Welcome to Your Weekend Project, featuring how-tos and ideas from our archives for an organized and inspired home.
Where to stow skillets, strainers, and wooden spoons when you’re short on cabinet space? A Beautiful Mess contributor Mandi Johnson came up with this simple, elegant answer for her own kitchen.
Above: A black grid lends order and interest to a tidy white setting. The rack is made from hardware store parts and can be created in an afternoon.
The Materials
Above: The materials list includes several items you probably already own, including ceiling hooks, S hooks, bare metal primer (to prevent rusting), appliance epoxy, rust-removing cleaner, and epoxy paint (not shown). The key ingredient is steel mesh rebar (“found in the concrete section of hardware stores,” says Mandi). She used a metal grinder, shown here, to cut her wire mesh to fit her space, but notes that industrial wire cutters also work. See her full list and step-by-step details in A Beautiful Mess.
The Instructions
Above: Mandi marks the corners where the support hooks will go. She notes: “If you don’t have horizontal lines to use as a guide, as I did, thanks to my paneling, you may need someone to hold up a level to make sure it’s straight.” Above: The installed wire rack awaits pots and utensils. “As far as the load capacity goes, that depends on the drywall anchors you use and the strength of the wire mesh, which can only be determined by testing it,” Mandi says. Above: To keep a clean look, Mandi still stores the majority of her utensils in a drawer but says she loves having the most used items on hand. See more photos of the project in A Beautiful Mess.
Looking for similar storage ideas? Consider these:
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