Here’s a Pot-of-Gold Idea

‘Tis the season for out-of-town guests. In the past two weeks, I’ve hosted my brother and some friends from high school. I live in a small space, and when you combine that with extra people and lots of luggage, you begin to realize just how precious an inch or two here and there can be.

It’s made me think about opportunities for space overhead, especially in the kitchen. While my cabinets are full and the shelves are stocked, some clever rearranging may make all the difference. Pot racks, for example, have a way of commanding attention without weighing down a room, as they allow for light to shine through empty spaces.

Pot racks are also relatively easy to install. First, find the joists in your ceiling. This is the most important step. Use a stud finder. Remember, a pot rack is designed to hold pots and pans, so it will need to support some heavy weight. Installing it into drywall is not recommended. Measure the distance between the joists and purchase a rack based on this measurement.

When looking at placement, remember to account for height. There should be ample room for people to walk or work underneath the rack without hitting their heads. Also, make sure there is enough room around the pot rack so that it doesn’t obstruct cabinet doors.

After you purchase and put together your rack, measure where you will hang the rack along the joist. Mark the spots off with a pencil. Make sure to pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions as well. Some say to add a 2-inch-by-4-inch piece of wood to the joists for extra support. Next, drill pilot holes for the eye hooks and twist them in until the threads go behind the wood. Once these are in, hang the rack using the ceiling hooks. Then, hang your pots and pans and enjoy your extra space.

The entire process can take up to a half a day or more, so remember to plan ahead.