Ditch Boring Towel Holders — This '70s Thrift Store Find Is A Better Way To Hang Towels

If you've seen one, you've seen them all. Hand towel holders, that is. Most every bathroom has a basic ring or hook attached to the wall so people can dry their hands on a clean towel. It's so mundane that you probably don't even notice the one in your own bathroom anymore. If you're tired of the same old, same old but are struggling to add character to your bathroom, then head to your local thrift store. We're in search of a Nancy Funk towel holder that's going to turn your ho-hum bathroom into a vintage Pop Art experience.

This amazing thrift store find is a Pop Art-era icon designed by ceramicist Nancy Funk, and it is anything but boring. It's a towel holder ring that look like a ceramic hand, mounted to the wall. And it's not just any ceramic hand, mind you. It's designed from a real-life mold of Nancy Funk's hand, perfected in glazed ceramic. Now that's commitment to your craft. Unfortunately, this item is currently sold out on her Etsy page, which is where you can buy the modern version, straight from the artist. Occasionally, you can find examples from Funk's original ceramic bathroom set (circa 1970s) on eBay, but you may end up paying upwards of $130 to $200 just for the towel ring holder. However, some lucky bargain shoppers have actually found it at a thrift store for $2.99, which is why we'll be heading to our local second-hand shops ASAP.

Before you race down to your favorite thrift shop, it will be helpful to familiarize yourself with the full collection of playful, handmade (pun intended) ceramics by Funk. Nancy Funk offers more than just a hand towel holder. In fact, she created an entire collection to adorn the bathroom, together known as "Helping Hands." These are definitely unique bathroom design ideas you shouldn't overlook. To accompany the smaller hand towel holder, there is a right and left hand that together hold a towel bar for larger bath towels. If you want to keep bathroom counters clutter-free with an item you may find at the thrift store, check out her other accessories, like the open palmed hand where you can place a bar of soap. Or a single hand tooth brush holder and a double hands cup holder. To round it out, there are even ceramic hands to hold your toilet paper roll. 

To find any of these pieces, try exploring the bath accessories section of a thrift or second-hand store. Don't sleep on the home decor sections, too, because people stocking the shelves might not recognize the ceramics as bathroom-specific items. When you find a piece you believe to be a Nancy Funk work, turn it over. Many of her pieces have 'N Funk' etched into the bottoms. You can also visit her website and compare the item you found to her catalog bathroom collection ceramics to see if they match.