Absolutely. When I was a kid, we had an old ladder suspended from the kitchen ceiling that we hung our pans and colanders from, and I now have one in my bathroom storing my towels. They don't take up much floor space so they're good for narrow rooms.

Ladders as towel racks - Uh, yeah! So cool, and so useful.

My bathroom is pretty narrow so it's a good way to keep the towels handy without taking up too much space.

Love them!

We love ours

Not a fan- looks like the painter left their ladder behind.

@herladyship92 and @macanning...immediately on reading this poll I thought of the ladder suspended from the ceiling in the kitchen of a country home of a friend, it was where to hang all the "odd" cooking utensils..Where I live there's a community of Italians that has grown here since the 1950's. Through an Italian grocery shop they introduced many utensils that were and still are today not comminly used or understood by Australians. I've accquired some of the more useful ones...like the "schiacciapatate" for example, and... (don't know its name)... the semicircular knife that has a big round wooden knob on each end...much easier to use for cutting things up finely and far less dangerous than the long sharp knife used by chefs....Such items are made with design and durability in mind as are.all Italian kitchen utensils, the shapes and workmanship are so well thought out that putting these utensils on display from a suspended old ladder is, for me, an extremely appropriate addition to kitchen decor and a great conversation piece....although it would pose a dusting problem if the implements were not used. Old shiny copper pans look good too. I frequently rummage in "Old Wares" places. Good one herladyship92!
And Macanning!
Love the bookshelf ladder! It is a very timely idea as I want to unclutter the floor space by getting rid of my old book cases. I'll be on the lookout for old ladders!
As for towel rack ladders and all other uses I am not a fan. I think that ladders only look good in a rustic environment.
@ asquithoatley.... if for decor purposes only, why not hang a few used paint brushes, nice looking paint-bespattered rags and empty paint tins of different sizes and let it look as if the painter left it behind..you had a good idea there!. I like that. Another use. for me in my art studio, would be as storage for paints, brushes and other artists' bits and pieces...I'm inspired!
Otherwise a ladder for the sake of it without clever forethought to presentation in any kind of room..... I think the ladder needs to be given definite interesting purpose..not just be put there with a few uninteresting things hanging off it..
I've seen a very tall wooden ladder almost reaching the 10ft ceiling in the corner of a large wood-panelled room. The home owner built a fake man hole above the ladder, and around the base on the floor' just a little 1 metre high decorative iron fence with a gate and a large, obvious brass padlock...Intriguing!...Visitors' children always want to know where the ladder goes to!

I think they can look great - in other people's homes.

Ah yes olldroo, I can understand that.....if one has a particularly nicelooking old one use it, repurpose it....its not a thing that needs to be permanent and most certainly is not everybody's idea of decor, especially if the style of the home does not suit ladders. I don;t like them in modern bathrooms or cluttering up floorspace in older, smaller bathrooms...or even in other rooms...just because ladders are "in" .Not a fan of "trend" myself, but definitely into transient whimsy. I like what I like at the time if it suits and is useful (key word!). When that allure gets stale the "whatever" goes. That's the allure of my 1900s all wood home workers'/miner's cottage...anything looks good in it because there was hardly anything in it to begin with! It seems to "wrap itself around" whatever I think is fun at the time. Come to think of it...my ginger flying cat would like a ladder. Last night he took a leap off the end of my bed and landed firmly on his velvet pink paw pads on the picture rail/shelf that is arround the walls of every room at about 2m up.

69 votes to 60? Gosh, this is a close one. No clear winner.

I voted yay, but I'll caveat that as 'yes, but only with a clever thought out purpose' - nay if it is just to fit in with a design trend. It's got to work in the space and make someone happy to have it there.

@ neotoma I agree 100% "Its got to work in the space and make someone happy" Well said! I'd fear to have a ladder in a narrow space lest trying to sidle around it I'd trip. That one in the narrow bathroom scares me to death!

Good for renters.