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Kitchen Towel Issue--Can you help? (PICS)

tanders
13 years ago

In our old kitchen, we used to keep the kitchen towels on a bar inside the sink cabinet. Now that we have cabinet latches on the sink cabinet, it's not so quick and easy to whip open the cabinet to grab a towel when you have wet hands.

I have seen pictures of a towel bar that I love. I would love to find something like this to put on my cabinet sink front. I love the big chunky bar and ends. The thing is, I'd like to find it in unlacquered or antique brass.

Does anyone have any idea where I might find something like this? Thanks so much! (And if I have unwittingly posted a picture that belongs to you, I apologize. I have been saving these pics for a long time and have no idea where I found them).

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Kitchen towel bars

Comments (15)

  • dianalo
    13 years ago

    You can try bathroom towel racks or grab rails to increase the results on a search. Good luck!

  • lakeaffect
    13 years ago

    tanders-

    This might sound crazy, but the scale of what you want reminds me of drapery rods, what about using something like that and cutting the bar down?

    This rod and bracket in the link below is from RH, is antique brass and the large one has a 1 3/4" rod, which looks similar to the size in your inspiration pics.

    Good luck-

    sandyponder

    Here is a link that might be useful: RH brass drapery rod

  • User
    13 years ago

    Except for the combination of different metals, the size and heft of the bars do remind me of grab bars. Substantial and quite beautiful, the examples you post.

    If you are accustomed to the towel being hidden from view, I noticed on IKEA a below-sink towel bar which comes out when that door is opened. Holds about 3 towels.

  • nutherokie_gw
    13 years ago

    Depending on how elaborate you want to go, I think you could get a very similar effect with two ball end caps such as are used with stair railing. Here's an example from Van Dyke's Restorers. It looks like they are available from a number of sources. This is sized for two-inch tubing.

  • khat
    13 years ago

    Be careful with curtain rods. I did this once for a client and the metal really didn't stand up well to being wet. The coating peeled and the brass became discolored. If you can find a lucite rod it might be a better choice. A lot of bath hardware has a permanent unlacquered PVD finish but I'm not sure if they do that for drapery rods as they don't withstand as much abuse. There are a lot of metal fittings houses that provide these type of components, here is one I have used in the past http://www.brassrails.com/brass-tubing.html. Discuss the finish possibilities with them as far as standing up to constant moisture. They may be able to suggest something.

  • Nancy in Mich
    13 years ago

    How about this drapery rod from Restoration Hardware? You can get the full-circle "Estate End Brakets" in brass, to mount it with.

  • melissastar
    13 years ago

    They look like bar rails to me, which you can find in many places looking on line. Finding unlacquered brass is a bit harder, but I know VintageHardware.com has it.

  • missgran
    13 years ago

    Honestly to me they look like foot rests that you put below a bar area. Check them out to see if they fit the bill. Just used in a different way.

  • byronroad
    13 years ago

    In the first photo, are the towel racks not appliance handles? See the paneled appliances to the left of the island. So what about using appliance handles. Lee Valley and others carry a good selection of different sizes.

  • tanders
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Oh, my gosh! I just checked in here and found all of these wonderful suggestions that I hadn't even considered! Thank you all so much! I will check out all the resources mentioned and let you know what I find!

    I guess my biggest problem was that I knew that what I was looking for wasn't a typical towel bar, so I didn't know WHAT to call it to search for it.

    Byronroad, I had to laugh--I've looked at that picture so many times, and I must have been SO fixated on the towel bars that I didn't even notice the handles on the fridge! Wow, am I observant! HA!

    Anyway, thank you, thank you all for your help. I am sure that among all of of these wonderful suggestions, I will find what I am looking for!

  • jenva2010
    13 years ago

    The first photo was taken by Eric Roth. Perhaps you could contact him to get more information -- either the designer, or which magazine it appeared in (the magazine may have sources listed). I realize the towel bar in that photo is not the finish you want, but the manufacturer may offer other finishes. Or you could get it replated.

    Good luck, and please update us when you find the towel bar of your dreams!

    Here is a link that might be useful: photo on Eric Roth's website

  • pricklypearcactus
    13 years ago

    Restoration Hardware Vintage Towel Bars have a similar substantial bar and ball end. The bar is glass, but still very beautiful.

  • arlosmom
    13 years ago

    Ours is from an architectural salvage store. There are a slew of salvage stores with their inventories online if you're up to online digging. How long of a towel bar are you looking for? We have another longer one up in the attic that we didn't end up using in our kitchen.

  • tanders
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    More great ideas...Thanks~

    Arlosmom, I'm thinking that I want to get one between 24 and 28 inches long. My sink cabinet front is the only place I'd have room for it. The cabinet is 36" and the inset panel is 33". I never thought to check architectural salvage places...I will have to see if I can locate some in my area. Great suggestion! Do you remember what search terms you used to find what you have?

  • arlosmom
    13 years ago

    I just googled "salvage brass towel bar" and found a nice 27" one at Pasadena Salvage (see link below, scroll down to 7th row of items).

    Lots of salvage places have their inventories online, but the inventories aren't necessarily searchable by item in google. If you google "architectural salvage" and spend time at various sites, you may find what you want.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pasadena Salvage towel bar