I Almost Got Rid Of This Weird Bathroom Feature — Now I Couldn’t Live Without It

The first time I toured my Brooklyn apartment, the broker warned me that the bathroom needed some TLC. It was dated, she said, and could probably use a gut renovation. I expected the worst, but I was actually thrilled when I walked into the cute little bathroom and saw it had its original 1940s black-and-white tiles, still in pretty decent condition. It definitely did need a deep cleaning, and I knew I’d need to restore the grout on the floors and fix the caulk around the bathtub. But I loved its vintage charm! 

Only one thing stood out to me as a problem: Opposite the vanity, a mysterious metal box was built into the wall. I didn’t think much of the old, rusty, and pretty unsightly feature at first, and I signed for the apartment soon after. But once I moved in, I found myself staring at this strange ugly metal thing, wondering what it was. Finally, I took a picture of it and did a Google image search, which led me to Reddit — and at last, the mystery was solved.

At first, I had assumed it was a trash can, as the top section flipped up, and the inside was obviously hollow. But I couldn’t figure out how you’d empty the trash. It turns out my rusty metal mystery box was actually a built-in clothes hamper. According to Reddit and a New York Times article from 2007, these metal wall hampers were a common bathroom feature in the mid-20th century. Opinions are mixed about whether or not they’re charming or just plain hideous.  

Once I figured out what it was, I also (finally) figured out how to open it. I learned people would just drop their clothes in through the flip-up top, and when the hamper was full, they just reached inside and pushed on a hidden latch to open up the door and release the contents. It was actually pretty ingenious — it makes much more sense to have a hamper by the shower than in the bedroom closet. But obviously, with the limited square footage of a Brooklyn apartment bathroom, a wall hamper was the only way to go. Mine had definitely seen better days, but after a quick sanding and a few coats of Rust-Oleum’s protective enamel paint, I started to fall in love with this quirky vintage feature. 

Although I liked the idea of using this feature as a hamper, I did already have one in the closet — and what I really needed was more storage space. Once I had (very painstakingly) restored the bathroom’s original floor tiles, I couldn’t bear the thought of covering them up with unsightly necessities like cleaning supplies or sanitary products. My vanity was already filled to the brim with beauty and haircare products, and I needed some of those cleaning items more easily accessible. The hamper was the perfect solution. It’s actually pretty roomy inside; there’s plenty of space for a four-pack of toilet paper, my toilet cleaner, and a few refills for my Biom disinfecting wipes. My plan is to order two of these magnetic refrigerator storage shelves to make better use of the rest of the vertical storage space, too, by sticking them right to the back of the hamper’s interior. 

Now, my quirky little hamper is somewhat of a conversation-starter. Guests often ask about it, and they always “ooh and aah” at the hidden storage reveal. I love that more homeowners are choosing to embrace their colorful and quirky vintage bathrooms these days by taking the time to restore these awesome original features instead of just ripping them out. They really don’t make ‘em like they used to anymore! So before you decide to remove that outdated ugly feature from your old home, give it a chance to grow on you. You might just find a new — and even better — use for it.