The Unique Bathroom Towel Storage Nate Berkus Uses For A Vintage Feel

Interior designers are a source of inspiration to many individuals; their decor and storage tips can give your home a designer look without costing much while also making it seem easy. Nate Berkus is one of these designers who always seems to know how to make a space look its best, be it a bedroom, foyer, or bathroom. He is known for his affinity for vintage furniture, collecting pieces often, but Berkus doesn't just stop with collecting; he puts his vintage furniture to work in his home, too. One unique bathroom trick from Nate Berkus utilizes an antique chair for towel storage, giving the room a vintage feel with minimal effort.

Berkus's trick is truly as simple as can be. Instead of using a shelving unit to store fresh towels, he stores a stack of clean ones on an antique chair in the bathroom. "I'm always reaching for vintage furniture, even in bathrooms," he explains via Instagram. This gives a classy visual to a piece of storage that the space requires anyway, while also giving a purpose to a chair that perhaps doesn't have another use. While storing towels on a chair in your bathroom might not be rocket science, there are some considerations before you try to replicate it in your space, as well as plenty of wiggle room for personal expression within this decor template.

Despite there being a lot to love about Berkus' alternative storage of bathroom towels without a linen closet, not everyone has antique furniture sitting around. Then there's the question of what to do if you don't care for the antique chair vibe to begin with. Fortunately, Berkus' idea can serve as a template rather than a design mandate, allowing you to take inspiration from him without creating a carbon copy. If you love the idea of a stack of fresh towels on a chair, start by looking around the house at what you already have. A simple wooden chair that isn't being used can bring a charming, casual element to your bathroom while serving a functional purpose — the same goes for a stool.

You can also make the towel and chair trick a focal point of the bathroom by painting the chair in a hue that complements the rest of your bathroom. Be sure to read up on how to paint any kind of wood furniture before embarking on this project. If you want to limit the number of towels on display, consider draping a single towel over the backrest of a high-backed chair, which can bring a relaxed feel to the space. With just a little effort, you can enhance the look and ambiance of your bathroom, thanks to the genius of Nate Berkus.

While Berkus' bathroom towel storage solution is pure gold from an interior design perspective (it's undeniably vintage in nature and charming in its results), there are a few considerations to address when it comes to bringing old, wooden furniture into a bathroom environment. One of the primary concerns is that an antique, wooden chair may suffer from being kept in a moist room like a bathroom; splashing water and high humidity can harm the wooden material, negatively impacting its value.

The good news is that you don't have to be a furniture expert to know some good, common-sense steps to take to protect a vintage piece being used for this purpose. If you are going to put an antique or vintage chair in your bathroom, keep an eye on the humidity levels: while too dry a space can damage antique pieces, too much moisture can be a bad thing. It is also prudent to place the chair a safe distance from direct water exposure — well outside of any splash zone. If you want to really play it safe, you can also add a clear, protective coat of finish to a wooden chair, which will make it more resilient in a wet environment. Remember to do your research before applying a finish to antique wood, though.