Pottery Barn Train (Towel) Rack - Worth the Splurge?

12 years ago

We just finished a 'face-lift' on our house - repainted everything (including all cabinetry and woodwork), new carpet, window treatments, lighting, kitchen countertops/appliances, etc. For budget reasons, we will wait awhile to do the bathrooms. They need new countertops, floors, and tub/shower tile, but for now we just repainted walls/cabinetry and replaced cabinet hardware.

In our hall bath (which is also the only guest bath), I plan to put in a train rack over the toilet. The new light fixture and cabinet hardware are polished nickel, and I think the Mercer Train Rack from Pottery Barn would look great in that space. But the $169 price just seems a little steep. I have looked at some others, but in comparison to the Mercer, I just don't like any as well.

Does anyone have the Mercer and can tell me how it is holding up? Do you think that the quality justifies the price? Or are we just paying for the Pottery Barn name?

Also - for those of you who have the Mercer or other train racks - do you find that they are 'head-knockers'? My two sons (both over 6')use that bathroom, so that is a consideration....

Thanks so much for any input.

Featured Answer

madtown_2006_gw

12 years ago

We have the Mercer train rack and I love it. I'm so happy I got it and didn't settle for something that I didn't like as much but was less expensive than the Mercer. We also saved in other areas of the remodel (lighting was super cheap, we kept the old medicine cabinet, etc), so I felt okay spending a little more on the train rack because I loved it and thought it would look great. Oh, and in our space, it's practical...there was nowhere else for a towel bar!

Head-knocking hasn't been a problem for us.

Here it is in my bathroom...

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (11)

gilmoregal
Original Author
12 years ago
Madtown - It looks great in your bathroom! Love, love your floor tile and the tile border on your wall. Can you give me an idea of the distance between the top of your toilet tank and the train rack shelf?
Related Professionals
Linton Hall Interior Designers & Decorators · Linton Hall Interior Designers & Decorators · Mount Sinai Interior Designers & Decorators · Easton Furniture & Accessories · Huntersville Furniture & Accessories · Lake Zurich Furniture & Accessories · Stuart Furniture & Accessories · Sudbury Furniture & Accessories · Lafayette Custom Artists · Arcadia Lighting · Baldwin Park Lighting · Jefferson Valley-Yorktown Lighting · Wasco Lighting · Hanover Park Window Treatments · Salt Lake City Window Treatments
madtown_2006_gw
12 years ago
Thank you so much! That is the original floor tile from 1939 but the rest of the tile, including the border, is new.

It's about 45 inches from the top of the tank to the shelf. Your decision might also depend on where your rack is going....obviously no one is walking by ours, it's not near the entrance to the room, etc. So really, we just had to factor in standing in front of it. You may have other considerations like walking past it to get in the bathroom or the shower or whatever. Also, our toilet has an elongated bowl, so it sticks out a little further than a round bowl, so you're standing a tiny bit father away from the towels, rack etc.

I think if it fits in your space you should definitely get it! :-)
artydecor
12 years ago
Look around, because I wanted a Restoration Hardware shelf for my bathroom and I found one on ebay (new, in the box but the box was a bit squished) for about 1/4 of the retail price. Good luck!
amj0517
12 years ago
I've been looking at the Pottery Barn train racks too, but I haven't splurged yet. I found some on Wayfair.com that looked nice, at a much better price. I'm having trouble finding the bronze finish though. Good luck. Please let us know if you find something.
polly929
12 years ago
Yep, I have to agree with sonicmom. A friend of mine just got the PB one on ebay for about $30 plus shipping. Whoever sold it said it didn't work in their bathroom, so you never know.
lascatx
12 years ago
I have seen some similar ones at Home Goods on occasion. Might be worth looking there as well if you have one.
gilmoregal
Original Author
12 years ago
I appreciate all your responses. I will keep looking for a little while just in case I find something I like as well. No Homegoods in our area, but we do have Marshalls/TJ Maxx, so I will look there. I had looked at Wayfair.com at one time but will check it again.

Unfortunately, no deals on ebay right now. The only one listed costs almost as much as full retail by the time you add in the shipping costs.
sweeby
12 years ago
Having seen really good ones and lots of 'not good quality' ones, I'd NOT buy one I had never seen in person. That's not to say I wouldn't buy on eBay -- just that I'd be sure to check out the make and style first in a bricks & mortar store.

Another issue with train racks is the towel hooks. In my experience, some of the towel hooks aren't very effective at actually hanging the towels! (The towels regularly fall off.)

A nice train rack is a thing of joy, though -- very elegant and function, so worth the money.
littlebug5
12 years ago
Gee, I had no idea that what those towel racks were called! I just thought of them as "those towels rack thingies they have in hotel bathrooms."

Why are they called TRAIN racks??
gilmoregal
Original Author
12 years ago
Sweeby- You confirmed what had worried me a little about ordering sight-unseen - especially from an Ebay seller who did not accept returns. There is such a wide range of prices for train/towel racks that I had to believe that the less expensive ones must be made of very thin chrome tubing. And I agree about the hooks - which is why I liked the Mercer style without hooks.
Littlebug5 - I don't know, but I assume they are reminiscent of the racks found in the passenger cabins of trains?