Turn A Blanket Ladder Into Chic Wall Art With This Simple Unsellable Houses-Inspired Idea

We've all seen rooms in home magazines featuring repurposed items and unique decor that leave us wishing our own homes could mirror the ones in the photos. Repurposing furniture is a common practice among professional interior designers that could save you money and give a room some flavor. Design experts Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis of HGTV's "Unsellable Houses" know all about these benefits. In an episode where their team turns a split-level home into a French country cottage, they move a blanket ladder from the floor to a wall for a chic shelf-like decoration.

Blanket ladders are intended to be decorative, unlike traditional aluminum weight-bearing ladders. In addition to blankets, they can be used to hold towels and other items, depending on the style. But if you have a blanket ladder and prefer not to use it in its intended vertical position on the floor, it can be placed on a wall horizontally to hold decorative items instead. As design experts, the sisters aimed for a "French country" and "open, romantic kind of feel," per YouTube, with their decision to place the ladder on the wall and decorate it with faux lavender, but there are plenty of ways to repurpose the ladder for your home.

Lyndsay Lamb and Leslie Davis added lavender into the rungs and rails of the blanket ladder, but you can use any type of faux plant that you'd like, such as ivy, mother of pearl, or eucalyptus. Or, you don't have to use plants at all. Instead, you can use the ladder as a shelving unit and add items like books and picture frames. You can also add some decorative string lighting. Another option is to hang some decorative letters from the side of the ladder.

If you're willing to spend more money, time, and energy on repurposing your ladder, you can hang it horizontally from your ceiling. Install chains to the ceiling and hooks on the ladder to secure it in the same place as your light fixture. The ladder can complement a series of DIY hanging lights.

Whether you like industrial decor, farmhouse style, or something else, there are dozens of possibilities for repurposing your blanket ladder to match your specific style. Just be sure it's well-secured if you plan to hang it or place fragile items on it.