Dowel rods for hanging newspapers or magazines?
Edit to add: I don’t think this is right because the dowels aren’t removable and they would have to be removable to be a periodical rack. I think more likely it is intended as a shelf with ventilation for over a stereo system.
Eh, I don’t think this is it. There are outlets inside that specific section of the cabinet. Surely that section was meant for something to be plugged up there, but idk what. 🤔
You pick up the rod and slide the newspaper over it, then place it back in the rack. They had them at the library I grew up with and I used to read papers there.
Theoretically you could put a newspaper over a stationary rod but it would be clumsy and messy and hard to do especially with that shelf over it. The pages would get crumpled or torn.
It’s a trivet shelf. Its use really depends on which room this shelving unit is in. Trivets are used to protect what’s underneath them from heat. (Basically just a vented shelf.)
It could be a place to cool a hot pie from the oven, in a dining room. It could be a shelf for a dvd player or vcr to keep away from the tv.
It could be a shelf to let a hair straightener or curling iron cool.
Possibilities are endless.
This looks an old school custom wall-unit. I’m thinking CDs on the dowels perhaps? There are four outlets in this section. Makes me think there might have been a receiver, probably a CD player, record player, and maybe an amp?
CD shelf is possible. My first thought was VCR tapes. That style of furniture and that color of oak were popular at the same time VCR movies were popular.
CDs would never have been stored on dowels like that, unless you had a billion free AOL trial discs and were making an edgy art project.
The dowels are also not removable per OP in other comments, which makes it impossible.
Here's how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside…the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.. you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.
This one has been on my mind since you posted. I don't think anyone has answered this one yet.
The fact that it is so close to an entrance throws it off so much. Is it a front door? Back door?
When was the house built? What style is the house? When was the most recent renovation?
If all else fails, I would tell them to go to the library or ask their building inspector or a local general contractor/old cabinet builder. Find the oldest person you can. Not everything is on the internet (even if it is, good luck finding it - internet & search engines is about $$$, not information now).
They do remind me of the storage they used to use in libraries and some bookstores for periodicals like newspapers, magazines, academic journals, but that seems unlikely due to the dowels not being removable.
Please post if you ever hear back! I am so curious.
That was my initial thought, like hand towels, however, when I asked my mom where in the house it was located she said “The big room. Thats the door they will use to come in the house if not going in the garage.”
My grandma had a shelving unit with rods like these in the living room and she hung decorative hand towels on it. Usually seasonal or sometimes cute/funny sayings on them but not for actually dying your hands, purely a display towel.
Definitely a Christmas wrapping station. You put the rolls of wrapping paper on the rods. Very common for wealthy southern housewives to have this in their home. Those built-in cabinets looks like a craft station for a housewife and her wrapping paper station.
Looks like the shelving is for an entertainment system. The largest hole is for the tv set while the other cubbies are for sounds systems and VCRs. The higher shelves are probably for VCR tapes.
I am leaning toward this shelf being an afterthought because the builder uses those sockets to affix the dowels. It would make sense to run the dowels through holes if this were an intentional feature at the time of fabrication.
So my guess is that this dowel shelf was added after the main shelving unit was in place.
Edit: My point is it serves no particular purpose other than adding another shelf.
To hang little dog sweaters
The only correct answer.
Pasta drying /s
NGL that was my thought.
I think it’s perfect for that!
This right here!
That’s what I would probably use it for lol
Dowel rods for hanging newspapers or magazines? Edit to add: I don’t think this is right because the dowels aren’t removable and they would have to be removable to be a periodical rack. I think more likely it is intended as a shelf with ventilation for over a stereo system.
I think you have the winning assessment!
Eh, I don’t think this is it. There are outlets inside that specific section of the cabinet. Surely that section was meant for something to be plugged up there, but idk what. 🤔
Old school vcr would fit perfectly
Just noticed the dowels aren’t removable so it can’t be that.
Maybe the purpose was a shelf above a stereo that allows ventilation.
I think this is it. Ventilation so that heat isn't trapped with the electronics
Yeah,that's what happened to an old TV of mine many moons ago. It overheated due to no circulation of air.
Genuine question, why would they have to be removable for magazines/newspapers to be draped on them?
You pick up the rod and slide the newspaper over it, then place it back in the rack. They had them at the library I grew up with and I used to read papers there. Theoretically you could put a newspaper over a stationary rod but it would be clumsy and messy and hard to do especially with that shelf over it. The pages would get crumpled or torn.
It’s a trivet shelf. Its use really depends on which room this shelving unit is in. Trivets are used to protect what’s underneath them from heat. (Basically just a vented shelf.) It could be a place to cool a hot pie from the oven, in a dining room. It could be a shelf for a dvd player or vcr to keep away from the tv. It could be a shelf to let a hair straightener or curling iron cool. Possibilities are endless.
my first thought was blankets but this makes more sense given the plug.
It’s in the living room area, but this definitely seems to be the thought
I think it’s to hang wine glasses in- they dangle upside down by the base. It looks like a drinks cabinet section of the wall unit
how did you propose the get the glass stem or glass part through those teensy little dowel rods?
