A timeless kitchen essential, a plate rack effortlessly adds charm and functionality to any design. Leave it in its natural wood finish or paint it the same color as your walls and there's no better way to beautifully store your dishes.
Look into almost any rustic kitchen and you'll find a plate rack, an imperfect yet timeless design element that brings that lived-in look that's on trend this year.
Plate racks are as practical as they are stylish, so it's no wonder they've long been a traditional kitchen essential. We asked kitchen experts why this kitchen accessory remains so popular and how you can successfully incorporate it into your kitchen plan.
5 ways to incorporate plate racks into your kitchen
Whether your kitchen design is traditional and timeless or more contemporary, there are plenty of plate rack ideas to suit almost any scheme. Although plate racks suit classic and rustic schemes best, in recent years plate racks have been appearing in a variety of kitchen designs.
1. Plate rack painted to match cabinets
(Image courtesy of deVOL)
Plate racks are a traditional alternative to upper cabinets, so make a statement with your design. In this kitchen, an oversized plate rack runs the full length of the wall and is painted to match the lower cabinets. The contrast with the white brick walls and ceiling beams gives the space a rustic yet elegant feel.
“If you feel something is worth investing in and will add beauty and functionality to your home, then go for its size and colour to make it a valuable feature,” says Helen Parker, creative director of deVOL Kitchens.
“Painting it the same colour as your kitchen cupboards makes them an integral part of the room and much more interesting and useful than shelves. As these pieces of furniture are often found in under-stairs kitchens in mansion homes, we think a muted, yet strong and bold colour is a good choice,” she adds.
2. Create a rustic look with wooden plate racks
(Image courtesy of deVOL)
To embrace traditional kitchen ideas, choose a plate rack with a natural wood finish to add rustic charm. Dark woods in particular look great in classic kitchens, while lighter woods work well in Scandinavian-inspired kitchens.
“A plate rack adds a special touch to your kitchen. This traditional, historic item is both beautiful and extremely useful,” explains Helen. Go one step further and place your plate rack close to your cooking area, so everything you need is always within easy reach.
This kitchen achieves a very traditional design with its range cooker, ceiling pot rack, and olive green shaker style kitchen cabinets. The addition of a wooden place rack in place of the upper cabinets ties the whole design together and creates a truly classic beauty.
3. Add a plate rack among other storage
(Image courtesy of Vaughan Design & Development / Photo: Chris Snood)
If you don't need to store a ton of dishes, a full-size plate rack isn't for you — the plate rack itself adds an attractive feature, but it looks odd when left half-empty. Instead, opt for a smaller version that fits your kitchen.
A small plate rack can get lost in a space on its own, so adding one between two cabinets or shelves will make it feel like part of a larger kitchen storage space. Sticking with open storage allows you to display your favorite items while still maintaining a rustic style.
The kitchen's blue panelled walls allow the dark wood plate rack to stand out and become a key feature of the design, and combined with the cabinet skirting and terracotta floor tiles give the space an authentic rustic feel.
4. Create a plate rack between floating shelves
(Image courtesy of Naked Kitchens)
If your kitchen style is more modern and rustic, a traditional style plate rack wouldn't be the best choice, so introducing one that blends in with the rest of your kitchen design will help it look on-trend rather than outdated.
“Plate racks are a neat way to store dishes, and not only are they functional, they look great too, so they kill two birds with one stone. Dishes are easy to access and reach, and they allow you to store different sized plates without stacking them, so you don't have to worry about shuffling or chipping your pile of dishes,” says creative director Elizabeth Sherwin. Naked Kitchen.
“A plate rack design that connects two floating shelves is always popular. The length of the rack can be determined by the number of plates you want to store,” she adds. This kitchen plate rack is a perfect example. It has all the practical and aesthetic qualities of a plate rack, but in a shape that better suits the space.
5. Create a decorative feature with a plate rack
(Image courtesy of deVOL)
Traditional plate racks come with slots for storing plates sideways, but that's not the only style of plate rack to consider. If your plates are decorative, you may want to display them, so choose a plate rack that allows plates to face outward, so your plate storage doubles as kitchen wall decor.
But that doesn't mean it loses its rustic charm. In this farmhouse kitchen, the plate rack is the only fixture mounted on the wall, and while it may not be classically styled, it still has a traditional feel with its scalloped edges. In this scheme, the plate rack is left neutral, with all attention directed to the impressive ceiling beams.
Buy a plate rack
These five spaces prove that plate racks can add rustic charm to any kitchen. All you have to do is choose the size and design that fits your plans. Whether you stick with a natural wood finish or paint it to match your kitchen's color palette, a plate rack is one kitchen accessory you'll never regret.
