One of my first projects for A Beautiful Mess back in 2013 was this leaning ladder, and it remains a very favorite piece in my home, being moved about depending on my mood. It’s a pretty simple project for the beginner woodworker, and so versatile as a decorative accessory in the home. You can also find old weathered ladders at antique shops and salvage stores too if you’re not keen on making one.
If you already have a leaning ladder in your home, or are considering making or purchasing one, here are some ideas that will help you decorate confidently.
Do you have a spare section of wall in your kitchen? Lean a ladder against it and you’ve got some practical and beautiful vertical storage. All you need are some large s-hooks and you can get to hanging pots, pants, and even linens. This would also be a great place to hang herbs with some twine for drying.
Products shown:
• Set of 2 Large S-Hooks
• 8-Inch Ceramic Frying Pan (similar)
• Orange Cast Iron Skillet (similar)
• White Mini Colander (similar)
• Nesting Mesh Strainers
2. MAGAZINE STORAGE + READING LAMP
This idea is a two-for-one! Lean a ladder beside a chair or sofa, and hang your favorite magazines for a fun combo of convenience and decor. Need a little light for reading? All you need to do is clamp a light onto the ladder for an element of industrial style.
Products shown:
• 5″ Clamp Light (similar)
• Frankie Magazine
House plants add such a fresh and cozy feel to a home, but if you’ve run out of surfaces for your potted plants, have no fear! You don’t need to hang a hook in your wall or ceiling to display hanging plants— all you need is a leaning ladder, special hanging pots, and some large s-hooks.
If the windows in your home aren’t giving your plants the light they want, you can also hang a clamp light on the ladder for supplementary light.
Products shown:
• 5″ Clamp Light (similar)
• Set of Two Ceramic Hanging Planters
• One Small Ceramic Hanging Planter
• Set of 2 Large S-Hooks
• String of Pearls Hanging Plant
Brighten up a dim corner of your home by stringing lights on a leaning ladder. I think this look adds just the perfect touch of whimsy without looking too dorm-room chic, if you know what I mean. You can use seasonal lights to decorate for holidays, or just leave up some plain lights as I have done here for some every day charm.
Product Shown:
• 26′ White Outdoor String Lights
• White Dining Chairs
• White Globe Lights
Using a leaning ladder for vertical blanket storage is a look I’ve always thought of as traditional country, but lately I’ve seen this functional decor idea in more contemporary homes. You can make this look more modern by using a sleek ladder or minimal blankets with graphic patterns.
Products shown:
• Painting- Milton Avery Print (I used this DIY for the frame)
• Vintage Blankets
So what do you think? If you don’t have a leaning ladder in your home, are you itching to make one? Why not try out this project over the weekend? –Mandi
F A N T A S T I C World of Ladders!
They truly imprint a new STYLE in my House!
Bought twice at www.ellecuorea.it … italian artisan specialized in wood ladders … any colour you LIKE … any style … I’M in LOVE!
Thanks for all the new ideas… for Home Decor!
Lilì
Love the idea! I’ll probably use a bamboo ladder and a string of lights! Thanks
www.newgirlinlahore.wordpress.com
I love the idea. Will probably use a bamboo ladder for this and decorate with a string of lights! Thanks for an amazing idea.
www.newgirlinlahore.wordpress.com
My dad made me a large ladder-like magazine rack years ago that I love, and I recently started using it as a way to store and display fabric that I have for projects. I think this would work well on a regular ladder as well — both functional and pretty! You can see mine in action about 3/4 of the way down the page here: http://www.plasteranddisaster.com/sages-house/ — please just ignore that the rest of the room is a total disaster and the person who sold us the house last fall seemed to think it was a good idea to paint the room like a watermelon 🙂 Making this into a proper “craft room” is on the long long (long) list of house to-dos that we’re steadily making our way through!
As always just brilliant…!
Hi, sometimes I want to save an idea displayed here instead of scrolling through the whole blog to find it later. But for that I have to save multiple pictures. It would be great if you could sum up an idea in the end by combining all important pictures in the post as a collage for easy saving. Cheers! (From Pakistan) 🙂
these are so cute!
xx nikki
www.dream-in-neon.com
AMAZING that you guys get FRANKIE in the States!
Such a nifty little way to display them – they are too cute to stash in a draw/pile!
I’m moving into a new apartment that unfortunately has very limited kitchen storage so I love this idea for the pans!
Love the idea of the ladder! Especially the solution with the blankets. I constantly make quilts and this is a great way of displaying them!
http://highheelsbrownhair.blogspot.co.uk/
I always see leaning ladders in house tours and am so into them, so I’m not sure why I haven’t added one into my space yet! I think my favorite way to style them is with blankets, but I’m also excited about the idea of using them for magazines! So many great ideas, thanks Mandi! 🙂
xo Mary
Mostly Salty Blog
What a beautiful idea, specially the one with plants ! Love it 🙂
I love this! I have been reading Frankie for ages. Great share ABM team.
I love the plants and the fairy lights idea! Very cute!
xx
Oh my gosh!! I love posts like this. I could read this stuff all day long. More decor please :))))
Simple and very cute ideas, i’ve never have thought! 🙂
Love the ladder idea with plants http://www.hannamarielei.com
this is a sweet idea!!! I have a shared living and dinning room this would be a great way to divide off the wall that they share! I could have blankets on the bottom and magazines up the the others and a light. this really is awesome!
on another note haha im new to this page and via pinterest saw your diy dinning table. I was wondering how is it holding up after all these years? since it is such a large table with no center support (table to floor) has it bowed any? how has the finish held up? my husband and I will be making one for our house in May (bday present to me haha)
thanx ladies keep up the AWESOME work 🙂
I don’t think I ever realized how many styling options there were for this item. Thanks!
CUTE!!! I like the blanket & planter idea for a living room space!
www.littleblackshell.com