Domestic Science: Sheila Maid Ceiling-Mounted Airer

Growing up in the UK, I became accustomed to drying clothes on a pulley clothes dryer, which takes advantage of rising heat to dry clothes. The tumble dryer eventually gained favor, of course, but in these eco-conscious times, pulley dryers are enjoying a comeback. The Sheila Maid Ceiling Airer, an industry workhorse that's been around for a century and is made with cast iron pulleys and supports, pine slats, and organic cotton rope, is available in a choice of lengths from the Domestic Paraphernalia Company in the UK. Prices start at £56; overseas shipping is available. In the US, the British-made Classic Kitchen Maid ceiling-mounted clothes airer is available exclusively through Urban Clotheslines; prices start at $169 for a four-lath model. And, of course, our friend Megan Wilson of Ancient Industries offers the Sheila Maid in the US for $135.