For too long, the humble ladder has been relegated to a simple, unglamorous life in the backyard shed, living a purely perfunctory existance, a means of elevation for snipping away at tall hedges, pruning towering trees, or getting to heart of the matter in those gritty rooftop gutters and downpipe drains. Finally, after decades, perhaps centuries, the simple household ladder is undergoing an identity evolution! Today, more and more households are incorporating the ladder, not just as a means of getting from vertical A to B, but as a tasty interior design addition, a piece of aesthetic flavour to add that extra piece of spice to a domestic interior space. The ladder has been emancipated from the sheds and barns of the world, folks and it’s time to embrace the new day! Here are a few perfect illustrations of the modern ladder revolution—ladders living large inside, proudly, taking on their fresh roles as hangers, holders and shelving. Constructed of bamboo and thoughtful woods instead of plain, corrugated alloys, they’ve also become something attractive to admire and enjoy visually (though easily pliable for function too).
Take a flick through and get inspired to touch up your gorgeous domestic spaces with a little modern rustic ladder work.
The modern warehouse setup aches for a ladder like this one. Against stripped warehouse brickwork, raw wooden floorboards and bench tops, a little corner ladder is exactly what the doctor ordered—a friend by the window side to hang jackets, bags and books on; a multi-purpose trimming that blends in, makes a statement and is easy on the eye too.
Here, it’s not the ladder that’s changed; it’s the barnhouse itself! This fabulous, rustic bathroom revamp, replete with free standing bathtub and chandelier calls for some rustic simplicity to match—a neat ladder becomes the perfect addition as a gorgeous vase holder. Effortless, simple, beautiful.
A good ladder is a trusty, reliable piece of equipment that can multitask and play multiple roles in any backyard or domestic setting—here, it stand waiting in the wings by the feature bookshelf, a neat addition against stripped, vintage walls and ceiling wainscoting. It might be a background character in this scene, but it ties everything together and still makes an aesthetic statement.
Here’s where functionality meets aesthetics in spades—not only an attractive visual addition to this cosy cavern bedroom, with the inclusion of a small side bench it doubles as a nifty bedside table, a place to rest your bed lamp or latest novel on.
An en-suite extension of the previous example, here, the ladder motif continues into the bathroom setting too, a cute aesthetic addition that makes a neat statement, while providing a much needed multipurpose set of rungs to hang handtowels and other bathroom bits and pieces.
My, how wonderful a simple, 5-rung wooden ladder works in this adorable country cottage setup—the ladder not only provides ample space for hanging damp towels, but provides a trim and graceful aesthetic foil to the elegant simplicity of the freestanding tub, wallpaper motif and timeless side-table.
It’s always a good idea to experiment and get inventive with different types of materials; depending on the existing style of your room, materials count for a lot. Here, in this oriental-spiced bathroom, a standard, stocky wood ladder might stand out and become a potential hindrance. However, the right choice of material—bamboo in this case—really makes the room sing (while adding loads of space to hang towels and other bathroom necessities.)
So versatile is the modern interior ladder that it even doubles as a festive ornament station! Be it a Christmas tree, or some other type of festive home addition, a ladder is the perfect spot to dangle baubles and tinsel, stars and paper knick-knacks. Delightful!
