Most of my pots and pans hang on a rack tucked into an alcove. The ugly, crusty, old, battered ones live in a drawer. The bigger or less-used ones (stockpot, roasting pan, etc) live in the basement.

I'm planning to have a larger overhead rack in the center of the kitchen where most of the pots and pans will hang, with stockpots on open shelves by the range. Ugly pans will be discarded or cleaned up.

Using precious cabinet space for pots that can hang in the open - and look good doing so - doesn't make sense to me, personally. The cans of pet food and bags of flour can't hang on a rack, so they need the cabinet.

However, I've heard the trend is to have pots and pans hidden away, to get a sleeker, more modern look. People have told me that hanging pans look cluttery and old-fashioned. So, if resale is a factor, you might want to include some deep drawers for pot storage even if you don't use them.

My other issue is, where do you put the lids? I don't want to hang them with the pans (on the pan handle) since you often use the pan without the lid, and then - again - where do you put the lid? I think lids are like Tupperware, a real nuisance to store.

I suppose you could mount light on the rack for the best of both worlds. Great if you have nicely polished cookware.

Hmmm, I have a POT RACK, not a wire baker's rack.

Depending on how long and wide your island is, you can get a long straight metal bar, and then put your pots all facing the same direction. The first time I installed a pot rack, it was a small one I made from a feed store scale. I mounted a two-sheave pulley at the single hook through a ceiling member, and then ran a rope off to the side which I used to raise and lower it. Never had a problem with it, even though the island underneath it was really a minor sized wooden rolling M/Wave cart on wheels. I loved the cart, and kept it until Hurricane Katrina destroyed it.

Another house where I was renting from a friend, she did not want any holes in her plaster, so I created a sort of baker's rack/pot rack out of some 2x2 lumber screwed into the wood moldings from baseboard to ceiling, and the top was a wire closet shelf. There was no stove vent in this tiny tiny kitchen, and the wire shelf at top kept the air circulating. This was all installed across the wall behind the 30" electric range. When I moved, I was pleased that the owner's hubby, an engineer, liked it well enough to leave it in place. Incidentally, all the pot hooks were made so the pots stowed with the pot rims facing front, not the pot bottoms. I put a tiny candle lamp on one wooden shelf, and a clip on desk lamp shining down to the cook surface.

As far as pendants, I will have them in my next kitchen redo. But there will definitely be a shallow depth pot rack to the right of the gas range, the last cabinet on that side of the galley kitchen. It is also a sort of semi screen for the back door, but does not get in the way of any sight lines toward the front of the house.

If you have a big island, can you reach a pot rack if it is up high? I would consider using pot lights over each end of the island, instead of pendants. Just my personal take on a lot going on.

Thanks for the excellent response.

We're leaning towards doing a deep drawer under the cooktop and doing pendants above the island.

We also think that lids could go into a pullout drawer that has a mechanism for storing racks, boards, etc.

I like the looks of pretty pendants rather than a baker's rack, but then again my pots and pans are not very display-worthy.

All of our pots and pans are in drawers. In our pre-reno kitchen they were all in cabinets and that was a pain (with the clanging you mention.) It's so easy to pull open a drawer just as far as you need for whatever pot you want (the most-used pots are in the front.) They're easier to see (no bending over) and even if they're stacked they're easier (and quieter) to get out. Our pot lids just stay on the pots in the drawers. You could have a drawer with an insert/stand to hold the lids vertically.

Our lower cabinets (perimeter and island) are all drawers with 3 exceptions: under sink, corner cabinet, narrow cabinet next to stove. I'm now wishing that 3rd one was drawers too! So when you plan your new kitchen, please consider drawers for your lower cabinets instead of doors and shelves. I find them to be so much handier.

I see that you have the same ideas as me. Sorry I posted at the same time as your last post so I didn't see it.

If you have the budget, I love Howard Kaplan's pot racks with integrated pendant lighting. Maybe there are other racks with this look?

Here is a link that might be useful: Howard Kaplan

I love pot racks, I love the ease of them and the look of them. For us, I decided against one based on lighting. I fell in love with some old halophane pendants and they wouldn't work with a pot rack. There are racks that incorporate pendants. This is from my inspiration file for the pot rack, sorry I'm not sure where it's from:

Good luck!

