Freestanding Towel Rails

While some homeowners choose to mount towel rails on their bathroom walls for ease of use and to ensure their towel will be where they expect it to be the next time they need it, others opt for the freestanding rail – ideal if you need to move our towel rail around, or want to keep the walls plain and simple without additional features and adornments.

Why you might choose a freestanding towel rail

One of the top reasons for opting for a freestanding towel rail over a wall mounted one is purely practical – with the former often being chosen by those who are renting their home and so do not want to alter any aesthetic features or drill holes into the walls. Freestanding rails are also perfect for those who are a little uncertain about the stability or depth of the wall they would want to drill a wall mounted rail into, instead giving them the peace of mind that they can hang their towel on something completely removable.

Aside from these practical reasons for selecting a freestanding towel rail, there are also a lot of aesthetic advantages to selecting something which can stand on its own and be moved at will, namely because it allows you to utilise the space as required – moving the towel rail towards the shower when you need it, and then moving it back out of the way again as required. Not only is this ideal for a smaller bathroom where you need to maximise space, but it also ensures that your towels don’t regularly get splashed by the shower or bath – with many homeowners complaining that mounting the towel rail on the wall close to the shower means their hanging towels get wet, while hanging it too far away means you have to reach across to get a towel and get the whole floor wet.

And then there’s the aesthetic appearance of the rail itself. While wall mounted towel rails seem to be quite limited in design, often boasting a covered metal frame which is waterproof and can also be used as a heater should you add the electrics necessary for a heated towel rail, freestanding rails boast a much wider assortment of designs – from wooden single stem rails to ladder style rails which lean against a wall, and even rails which open outwards to provide extra rail room for multiple towels.

Things to consider when you look for a freestanding towel rail

The primary thing to consider is the size of the towel rail, and whether or not the structure is sturdy enough to hold one or more towels being flung over it. We often find that homeowners like the appearance of single stem rails, but that in reality these are quite flimsy and can easily topple over if the towels are not evenly balanced across the rails. If you are concerned about this, consider a freestanding rail which leans against the wall in a ladder style of design, or else look for one which expands outwards and rest on four legs – evening up the distribution of weight and stability.

The other thing to consider is the material and how effective it is in a bathroom space. Metal is the obvious choice, as provided it is coated it can withstand getting wet on a daily basis with no problems. You will need to be a little more careful of a wooden structure, with many retailers suggesting the item is varnished or coated before used to protect the surface.

For a wide range of different freestanding towel rails, head to bathroom accessory and homeware design retailers.