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10 Ways Library Ladders Give Rooms a Lift
Yes, they're great in libraries. But library ladders also work wonders in bathrooms, pantries and many more spots around the home
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating media and immediately discovered a new passion. An Atlanta native, I spent several years as an editor for Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine before making the leap to national publications and websites such as Houzz, Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Accents. I live in Birmingham, Alabama, with my husband and son, who’ve gotten used to coming home and finding the furniture rearranged. When I'm not dragging case goods across the floor, I enjoy good food and wine, college football, music of all kinds, and traveling.
Houzz Contributor. Fresh out of journalism school, I fell into decorating... More »
Library ladders, which are rolling or sliding ladders that hang on a rail to provide access to high shelves, lend such a refined, polished air to the room they occupy. As you might guess from the name, they traditionally were used in libraries with high ceilings so that people could reach books stored on the top shelves. But today homeowners and designers use them in every room of the house. Check out 10 of my favorite ideas below.
1. In the bathroom. Install a sliding ladder to reach sundries stored in high cabinets. As a bonus, you can use it for hanging towels.
2. In a living space. Against neutral walls and white millwork, this library ladder looks like a piece of striking sculpture.
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by Bunker Workshop
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| 3. In the larder. What better way to maximize pantry storage? A library ladder allows you to store jars and bottles on high shelves and nooks that may otherwise go unused. |
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4. In the mudroom. Stash hats, gloves, sports gear and more in baskets, then tuck those baskets on upper shelves so guests can't look in and see the jumble. Use a library ladder to access what you need.
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5. In the kitchen. Choose a ladder that can slide out of the way of the work zone so that it doesn't interfere with your cooking.
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6. In the butler's pantry. No more climbing on the countertops to reach the soup tureen or fondue pot you break out once every few years.
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7. At the beach house. Because vacation homes often are crowded with guests, sleeping space can be at a premium. With ladder access, unused upper space can be transformed into a loft.
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| 8. In the den. Tuck CDs and DVDs behind closed doors — you'll be able to reach them quickly when needed. |
by Birdseye Design
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9. In place of stairs. No space for a stairwell? A library ladder makes a fine stand-in. Just be sure it's secured — you don't want it to skid as you reach the landing.
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10. In the home office. Extend your workspace vertically with a ladder that allows access to files and supplies placed out of the way.
Ideabook published on May 9, 2012.
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Library ladders shown in kitchens seem not to make the space more accessible, rather, they clearly impede movement and efficiency. No ladder for kitchen in photo #5!
In most of these installations the ladder appears to eat more floor and wall space than is gained from the additional shelves or cabinetry.
I love library ladders, but clearly you need lots of extra floor space. Don't hire the designer that had #1 built, you'll be disappointed.
How many people can say that every single day they need to get out a step-stool several times to access anything in their homes? If I have to reach a high cupboard, I step up on a chair. If I had more space, I'd get a chair like my grandmother had in her kitchen: it was like a highchair (for kids to perch on) but with steps that folded up underneath to fold out when she wanted to use it for a step-stool. She could reach anything; it sat out of the way in a corner (the better for kids to perch out of the way in those pre-kitchen-island days) and was accessible only when she really needed it, which was only a few times per year.
After all, the whole reason we put things on very high shelves is because we aren't going to be taking them down very often. So who needs a ladder cluttering up the floor space, unless it's someone who will climb it several times a day retrieving things from top shelves?
Decorative, but hardly functional. I'll pass.
But I agree that unless you plan it carefully, and have a place to park it, the ladder is a space-eating affectation.