Upcycled Faucet Handle Towel Rack

Upcycle old metal faucet knobs as a towel rack or coat hooks. It’s super easy to attach these vintage faucet knobs to a piece of wood to create a unique and custom storage solution that can hold a large number of coats or towels.

We have a slight problem in our one bathroom at our cottage.  Well actually, that’s the problem, there is only one full bath in the house.  This means that when we have a group of people staying with us, which is quite often in the summer, there are a lot of bath towels floating around.  I’ve created a solution to this problem.  Check out my vintage faucet handle towel rack!

DIY vintage faucet towel rack

I picked up these faucet handles at a flea market this past summer, but I know a lot of people also sell them on Etsy.  I probably spent way too much time picking out a variety of different shapes, sizes, and colors, but I absolutely love how each handle is perfectly unique.

antique faucet handle coat rack

I had planned to use another piece of wood for this project, but then I was driving up to Wisconsin over the weekend and saw a sign for a barn sale.  It was just my 3-year daughter and me in the car, so I quickly turned (I don’t think my husband would have let me turn if he was in that car) and headed down the road.  Boy, am I glad I did.  Not only did I pick up some cool wood, I also found an antique piece of butcher block counter top – the perfect size for the side counter area we are creating in the kitchen.  The stars were aligned with that find, and my daughter got to feed their goats.  I think I need to live on a farm…

how to make a coat rack from faucet knobs

Okay, back to business.  I measured out where the handles would go, marked them with an X, and drilled pilot holes through the wood.  I used my forstner bit to create a hole in the back so the nut would be recessed into the wood.

2.5″ galvanized bolts created the perfect depth, but rather than showing the bolt behind each handle, I cut down a piece of copper pipe and threaded it over the bolt.  This also created a perfect gap between the handles and the wood.

faucet handle coat rack made from antique faucet knobs for towels

This faucet handle rack will hold five towels, which is a huge improvement from the two towels we had space for previously.

Oh, I forgot to mention the other problem in our bathroom right now.  It’s gutted.  There actually is not bathroom.  Logistics.  We’re working on putting it back together, though.

Update: The bathroom is finished! It is full of unique vintage touches like a beadboard ceiling from a milk barn, an antique washstand sink, and a large cabbage slicer as the storage solution above the toilet. You can see the full bathroom remodel on a tight budget here.

Jenny at Refresh Living (dev.refreshliving.com)

Post by Jenny Leads

Jenny is the voice behind Refresh Living. She has a passion for helping people to create a home they love without spending a lot of money.

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8 Comments

  1. Love the up-cycle! It’s so appropriate for the bath and so much easier to hang towels on. Thanks for sharing at THe Creative Circle.

  2. My husband was a plumber/home remodeler, it he passed away suddenly in October. There are soooo many tools, hardware, fixtures, etc… This would be the perfect way to make use of some of those things, and he would have loved it!

    1. I’m so sorry to hear of your loss, Angela. You’re right, it’d be a great way to use some of those items, but also create something to remember him by that you know he would love!