Our Custom Gliding Ladder in the Kitchen

We're rolling out the big guns today and sharing the detail on the wood ladder in the kitchen! As a child I had dreams of having a gliding ladder ever since watching Beauty and the Beast (cliche and I own that). However, I don't think there is anything more charming than a rolling ladder in the kitchen.

We worked closely with Stoffer Cabinetry to get just the right slope. We wanted it to hug the counters without hitting them, but avoid sticking out too far. I was honestly worried it would feel like we had to walk around this ladder but there's a 32" distance between the ladder and the island, making it far from "in the way." It's the perfect tilt!

Everything about this ladder is custom. We ordered it through Hafele who make a lot of custom pieces, including the most stunning library ladders and we were able to design the ladder of our dreams for our dream kitchen. Everything from the wood tones, to all the brass detailing, and the railing. They even have the option to have a ladder with an angle at the counter, or a ladder that goes straight down. It's also worth noting the grippy material on the ladder rungs as a slipping precaution! Safety first!

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Now that we've lived with this one for a bit, I wish we had ladders all over our kitchen! As stunning as this is, it's also just super practical. We can't reach the cabinets above the bookcase where we're keeping things like waffle makers, drink dispensers, our air fryer–things we use on occasion rather than every day! The ladder gives us quick access and if I'm being truthful... it's just so fun to use!

I like to think of this ladder as a stand-alone design element in the kitchen. The charm and lived-in character it adds is exactly what I was going for. We have been getting questions like, "how do you keep your kids off of this?" The honest answer? We don't. This is their home too, and they can make believe Belle singing on the ladder all day for all I care. Someday they're going to have memories of pretending to climb Rapunzel's tower and that makes me teary-eyed. It's also sturdy, substantial, and safe so I'm just not too concerned!

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