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Collection by Aileen Kwun

Creative Uses for Ladders in Modern Spaces

Ladders aren't just for lofts—check out these contemporary spaces that are creative as their twists on the traditional climbing structure.

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The one-man sauna is created by three architects at modulorbeat, Marc Günnewig, Jan Kampshoff, and Sebastian Gatz. They were inspired by the nature of the former factory site, which reflects the changing state of manufacturing in the region. “When we arrived, looking for a location, [we thought] it was so beautiful how the nature came back to the industrial site,” says Kampshoff. “We transformed it into a space with an urban quality.”
The one-man sauna is created by three architects at modulorbeat, Marc Günnewig, Jan Kampshoff, and Sebastian Gatz. They were inspired by the nature of the former factory site, which reflects the changing state of manufacturing in the region. “When we arrived, looking for a location, [we thought] it was so beautiful how the nature came back to the industrial site,” says Kampshoff. “We transformed it into a space with an urban quality.”
The Nomad Shelf System from Skagerak is part of an innovative storage system that has a thin, space-saving profile. Designed to resemble a ladder, the Nomad rests on the wall, keeping a small footprint. The ladder comes with four hooks, which make it easy to hang small accessories, and the rungs of the ladder can be draped with towels. The Nomad Ladder can be used with the Nomad shelf to create more surface area for storing other items.
The Nomad Shelf System from Skagerak is part of an innovative storage system that has a thin, space-saving profile. Designed to resemble a ladder, the Nomad rests on the wall, keeping a small footprint. The ladder comes with four hooks, which make it easy to hang small accessories, and the rungs of the ladder can be draped with towels. The Nomad Ladder can be used with the Nomad shelf to create more surface area for storing other items.
Here's a view from the second floor, which is accessed via a ladder from the charcoal gray mezzanine.
Here's a view from the second floor, which is accessed via a ladder from the charcoal gray mezzanine.
To access the spices and the cabinets above, Chris added a Putnan rolling library ladder he purchased at Restoration Resources, a Boston shop that offers used and vintage architectural artifacts. Though the ladder was originally too short for his purposes, jerry-rigging the hardware did the trick and a fresh coat of paint finished the job.Chris made the counter with a Trespa surface, which costs just $9 per square foot and was available in a large enough size to cover the six-foot-by-10-foot island without any seams. Chris cut the edges with a circular saw and the inside holes for the sink and cooktop with a jigsaw and finished the edges with the help of an orbital sander. Photo by Kate McElwee.
To access the spices and the cabinets above, Chris added a Putnan rolling library ladder he purchased at Restoration Resources, a Boston shop that offers used and vintage architectural artifacts. Though the ladder was originally too short for his purposes, jerry-rigging the hardware did the trick and a fresh coat of paint finished the job.Chris made the counter with a Trespa surface, which costs just $9 per square foot and was available in a large enough size to cover the six-foot-by-10-foot island without any seams. Chris cut the edges with a circular saw and the inside holes for the sink and cooktop with a jigsaw and finished the edges with the help of an orbital sander. Photo by Kate McElwee.