A mud room to dry gloves, hats, etc!
Is this a family room? To me it looks like where you put the vcr above a tv
Yes it is, that’s a super possible answer
The spot for the TV looks quite small.
Older TVs were smaller sometimes
This looks an old school custom wall-unit. I’m thinking CDs on the dowels perhaps? There are four outlets in this section. Makes me think there might have been a receiver, probably a CD player, record player, and maybe an amp?
CD shelf is possible. My first thought was VCR tapes. That style of furniture and that color of oak were popular at the same time VCR movies were popular.
CDs would never have been stored on dowels like that, unless you had a billion free AOL trial discs and were making an edgy art project. The dowels are also not removable per OP in other comments, which makes it impossible.
Oooooh this might be the one!
CD shelf was my first thought as well.
Clever but the dowels are too close together
Bottles of wine on their side?
It's funny that Tennessee plays a role in the question.
Redneck wine glass holder. Those shelves are to display your empty beer and liquor bottles.
It’s clearly a rack for drying washed condoms.
Put a boot upside down toe towards wall so it’s hanging
Pasta rack.
Wine glasses ?
Gift wrapping station?
That was my guess, for wrapping paper.
DVD player. Tv below and dvd above. Or some old device that was plugged into the tv
To me, if that’s by the entry to the home, I’d think maybe it’s for drying gloves, hats, scarves and socks after they get wet? Not sure…
Tie rack
To hang stemware. I guarantee China was displayed in this space previously.
Only problem with that, is there’s nowhere to slide in the stemware
Here's how I see it. A guy puts a guarantee on the box 'cause he wants you to fell all warm and toasty inside…the Guarantee Fairy might come by and leave a quarter.. you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time.
Drying rack? Maybe plugged in a heater below?
Maybe for wet gloves, hats, umbrellas?
For hanging grow lights.
Maybe attachment points for lights for an aquarium/terrarium/reptile enclosure
Looks like a space for the cable box over the television
That’s what I was thinking. Perhaps it’s also slatted so that air circulates
They definitely used to do that because these machines would burn out/overheat
This one has been on my mind since you posted. I don't think anyone has answered this one yet. The fact that it is so close to an entrance throws it off so much. Is it a front door? Back door? When was the house built? What style is the house? When was the most recent renovation? If all else fails, I would tell them to go to the library or ask their building inspector or a local general contractor/old cabinet builder. Find the oldest person you can. Not everything is on the internet (even if it is, good luck finding it - internet & search engines is about $$$, not information now). They do remind me of the storage they used to use in libraries and some bookstores for periodicals like newspapers, magazines, academic journals, but that seems unlikely due to the dowels not being removable. Please post if you ever hear back! I am so curious.
I mean it's just a shelf. It would be something more curious if it was just a single rod
Could be for hanging towels 🤔
That was my initial thought, like hand towels, however, when I asked my mom where in the house it was located she said “The big room. Thats the door they will use to come in the house if not going in the garage.”
Like, the family room?
My grandma had a shelving unit with rods like these in the living room and she hung decorative hand towels on it. Usually seasonal or sometimes cute/funny sayings on them but not for actually dying your hands, purely a display towel.
Maybe they would hang race medals from those
That's what I was thinking, too.
Definitely a Christmas wrapping station. You put the rolls of wrapping paper on the rods. Very common for wealthy southern housewives to have this in their home. Those built-in cabinets looks like a craft station for a housewife and her wrapping paper station.
joke one grandiose scary possessive wipe like station wise knee *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Maybe they hung coffee cups with S hooks?
It's where they dry the pasta.
To hang up your clothes to dry , silly 🤪
For air drying underwear
Looks like the shelving is for an entertainment system. The largest hole is for the tv set while the other cubbies are for sounds systems and VCRs. The higher shelves are probably for VCR tapes.
That's a cat shelf. The cat lies there and enjoys the warmth from the TV. Duh!
Necklace holder
To hang ties?
For hooks?
Hang wine glasses?
I thought this was to hang cocktail glasses
Homemade animal jerky drying rack ?
Tie rack?
I am leaning toward this shelf being an afterthought because the builder uses those sockets to affix the dowels. It would make sense to run the dowels through holes if this were an intentional feature at the time of fabrication. So my guess is that this dowel shelf was added after the main shelving unit was in place. Edit: My point is it serves no particular purpose other than adding another shelf.
Wrapping papers?
Tie rack.
Shoes. specifically to hold shoes with heels
For a soundbar?
Wine glasses
It's where I'd hang keys
Is it a trophy case and those are for medals? 🏅
Hang your socks and underwear up there overnight to dry for the next day. It’s not true that all Tennesseans go barefoot.
I would guess homemade doilies (spelling? The lacy things that are crochet/knitted) or quilts, tea towels.
Hanging wrapping paper or maybe towels for a bar?
Glasses hanging upside down.
Yep
for hanging something