If it's a nicely built one and you decide not to keep it there, I'd recommend seriously considering moving it to another part of the house where it'll still be quaint but better positioned. The ones being sold today start at about $150 and are junk compared to the original netal swivel-base board built into our old California bungalow. I also iron as little as possible but still miss it years later and for some time have been keeping my eye open for a replacement we can build into our new home.

I agree with keeping it. If you're redoing your kitchen and you don't iron there, then I would remove it. But don't junk it.

I have one I want to remove that I just had to have when we designed this house. I was a young foolish 39-something that thought one should have that feature in a house in the price range we were building. In reality I have a shelf sitting in front of it and want to drywall over it myself! I rarely used it because I sew and have a huge ironing board and nice iron downstairs in my sewing room. So, if something was iron worthy it gets the deluxe setup!

When we remodeled the kitchen we drywalled over some phone boxes that we put in when building just to be "safe" and IRL wouldn't ever use. On paper who really knows where a phone might go IRL. We have measurements on a file card stuck to the back of a cabinet near where these are located if some future owner wants a phone hanging on said wall. We are getting ready to paint the great room and ceiling fan controls will be boxed up. In the day of wireless remotes who needs a control on the wall?

Take out the ironing board and save the frame in the wall if a future owner wants it but back.

Are you kidding? I would KILL for one of those.

Thanks for the feedback everybody.

Raynag -- Do you want a built-in IB because you'd use it often or because you think it's a cute idea/original detail?

I had one and I ripped it out as soon as I got the chance. I didn't need any excuse to do ironing in the kitchen :)

I'm with Raynag. I'd LOVE to have one in my sewing room. Grew up with one & I like the built in ones because they're so stable and unwobbly and there are no legs to trip over or get dusty.

But in a kitchen--if you're not going to use it elsewhere as an ironing board, do what Kristi said & turn it into a spice cabinet. It's probably deep enough to hold canned goods also.

Hi

I debated long and hard about removing it but at the zero hour I decided to keep it because opening a door and dropping the board down seemed a lot easier than lugging out the ironing board stored somewhere in the garage for the past 10 years.

Good luck in your decision.

I'd use it. I have a standing ironing board in the bedroom, but my laundry is on the first floor. I'm a fiber artist and most of the time I am ironing on my studio table - but would much prefer a hidden ironing board. However,no room for one.
What a luxury that would be! This was a very clever thing in the 1930's & 40's when kitchens were small and they needed to use space efficiently.

I removed the board years and years ago. Best spice rack ever! It's the one thing I'm keeping in this remodel. Can't wait to get a new system going in there.

I love built-in ironing boards, but in a laundry room or bedroom walk-in closet, not a kitchen!

Forget charming, a built-in sounds sooo convenient! I don't have an appropriate place to put one in our small 50's ranch. I currently keep my IB in the laundry room, which is tiny and outside. It's such a pain to lug the thing out that I NEVER do it.

Thanks so much for the feedback everybody. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do.

Elizgonz -- Even with the convenience I hardly ever iron. Which is a big part of the reason I'm considering taking it out. I just can't stand ironing.

We have several friends who have them and they use them during parties as additional space for food/drinks. It looks really cute. An antique cloth and lovely vintage serving ware and you have a great design addition to your kitchen.

We also go to and "Ironing Board" party every year. A big part is the competition to have the coolest design . All the party foods are set up outside on the lawn on the ironing boards. So some ideas. c

1) dry cleaning is getting expensive and sometimes I have to iron to look presentable at work
2) I like to iron in front of the tv
3) if anyone sews at all, its nice to have an ironing board
4) if you don't have much closet space or place to keep a regular free standing ironing board it would be nice to have a built in one
5) built ins are just cool, I personally would love it unless you are really short of cabinet space in the kitchen, cabinet space or counter space trumps ironing board if either are in short supply

Not sure how any of that helps you but those are my thoughts

I have an old built-in ironing board in a 1947 house we just bought, and CAN'T WAIT to tear it out. Looks like it hasn't been used since the 1940's The question is, how to tear it out? Thoughts? It will be far more useful as a cabinet for spices and canned goods. The sides, back, and door to it are metal, though front painted white.

If you don't want it, I probably do if our measurements match. I love the ease of setting up and then putting it away without lugging an ironing board all over the laundry room. I wear lots of linen blouses and pants in summer, so I definitely iron. My skin can't breathe and I overheat in the fake materials. Cotton is fantastic!