Vintage Lighted Ladder Display

by Lauren Z

2 Materials

4 Hours

Easy

Take an old, small ladder, add some chalk paint, a tap light and removable/washable fabric panel and you've got a one-of-a-kind display shelf or side table!

I've had several of these ladders for awhile (this one I got for free at a garage sale!). I knew I wanted it to be some type of display piece but also wanted to put a new 'twist' on it.

I taped off all of the metal. Even though it was rusty and paint-splattered, I liked it and wanted that contrast. In fact, when I pulled off the tape, I noticed that the old paint splatters actually matched the paint I was using!

To make this really special, I used salvaged fabric to make a fabric curtain and added a battery-operated tap light underneath.

I simply measured the height of the ladder and the width. I doubled the width and created a pocket where I inserted 1/4" elastic to gather the panel. Using E6000 glue, I attached a strip of velcro at the top and two small pieces at the bottom of each leg. This way, the fabric is removable/washable. You could even make different panels for different seasons/holidays!

I just stacked books on the steps but you could also screw the books directly to the steps to make for a more permanent ledge. Lots of possibilities with this one. So what are you waiting for? You know you have one of these lying around just waiting for a makeover!