If you’re sick of fumbling around in crammed kitchen cupboards to find that perfect pan come dinnertime, try adding a cookware hanging rack. A well-chosen wrought iron or aluminum rack can be a major space saver, freeing up cabinet storage while keeping your favorite cookware in easy reach. But before you decide to invest in one, consider carefully how you use your kitchen and if a pot rack will work in your home.
If a large, hanging pot rack isn’t your style, a wall-mounted version is less bulky and more versatile. The rack can be used in the kitchen to hold utensils and cookware, or hung in the entryway, mud room, or outdoor living space to hang gardening tools, jackets, and even plants.
For those who do most of their prep work over a kitchen island, a ceiling-mounted pot rack may be just the thing. This design has plenty of hooks to accommodate a wide variety of pans and frees up cabinet storage for other kitchen essentials. If you want to mount a rack over the stove, be careful not to hang it too low, which can cause grease to drip onto your cookware. Also, be sure to choose a spot that won’t block the only natural light in your kitchen or obstruct view into adjacent rooms.
A wooden pot rack idea works for both a country-style or modern kitchen. A simple design, made from 2x2s and a few pieces of poplar, takes the place of traditional kitchen drapery and adds a decorative element to the kitchen. For a more elegant look, consider a stainless-steel option that coordinates with your appliances and kitchen hardware. A rack with internal grids is flexible and can be customized with extra hooks for baking dishes, aprons, or other kitchen utensils such as a flour sifter or strainer.