Johnliu, point well made. However, when you have a small kitchen, the neat/tidy pot rack utilizes space that would otherwise be vacant. And it can look pretty darn good doing it too. It is just a very utilitarian accessory for a busy cook with limited storage space.

LIDS are always an issue. I have several decorative metal plate racks which hold 4 plates each. Purchased from Mobile Fixture here in Alabama, and they are a restaurant and kitchen supply store. I was able to put some of my flatter lids into the plate slots, and now finding the right size lid for the job is not such a noisy problem.

Here's my current pot rack and IKEA utinsel bar. I admit this is overkill and sloppy, but we are nibbling away at a kitchen redo, and everything has to be somewhere.

And here is the current state of affairs in the back porch which will one day become part of the kitchen redo. Note on top of the left M/Wave where the orange enameled pan is, those are lids and racks in a wire plate rack, forget where that one came from.

And then here is the regular metal plate rack used as a lid rack for the time being.

When I redo the kitchen, a built-in table with a countertop will be installed adjacent to the range. IKEA makes the one I will buy if I cannot use the s/s topped piece you see under my current pot rack. I already threw out the old range, and we're now cooking on this Waring Pro 2-burner hotplate. It works for us. But you should see how my hubby's friends shake their heads when they learn I threw out the stove!!!

I do think that pot racks over an island can get in the way visually, and also be busy on your eye. I have always loved Redrange's kitchen, with her pot racks--she used two smaller ones on either side of her range. That way, the pots are conveniently located, not in anyone's way or sightline, and pretty without looking cluttered. I believe she provides the source for her pot racks on her page on the FKB. And, check out her solution for the lids.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Redrange's Kitchen on the Finished Kitchens Blog

I agree with the pot rack crowd - except I never could understand positioning one over an island. I was keeping lids in a drawer, and I still might, but I'm also considering the ikea grundal utensil rail for lids.

I couldn't do without some type of hanging rack/bar although it can't be over an island because I don't have one.

For pots, I have double bars - one mounted to the window trim & one hanging from the ceiling about 1-1/2' in front of the other. A photo was posted in another thread.

I have another bar - similar to Moccasinlandings although it may be closer to the wall - mounted above my stove, & I slip the lids in the gap with the handles resting on the bar. Some are too big & must be put in the pantry.
HTH

Here is a link that might be useful: Hanging rack over window

For those who have to live with pots and pans stored in the metal bottom drawer of a full size range...

Put in something for cushioning at the bottom of the drawer. An old rubber sink pad. One of those non-slip substances you can by by the roll in the dime store. A hand towel even. It really helps eliminate the obnoxious noise, and rubber or rubber-like ones have grip so they cut down on the pans sliding around.

Amazing responses. Thank you! I didn't know that they had combo pot rack/pendant lighting stuff - I'm not sure if I like it though as the set up looks busy.

I'm the nostalgic type. Have a bakers rack that was handed down to me by my mother and was hoping to put it to use. But given the kitchen's layout and the need for visual space (we have American Sign Language users in our house who need unobstructed visual paths), we're going to opt for pendant lighting - and put the pots and pans into drawers under the cooktop.

pickle2...that Howard Kaplan light/pot rack is awesome.

In my old house I used to have a pot rack over my stove (it was the only place I could put it). I liked having it as it was easy to find and reach pans. I don't want or need a rack in my current home, but do have to remember locations and tell friends what cabinet to open if they are helping in the kitchen...LOL.

I'm in a declutter stage of life, so nothing hanging from the ceiling except for beautiful pendant lights. Pot and pans hidden in deep drawers. Good luck.

Please forgive the state of my kitchen cabinet it is in the process of refacing.This is how I keep my pots and pans. Yes almost everything else is removed from the cabinet but the pots and pans live in this rack just as you see it.

The lids stay with the pans and the rack system was cheep from Walmart. I have used this system for almost 6 years at two different houses. It is not noisy and yes this is all the pots and pans I have and never run out. I have baking pans on end in another cupboard.

Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: Pot and Pan storage

Sorry about the dog toy in the picture. The critters are upset with the commotion of having THEIR house turned upside down.