5 Ways to Decorate With Vintage Ladders...

When a ladder is no longer safe to climb, it used to be forgotten about and exposed to the elements. In recent years, savvy homeowners have been repurposing these unused wooden gems into some fun home decor projects. One tried-and-true way to add rustic appeal to your home is to decorate with ladders. A worn-out vintage ladder is filled with character and potential and can provide your home with a charming lived-in vibe. But ladder projects aren't limited to people who love farmhouse style. New ladder projects are sleek, modern and complement a contemporary design aesthetic. Get inspired to add some style and function to your home with these decorative wooden ladder ideas.

1. Add Architectural Interest by Using a Ladder as a Beam

When a home has a vintage feel to it, a ladder could be hung just about anywhere and it would look good. This blogger decided to use a wooden ladder as a faux ceiling beam where one used to be in order to better define two rooms. If your ceilings are tall enough, consider dangling a ladder in a similar way in a larger doorway.

2. Transform a Ladder into a Shelving Unit

he first step to recreating this look is to make the shelves, which is a relatively easy process. This project was made by adhering pine planks to the cross beams of an open ladder using L brackets. If you're having trouble finding a ladder like this one, you can make your own using 2x2 boards. Create an alternate version of this shelf by adhering two opened ladders upside down on the wall to create a W. Next, add planks between the beams at varying heights and widths. The next step is figuring out what to display. What and how you display it can make the difference between your ladder looking bland or designer-worthy. Here are some ideas:

• Use the entire unit as a bookshelf
• Set it up in the kitchen for dishes
• Store in the bedroom for shoes and purses
• Keep unit in shed or garage for potting supplies
• Organize office supplies in decorative bins

3. Hang Wire Baskets from Ladder Rungs for Extra Bathroom Storage

By adding wire baskets to a leaning ladder, the potential storage space is multiplied. Use this idea in a bathroom to store toiletries like you see here. Also, this project can easily be incorporated into a kitchen or pantry for fresh produce.

4. Hang Industrial Lighting from a Vintage Ladder

One common way people decorate with wooden ladders is to chain them to the ceiling horizontally. If adhered to the ceiling correctly, the ladder should be able to support enough weight to store things on top. If you want more design and less function, use the ladder as an accent for light fixtures over the dining table. Other Items to Hang on a Decorative Ladder Chained to the Ceiling:

• Pots and pans
• Garland and greenery
• Mason jar luminaries
• Bundles of dried herbs
• Clothing in the laundry room

5. Create an Open Concept Closet

There are so many smart clothing storage ideas when closet space is lacking, and this is one of the more creative ones. This ladder project is a variation of the shelving unit seen above, only it uses two individual ladders instead of one that is connected. * This article originally appeared on

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