With a vast inventory of beautiful furniture at 1stDibs, we’ve got just the folding ladder you’re looking for. Frequently made of
wood,
metal and
iron, every folding ladder was constructed with great care. Your living room may not be complete without a folding ladder — find older editions for sale from the 18th Century and newer versions made as recently as the 20th Century. When you’re browsing for the right folding ladder, those designed in
Mid-Century Modern,
Regency and
Victorian styles are of considerable interest. Many designers have produced at least one well-made folding ladder over the years, but those crafted by
Roberto Lucci,
Smith & Watson and
Velca Legnano are often thought to be among the most beautiful.
Vintage, new and antique ladders are not only a must-have structure designed to safely reach higher places in your kitchen and the rest of your space. A ladder can also be repurposed as a decorative home accent for use in nearly any room in your home.
While the exact date that ladders were invented is unclear, a painting of a crude ladder that is believed to be more than 10,000 years old was uncovered in a cave in Spain.
Ladders have taken on all forms over the years to meet certain needs. Rope ladders have come into use for emergency rescues by air and sea, extendable ladders are still pivotal to the dangerous work that firefighters do daily, and stepladders are a big part of getting you where you need to go at home.
Antique ladders can be found in a variety of styles and materials. You can occasionally find a modest-sized antique stepladder, perhaps designed in the neoclassical style, that may have been for library use and resembles a short staircase with small drawers built into the front and the sides of the steps. On 1stDibs, browse a collection of wood ladders and metal ladders that were crafted in the modern, Georgian, Victorian and other styles.
Decorating with an old farmhouse ladder can give it a new purpose and also breathe a bit of life into a dining room, living room or mudroom. For those drawn to the warmth and coziness that farmhouse-style furniture and decor can bring into a space — which usually refers to an amalgam of other rustically rooted styles, such as cottage, French country and industrial — an antique farmhouse ladder can serve a functional purpose as well as meet your needs to dress up a space with creative flourishes.
Lean your wood ladder up against a wall and use its rungs to display your treasured mid-century modern textiles, rare books or potted plants. Drape your patterned dish towels over the ladder steps for easy access as well as to make sure your towels are clean and dry for the next round of dishes. Get some help to properly suspend your farmhouse ladder from the ceiling above your rustic farm dining table and hang your antique lanterns from its rungs and sides for a welcome experience at mealtime.
On 1stDibs, find an extensive collection of antique, new and vintage ladders today.