10 Smart Places to Put a Pot Rack

When storage space is at a premium in the kitchen (or any room, for that matter), you’ve got to think vertically. We love hanging racks for pots and pans; they ensure your cookware doesn’t take up valuable cabinet or drawer space, and give purpose to spaces that would otherwise likely go unused.

If you’re unsure where a hanging rack would fit in your kitchen, take a look at these 10 hot spots where a rack just fits.

• Curtain rods: When you’re cramped for space, every available inch is crucial. Installing curtain rods 1/3 of the way down from the top of your window frame can make for an excellent pot rack, while still letting in light. (via Apartment Therapy)
• Empty wall: No art in your kitchen? No problem! Turn your cookware into a modern art piece by artfully arranging them in a pattern on an empty wall. (via Design*Sponge)
• Under the island counter: If you have an open island counter, adding a few hooks underneath is the perfect way to make use of the otherwise wasted space. Just be careful if you generally pull up a barstool to the counter. You don’t want to kick your pots and pans! (via Houzz)
• Narrow wall: This narrow wall isn’t wasted space any longer. With the addition of three tiers of hanging racks, it becomes the perfect place to store frying pans. (via Apartment Therapy)
• Over the island counter: This might be the most traditional place to have a hanging pot rack — it makes things easy to reach — but it’s not for everyone. Depending on the size of your kitchen, it can block your view and make it hard to see. (via Sinclair Associates Architects)

• Side of the cabinet: You don’t necessarily have to look up to find a place to hang pots and pans. We love this solution of hanging cast iron skillets on the side of your cabinets. Just make sure the hooks are sturdily attached. (via The Kitchn)
• Above the stove: Placing a hanging rack above the stove is one of the more practical solutions: If you need a pan, simply reach up and grab it. The only problem is you probably don’t have enough space to store all your pans above your stove. (via BHG)
• Wire rack: The wire shelving unit is one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you can add to a kitchen. We love the idea of hanging pots from the top shelf. Just make sure it doesn’t get off-balance. (via The Kitchn)
• Above the hood: We wouldn’t have thought about using the space above the hood as a place for hanging pots and pans, but now that we’ve seen it, we bet it would be a great solution for renters looking to camouflage a less-than-attractive hood in their kitchen. (via Kitchen Lab Design)
• Over the door: One of Cambria’s big projects last year was to finally find a way to hang the pots and pans in her kitchen. With limited wall space, above the door was the spot that worked. Talk about thinking vertically! (via The Kitchn)