I decided years ago to ditch the paper towel holder in my kitchen. I don’t have anything against them, but I just never found one I really loved. I found one or two over the years that were tolerable and I used them because you need to have a paper towel holder. One day when I was rearranging the accessories on the kitchen counters at our PA house, I tried something different. I grabbed a vintage locker basket, dropped two paper towel rolls in, and I liked it. The locker basket put an end to tippy paper towel holders that never felt quite right for my style. I used it for years in our PA house, MN house, and when we first moved to our current house in Maryland. As I started playing with the final touches of the kitchen renovation, the locker basket didn’t feel right in this kitchen, so I tried something else.
I found a great antique basket that’s big enough for two or three paper towel rolls and open enough that it’s easy to remove and put away the rolls. Instead of keeping it on the counter by the sink as we had in our previous homes, I put it on the shelf under the freestanding antique kitchen island. It’s right behind the sink so it’s still a functional spot, but we all had to get used to it.
I forget how much I paid for this basket, but if I remember right, I’m pretty sure it was under $30. Maybe even under $20. It was a good deal and it’s a sturdy old basket with just the right warm patina and bottom reinforced with wooden pieces. I didn’t know what I was buying it for at the time, but I knew it was too good to pass up. There’s always a way to use a good basket.
When I was initially shopping for potential antique kitchen islands, I thought I would want the bottom closed. It would have drawers or perhaps a cubby that was hidden by a solid side. I wasn’t sure I would want everything visible. As I thought about it a bit more, though, I liked the idea of having a piece that was open so the range and cabinets wouldn’t be hidden. I love having that large open shelf and it’s one of my favorite places to decorate. i don’t rearrange things under there very often, but it’s a great storage and display space.
As I shared, it holds the paper towel basket, large bowls and platters for serving, potatoes and onions, trays, and some fun things like a gorgeous antique garden cloche and an English hotel silver cloche.
20 Responses
Love it!
I am with you on this! Hate paper towel holders sitting on the counter which is what I have right now. My dear husband bought it and put it out before I could stop him. He would not “get” putting the roll in a basket or any other decorative solution. He would tell me “we have always done it this way” so there is no other way to do something. Sigh…
Ha! The old eleventh commandment: Why, we’ve ALWAYS done it ‘this’ way.
And the twelfth is like unto it: Why, we’ve NEVER done it ‘that’ way before. ;>
How do you keep the dust from accumulating on the dishes and items under that table.
Beauty and practical! I don’t paper towels displayed on the counter and much rather have them hidden but accessible. Mine is on a holder rod attached under the kitchen sink cabinet. Out of sight! Your island and entire kitchen is so lovely.
Funny – I was just thinking about how long we’ve had the ugly kitchen paper holder last night and wondering what else could be used! I don’t have space to leave anything else out but might just resort to keeping it under the sink – if I can ever get that cleared out! Love the basket!
I have mine in a drawer with foil and plastic wrap. I am blessed with a walk in pantry with drawers and cupboards so they are all in there. Your basket oils lovely though
I’ve seen a “vintage butcher paper dispenser” type of paper towel holder (on Amazon) that has that same look as the kitchen scale you have on top. It’s black iron and looks antique, though it’s not. It would kind of fit in with the other things, and just sit in place of the basket. For some reason, I have seen it before and reminds me of your style. Take a look, it’s only $52.00
I like them in the basket where you put them. I ended up buying a wall-mounted towel rack and it mounted nicely into molding around my window and beside my white upper cabinetry. It’s up out of the way of the countertop and sort of blends in. Above it, we have an antique dishtowel hanger and a towel hanging there also blocks it.
That sounds lovely wish you could post a pic Patricia.
Your kitchen island is the most beautiful perfect thing I’ve ever seen in a kitchen. I wish I had a big kitchen so I could do something similar. Don’t change a thing!
The basket does look kind of quaint, and the towels are within reach, but you will need two hands to get that piece of toweling you need in a hurry…. I would miss the ease of the one-hand grab when time is of the essence. Convenience reigns supreme in my work -space.
yeah, that’s a good point. I guess we’ve done it for so long that we’ve gotten used to it. We do have kitchen towels that we can grab in a hurry if needed.
I just don’t like the look of paper towel anywhere in my kitchen. I keep mine right below the sink on top of my dishwasher pods. In our van I keep it right above the sink in the overhead “open pizza oven.” It’s never let me down 🙂
I just don’t want a huge roll of white in view…
That being said I really do t care for gadgets either.
Simple me 😉
This kitchen. That green. That window. Those sconces. Love it all. And I can’t tell you how much I covet that cloche… 🙂
Yes your whole kitchen is swoon worthy. Decades ago I found a reproduction paper holder of cast iron with a paper cutter arm. We have a very rustic old farm house so I love seeing it on my counter. We can even buy brown “recycled paper” paper towels at our Coop so no bright white
I have a paper towel holder inside a lower cabinet door across from the stove and another one inside a lower cabinet door under the kitchen sink. Out of sight and very convenient.
Lovely, but one of my cats would do their best to get into the basket!
We had a client ask us if there was a way to put a paper towel holder in a kitchen cabinet so it wasn’t on her countertop anymore. I feel like this is a much better (not to mention cheaper) option. And who doesn’t have a million baskets laying around?! Going to find one of mine now, thanks for the idea!
Very pretty solution! My kitchen is too small to have an island, but I love yours. However, when I think about it, I seem to have very busy goblins – teensy spiders who spin webs overnight! I just know I’d be needing to dust daily, if not hourly to keep those in check!