Amazing & Clever Plate Rack Designs for Your Kitchen
See why plate racks are the best way to store everyday dishes
Rebekah Zaveloff
13 March 2018
When I think of a plate rack, my mind goes to country design. I tend to go more modern in my own design taste, but I have a soft spot for plate racks. It’s their no-nonsense nature that appeals to my pragmatic side. They just make sense! In my opinion, they should be used for easy access to everyday dishes, not for special dishes that are rarely used and can therefore get dusty. Rather than pulling out stacked dishes from a wall cabinet, storing them vertically within individual slots allows one to grab them and put them away with ease, and without chipping! Here are 13 ways to make them work in your kitchen:
Unfitted and over the sink
This is a pretty typical location for a plate rack. Not only does it feel more open than a cabinet with solid doors, but it’s at the perfect spot for unloading the dishwasher and putting plates away. I love the size and scale of this one and the fact that it’s unfitted, or floating in the centre of the wall. This gives it the look of being something inherited or found rather than designed with the cabinets (even if it was!).
This is a pretty typical location for a plate rack. Not only does it feel more open than a cabinet with solid doors, but it’s at the perfect spot for unloading the dishwasher and putting plates away. I love the size and scale of this one and the fact that it’s unfitted, or floating in the centre of the wall. This gives it the look of being something inherited or found rather than designed with the cabinets (even if it was!).
Unfitted and off on its own
If you have a quirky space and don’t really have the option of having symmetrical wall cabinets on both sides, an unfitted dish rack cabinet is a great way to get storage without having to force the symmetry issue. This solution allows you to have your cake and eat it too: The cabinet itself is symmetrical, but it’s not symmetrical to the overall space.
If you have a quirky space and don’t really have the option of having symmetrical wall cabinets on both sides, an unfitted dish rack cabinet is a great way to get storage without having to force the symmetry issue. This solution allows you to have your cake and eat it too: The cabinet itself is symmetrical, but it’s not symmetrical to the overall space.
Integrated with other wall cabinets
If you are going to incorporate a plate rack into other regular wall cabinets, think about making them glass so that the whole wall has a sense of openness and depth. Don’t be afraid to show off your dishes, glassware and other kitchen stuff – it doesn’t all have to match!
Check out these stylish kitchen cabinet designs
If you are going to incorporate a plate rack into other regular wall cabinets, think about making them glass so that the whole wall has a sense of openness and depth. Don’t be afraid to show off your dishes, glassware and other kitchen stuff – it doesn’t all have to match!
Check out these stylish kitchen cabinet designs
Incorporating an open shelf as part of a dish rack is a nice way to soften a kitchen and keep it from looking too utilitarian.
Even modern kitchens can incorporate a dish rack cabinet. Here, it’s flanked between aluminium and glass cabinets. What’s nice about having a dish rack over a sink like this is that all the wall cabinets can be the same height over the countertops, because you don’t have to worry about doors opening into your head when you’re at the sink. Most of the time when you see a cabinet with doors over the sink, it’s raised up a bit to give you enough clearance.
Contrasting with an accent colour
Plate-rack cabinets are easy ways to incorporate an accent colour into a kitchen; it makes it feel even more unfitted and collected. Flanked by two windows, this plate rack creates a visual centre and sense of symmetry, even though the base cabinets below aren’t symmetrical or aligned with what’s on top.
Take a look at 12 modular kitchen colour schemes
Plate-rack cabinets are easy ways to incorporate an accent colour into a kitchen; it makes it feel even more unfitted and collected. Flanked by two windows, this plate rack creates a visual centre and sense of symmetry, even though the base cabinets below aren’t symmetrical or aligned with what’s on top.
Take a look at 12 modular kitchen colour schemes
This dish rack cabinet combines many characteristics we’ve talked about already: It has a contrasting colour and is placed asymmetrically in the kitchen, but is symmetrical on its own.
Speaking of asymmetry, I love the use of this dish rack off to the side because it balances the hutch cabinet on the opposite end. The two don’t match, but there’s a relationship.
5. Bring it down to the counter
I love how this plate rack integrates into open shelves and an uber-functional storage wall where the cabinets sit on the countertop. It’s a mixed-use storage wall that makes sense for a small section of countertop that won’t be used for much prepping or tasking. The variety of door sizes and open-vs.-closed storage create much more visual interest than a bunch of cabinet doors that are all the same size.
Find out which kitchen styles suits you: Open or closed
I love how this plate rack integrates into open shelves and an uber-functional storage wall where the cabinets sit on the countertop. It’s a mixed-use storage wall that makes sense for a small section of countertop that won’t be used for much prepping or tasking. The variety of door sizes and open-vs.-closed storage create much more visual interest than a bunch of cabinet doors that are all the same size.
Find out which kitchen styles suits you: Open or closed
No need to limit yourself to a plate rack alone; you can get more out of the cabinet by creating an appliance storage space below and open shelves above.
6. Carve out a niche
The little bit of of unused wall space on the wall is a perfect spot to create storage in the form of a plate rack. Here it’s being used for both display and function.
The little bit of of unused wall space on the wall is a perfect spot to create storage in the form of a plate rack. Here it’s being used for both display and function.
I had to incorporate a few examples of plate racks where the plates are turned to face outwards. Just because these are on display doesn’t mean they can’t be used for functional serving dishes. A little niche created by unused wall depth is a great way to get extra storage.
Plate racks don’t have to be in kitchens – they can be in a pantry or vestibule area as well. Stealing space that might be otherwise overlooked looks great and gives an existing kitchen much needed extra storage.
Read more:
Kitchen Storage: How to Pack a Punch
Tell us:
How have you made space for a plate rack in your kitchen? Share ideas in the Comments below.
Read more:
Kitchen Storage: How to Pack a Punch
Tell us:
How have you made space for a plate rack in your kitchen? Share ideas in the Comments below.
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Like the idea? We are manufacturing them.
- thedishdryingrack.com
Europeans have "dish drys" which are like plate racks over a sink, where the dishes are placed on edge to drip dry. Water accumulates in a shallow tray in a shelf below which is also used for draining bulky items like cups and bowls. I had one across the window above my sink, and it was VERY useful - NOT JUST PRETTY. Is that the starting point for these designs which seem for display, and while some are utilitarian, many eat up space that could be used for more efficient storage.