12 Wall Pot Racks for Short People

When we talk about easy, inexpensive ways to improve the storage in your kitchen — any kitchen, even a rental — a pot rack comes up quickly. Hanging your pots and pans for easy access frees up cupboards. But what if you, like me, are just too short for a traditional pot rack? I have tall friends with racks that loom high over their island or stove, but I am not tall enough to manage that!

Here are 12 inspiring photos of other options: pot rails and racks, mounted on the wall, low enough for us shorties.

I have to say, I also don’t prefer the visual clutter that a traditional pot rack adds to the center of the kitchen. I know that some people don’t mind this at all and even embrace the farmhouse look it brings. But personally I like the sleeker approach of lining the walls with pans, out of the central line of sight.

Here are 12 examples of this that I think work really well.

1. Loft Kitchen: Look past those captivating colorful colander pendants (if you can) and note the pot rails in a very handy location next to the stove.
2. Stacked Rails: These are GRUNDTAL rails and hooks from IKEA. While the top rail probably needs a stool to reach, the bottom two are accessible even for us shorties.
3. Floating Rails: These are truly accessible (although perhaps not the solution to choose if you have pets or kids!). Note how the rails are mounted on wood strips and built slightly away from the wall, presumably to keep the pots from scratching the paint.
4. Long Wall Rail: Another example of using an otherwise empty wall to hang pans. The rail, says the designer, is from Home Depot and the hooks are from IKEA.
5. Corner Pot Rack: Love the luxury look of this rack, and the way it uses corner space.
6. Rack + Shelves: Another IKEA solution on display here.
7. Tile Under Rack: Interesting solution, with tile under the racks to protect the walls from the pans.
8. Over a Window: If you’re willing to block a little light, then a pot rail over a window makes use of otherwise open space in the kitchen (and lends a rather cozy French farmhouse vibe). Here is the pot rack that the designer used.
9. Pot Rack in Small Space: Another pot rack over a window (the lid rack is an old one from IKEA). What a great little cooking zone, and in a rental, too.
10. Rails on Tile: Wish I could find a better photo of the rails here, but what you can see looks so good. Note that they’re strong enough for Dutch ovens.
11. Vintage Style: Love the look of the dark brass on tile. Also, note how this rack takes advantage of what looks like pass-through space, not deep enough for more than a shallow cupboard. Pot rails like this can also work in hallways or shallow spaces.
12. Backsplash Rail: Here the backsplash is used as a spot for the rail. The architect used this Hafele rail system.