Hanging Pot Racks: the perfect marriage of form and function

December 26th, 2008 Posted in Kitchen Improvements

If your kitchen cupboards are anything like mine, the pot or skillet you need is rarely easy to get at. It’s a pain to get at the right pot, which inevitably seems to be at the bottom of a stack!

One solution that is both practical and attractive, is to install a hanging pot rack! Imagine all your pots and many of your cooking utensils within easy reach.

When it comes to hanging pot racks there are two main styles. First is the overhead design. For this the first requirement is adequate ceiling space and head room. Not only will many ceiling mounted pot racks suspend as much as 20 inches, add the length of the pots to determine if there is enough room. If you’re on the short side, remember to allow space for your taller friends!

There is an abundant variety of styles, sizes, and materials to choose from. Selection to meet every decorating style.

If you’ve got the room, this is a perfect pot storage solution. And, it looks great. Most great chefs like to show off their good cookware, and a pot rack is the iideal way to do this.

Obviously this solution isn’t going to work for everyone. Many homes simply don’t have a high enough ceiling to install the pot rack, plus the length of the pots you’ll hang.

The other option is a wall mounted rack. Here again, there are so many styles and materials to choose from. Wall mounted racks are available in many sizes. Some only protrude a couple of inches from the wall! Others have lots of shelf space to store cookbooks, cooking oils and so on.

When my father-in-law renovated a 150 year old stone farmhouse, he built a modern kitchen, yet retained the old country look and feel. The kitchen included a large copper exhaust hood and a ceiling mounted pot rack. It was the pot rack that really gave the kitchen a final touch of rustic charm.

If your home or kitchen has a rustic theme, hanging pot racks are available with a wide range of rustic motifs such as moose, bear, and pine trees. Plus you’ll find a variety of suitable materials such as steel, wood, wrought iron, and hammered metals such as bronze and copper.

You’ll find racks with built in lights and mica shades. Finishes include natural steel, black, rust, and custom colors.

Whether you have space for an overhead hanging pot rack, or limited ceiling space or headroom and choose a wall mounted rack, getting those pots and pans out of your cupboards into easy reach and on display is an efficient way to organize your kitchen and could very well lead to greater culinary satisfaction in your kitchen!