Consider this our ode to the humble hardware store, the affordable emporium of just about anything you need (and several things you didn’t know you needed). The wares in a hardware store epitomize beauty in function: these are practical workhorses, often designs that haven’t changed in decades (or even centuries); they’re built to last, sometimes multi-purpose—and many of them are surprisingly good-looking. And there’s something old-fashioned about wandering the aisles of the iconic hardware store, with its dusty, jam-packed shelves, and third-generation shopkeepers who can tackle any question you throw at at them. (We’re advocates of the local mom-and-pop hardware store—I’ve made regular runs to Garber Hardware in New York, across the street from my new apartment, for everything from drop cloths to advice on paint colors over the past few weeks—but if shopping online is easier, national stores do the trick, too.)
Over the years several hardware store essentials—from drop cloths to surprisingly good-looking porcelain light fixtures—have made their way into each of our arsenals and become Remodelista icons. Here are the hardware store favorites we’ve returned to, and used in our own homes, again and again.
1. Silver-Tipped Lightbulbs

2. S-Hooks

3. Classic Clothespins

4. Twine

5. Porcelain Light Sockets

6. Candles

7. Clamp Lights

8. Ball Jars

9. Flour Sack Towels

10. Copper Scrubbers

11. Terra Cotta Pots

12. Clothespin Bags

13. Retractable Clotheslines

14. Galvanized Pails

15. Cast-Iron Pans

16. Tension Rods

17. Wooden Clothes Hangers

18. Drop Cloths

19. Plumbing Pipes and Fittings
20. Dustpans and Brushes

21. Multi-Use Brown Paper

22. Workhorse Fan

23. Brooms

24. Folding Clothes Racks

25. Peg Boards

N.B.: Prices listed are approximate, and vary based on your location.
More tried-and-tested Remodelista essentials, available from Ikea, Amazon, and more:
- The Instant Kitchen Kit: 20 Remodelista Favorites on Amazon Prime
- The Ikea Essentials: Editors’ 10 Favorite Kitchen Tools
- Editors’ Picks: 10 Storage Finds From Ikea That We Own and Love
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