealtimes calmer.
Ready to try IKEA Antilop hack?
Since many highchairs on the market don’t include a footrest, it may seem that they are not necessary. Why do some highchairs include a footrest while others don’t? Is foot support necessary when considering your child’s eating environment? Let’s take a closer look and get to the truth.
