From the first moment I saw this kitchen, I pictured a pot rack over the peninsula.
I longed for a pot rack in my old townhouse kitchen, but the space was pretty limited. Then, I came across an amazing deal. An entire box of Cuisinart stainless steel pots and pans for $60. It was a box that was marked down four times until it was 90% off. It's the kind of thing that you look at it over and over to make sure there's nothing wrong with it, but the whole set was there and in perfect condition. I had become of bit of a Food Network junkie and really wanted to get some gourmet pots and pans, so I went for it. Not having the space for a full-sized pot rack, I mounted a hanging storage rod from Ikea on the ceiling to make a long, narrow pot rack. Over the next couple of years, I added a few All Clad pots and pans, copper bowls and molds and some cool strainers to my collection
When we moved into our current house, my long, narrow pot rack wasn't going to work, so my mom bought me this one (Calphalon from Bed, Bath and Beyond) for a house warming gift. It may be the one non-permanent thing in my entire house that has stayed in the exact spot where we originally put it! I've thought about taking it down in favor of a chandelier, but I just love it too much.
Almost everyone who comes into my house asks me if I really cook with those pots and pans. Yes, I do. Well, most of them. I can't say I've used the antique European copper bunt pan, very often (or ever.)
If you're interested in installing a pot rack in your kitchen, here are some things to think about.
Do you have a good spot for it? This might sound like a "duh" kind of suggestion, but they can often take up more space than you anticipate and you need to make sure it's going to work with and not overwhelm your space.
Pot racks can get very heavy when fully loaded, so make sure it can be installed into a ceiling joist with heavy duty hooks. A grown man can hang from ours...no problem.
New cookware may be involved. I'm just giving you fair warning! You may buy your pot rack, install it and then realize you only have some well-used Teflon pans to hang on it and it's not the look you're going for at all! I keep all of my Teflon in a cabinet and only hang my copper and stainless pots and pans. You can find inexpensive ones at discount stores like Home Goods, TJ Maxx, Marshall's and Ross. (It's also a joy to cook on quality pans, like All-Clad. I was scared of sticking at first, but I learned how to use them properly and it really improved the quality of my cooking.)
Lastly, you do need to consider maintenance. I constantly have to vacuum cobwebs and dust off the pot rack and chains it hangs from. Every few weeks, I have to wipe down the pots I don't use very often and I shine the stainless steel with Bar Keeper's Friend regularly to keep them looking nice. It's definitely more work than keeping everything in a closed cabinet, but it's functional and brings a "gourmet feel" to the kitchen.
And remember...many things can be used as a pot rack - ladders, gates, and you can even make from scratch. Just make sure it's sturdy enough and is the proper scale for your kitchen.
Oh! And I'm so sorry for the delay in announcing the winner of the Baby Jewel's fabric wall decal giveaway. It's...
...Michelle of A Basket of Strawberry Pi! As you can see in her comment, she has the perfect occassion for it! Congratulations, Michelle!