Decorative Ladder Ideas: 10 Creative Ways to Use Them In Your Home

1. Drape Blankets Over the Rungs

The most common way to use decorative ladders is by draping quilts and throws on their rungs, making them perfect for use in a living room or bedroom. You can use decorative ladders of any size but if you want to store larger quilts or comforters, a wide ladder like {this one} is best:

It’s actually a fun way to bring some color, pattern, and softness into a space.

2. Hang Towels in a Bathroom

Similarly, you could use a decorative ladder such as {this paint dipped ladder} to hang your towels on in a bathroom:

For this use, make sure you’re using a ladder that’s sealed and/or can withstand the moisture from wet towels. Teak ladders are often a good choice because teak is a material that can withstand moisture.

3. Create Basket Storage Space

Want a ladder that will add a ton of extra storage space to your room? The design of {this ladder} is so smart! The “rungs” are actually storage shelves that you can place baskets on to store toiletries, towels, and other bathroom accessories:

Also check out {this ladder with baskets} that has a similar concept but with baskets at the perfect heights to use the ladder for storage over a toilet:

4. Decorate as Seasonal Decor

Decorative ladders can be fun to dress up seasonally! For Christmas several years ago, I wound a garland around the rungs of a decorative ladder and attached string lights, mini lanterns, and some of the Christmas cards we had received:

5. Use It As a Plant Stand

You can buy decorative ladders like {this short ladder} with shelves spanning the rungs that make it the perfect plant stand:

Or you can create your own ladder plant stand with a vintage ladder by simply adding your own shelves spanning the rungs.

6. Create Hanging Storage Space

It you’re using a decorative ladder that has thin, round rungs like {this ladder}, you can hang woven or wire baskets from the rungs to create hanging storage space in just about any room of your home:

7. Suspend It From The Ceiling

This idea is a bit out there but it’s definitely a super creative one! A vintage ladder becomes an instant conversation piece when suspended from the ceiling and used for hanging lanterns:

Pottery Barn

While I can’t see myself ever doing this inside my own home, it could look pretty fabulous suspended from the ceiling of a porch or patio for an outdoor dinner party with lit lanterns and tea lights hanging from it!

8. Swap It For a Coat Rack

Don’t like the utilitarian look of a coat rack? Use a decorative ladder like {this ladder} instead! You can hang light jackets and scarves on the rungs and add hooks to the rungs for purses, lunch boxes, or anything else you’ll need to grab as you head out the door:

9. Make It a Magazine Rack

If you’re a magazine lover, instead of storing them in a pile, hang them over the rungs of a ladder such as {this one}:

10. Supersize it for Open Kitchen Shelving

If you’re building your own decorative ladder, supersize the rungs to create wide, deep shelving similar to {this ladder shelf}. I LOVE the look of two of these shelves side by side in a kitchen holding dishes, glasses, and serving pieces: