How to Make a Towel Rack With Vintage Taps
By , This Old House magazine
Photo: Matthew Benson
- Time: 1 hour
- Cost: about $100 for three taps and escutcheons, three spindles, and a pair of ornate brackets
- Difficulty: Easy
Shopping & Tool Lists
- Supplies You Will Need:
- 1. Three porcelain taps and escutcheons
2. Three dummy spindles
3. Two shelf brackets
4. Epoxy
5. Barn wood for shelves
- Tools You Will Need:
-
1. Measuring tape
2. Combination square
3. Drill/driver
4. Screwdriver
Introduction
Cross-handle faucet taps can double as hooks. All you've got to do is mount them on a board—I used salvaged barn siding, but any scrap wood will do—and hang the assembly on a wall. For my project, I went a step further, adding a shelf supported by ornate cast-iron brackets, $22 each from Anthropologie. This way I can stack fresh bath towels on top and hang wet ones to dry from the taps below. Dummy door spindles, available at home centers for $4 each, anchor the taps in place, and vintage porcelain escutcheons hide the hardware.