Caution: This is a really looonnng post – first the background story of a win/loss/win, 2 sets of before and afters and a detailed description of the final DIY project! It all started with a giveaway…
I Won a Pendant Light!
Back in January C.D. Loken at CD’s Country Living had a giveaway and I won: “In honor of CD’s Country Living’s blogging anniversary, Parrot Uncle generously agreed to send one lucky winner this LARGE (18.11 x 9.06) Retro-Industrial Light with Pot cover shade ($45 value)!”
Best Laid Plans
Today I can finally tell you about it. It was a long time in coming… Parrot Uncle asked me if I’d like to have a second pendant light for my kitchen to go along with the one I won in CD’s giveaway. After a few back and forth emails, we settled on the pair of lights that were just like C.D.s that were hanging over her kitchen island – one free one from the giveaway on CDs blog and one as a gift in exchange for a review – or so I thought.
After waiting a few weeks for them to be delivered, they finally came in. BUT, they were 3x the size I expected and Parrot Uncle told me it would cost more to send them back for an exchange than they were worth. I hadn’t even thought to make sure they were what I’d expected. Live and learn, right?
So I had to decide what to do with them, and also keep up on my end of the bargain to do a review.
I thought they were just like C.D.’s and I didn’t check to make sure they actually were. So I had a dilemma. They in no way could go above my kitchen island.
But sometimes things that seem a disappointment turn out to work out for the best. My DD and SIL moved into a new home, so I gave them one of the lights for a house warming present and the other will be for Christmas. Win. Win. They are very pleased with the lights!
The Rustic Look
They hung them in their porch, updating their lights to the industrial look:
Before
Katie said, “I love the lights we added in our sunroom! They give it the ‘barn-type/rustic’ feel that we were hoping for, especially when we put in the (aff link) old school light bulbs. Those lights will bring our sunroom together nicely once we get the rest of the room finished.”
AFTER
I was disappointed that they wouldn’t work for over my kitchen island, so we went out to find something that would work. Nothing we found seemed right. Check out the one I brought home to try from Menards:
It was along the lines of what I had envisioned, but it was too low for the space and just looked…well, goofy. Reality doesn’t always match your mind’s eye.
I found a few I liked on Amazon but just couldn’t decide!
Then My DH Offered to Build One!
Um, yes, please!
We went shopping for just the right grates to use in a wood frame that we’d suspend from the ceiling above my island. I knew what I wanted but didn’t know where to find them. We looked for replacement grates for grills but they were very expensive and weren’t the right size. Then I found some shelving grates – two put together would be just the right size and they were industrial looking.
DH made a wood frame to house two of the metal shelves… 
And I spray painted it with (aff link) Rust-Oleum Painters Touch 2X Spray, Satin Dark Walnut. 
I didn’t like the idea of using chains to hang it, so we got a little creative and used (aff link) turnbuckles for the industrial look, attaching them with (aff links) screw eyes and screw hooks.
We added corner (aff link) angle clip brackets to add to the industrial look:
Let There Be Light
The new light kit came from Lowes and gives just the right amount of light for the island area. We hung the rack just under to get the maximum amount of light.
Pot hooks were very expensive so I dragged my DH hither and yon to find something I could use that wouldn’t be as expensive. I tried “S” hooks, which worked for the pots, but I wanted something thinner for the other things I wanted to hang.
I found (aff link) curtain hooks that I could cut and make work:
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Since I have several daughters that often cook in my kitchen, I like the idea of having my pots and cooking utensils handy. Plus it doesn’t hurt to have it pretty as well. My DIY Pot Rack fits the bill.
Don’t be intimidated by a project that doesn’t seem to go according to plan. Just keep searching for a solution and get creative. It’s so worth it and in the end you will be pleased you stuck with it.
If you like chalk paint for such projects, I have some recipes for you – how about a FREE PDF of 5 Homemade Chalky Paint Recipes? Click the picture below if you’d like it sent to you via email. It will also put you on my mailing list, but feel free to unsubscribe at any time:
What projects did you start that quickly turned to dust? Did it come out better than you expected when you found a solution? Leave me a comment below – maybe our success after failure will encourage someone to keep at it. I LOVE comments and read every one!
Blessings,
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31 thoughts on “DIY Pot Rack – Pendant Lights or Industrial Wood?”
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SENSATIONAL! Great obstacle jumping!!!!
Thanks, it’s how we roll!
Where did you find the wire shelving? I LOVE this, you did a GREAT job!!!
Menards – Thanks!
I like the idea of hanging pots and pans, but mu husband is tall and our kitchen is small. The ceiling is short in height. So a hanging rack would be hard to. But my cupboard space is limited at best. My ceiling light takes up most of the ceiling in the kitchen so placement of the rack is hard. We live in a home association and I don't know if they would allow the kitchen ceiling to be changed regarding their lights. But I know if we can do something to change the lights and storage of the pans it would be nice. I have only seen that done once in a house that was much larger than what we have here. Space is compact doors for cupboards open to the side of the refrigerator or wall or immediately over the stove. So space is tight. Window is away from the stove and not helpful for position of the pot rack. So it's a real challange for me. I like the idea there though. I would want one that lowers and raises for ease of getting to the pans.
Tina, have you looked into pot racks that have the lights built right in? That might be an option. I would definitely check with the home association. To have one that lowers and raises would be very cool!
I really like what you did here. I have been on the lookout for something to use as the rack part of a pot rack. You inspired me.
Thanks
I’m so glad, Brenda! We looked high and low for the rack. Let me know when you get yours built.
Love your project,looks great & I would love to do something like that for our newly remodeled kitchen. We had it gutted and everything replaced. The contractor did a really professional job, the only thing I was dissatisfied with the drawers being so shallow, looks like nice deep ones until you pull the drawer out. But after 58 years of gathering kitchen gadgets I have lots of stuff to store, I love the look that you got, but we my husband & myself are not DIY,s and don't know if I want a crew back in my house or not. I am going to show my hubby and see what he thinks about it. Going to make sure my contractor sees what you did. Thanks so moch!
It was VERY easy. Maybe you could find a local DIY’er or a friend to make you one?
Would like step by step directions for the sit pot and pan rack set
Basically my DH just built a frame to hold the closet racks and hung it by turnbuckles from hooks in the frame and stud. We added the corner metal pieces for effect.
Would love to see a long range pic so I can see how high above your island this rack hangs.
If I ever clean all the paint stuff off my island I’ll take one for you. 🙂
I love your pot rack, great job! I am interested in the lights you couldn't use and gave away as gifts, can you tell me where they can be found, I think they are exactly what I am looking for to use on my new covered patio! Thank you, and again what a great job, makes me wish I could have a pot rack in my kitchen.
https://www.parrotuncle.com/pendant-lighting.html
Would this be sturdy enough to hold cast iron skillets?
Mine is because my DH hung it by screws into the wood supports above. The way he constructed it, the pot holder itself is sturdy as well.
The rack, possibly yes, depending on how many you hang. But you do have to make sure you anchor it well in the ceiling too.
I really like how nice this looks compared to the cost that went into making it. Do you know what dimensions the boards to make the frame were?
I’ll have to measure them!
I appreciate your advice on a DIY pot rack, it’s exactly what I want to do. I don’t think it’s easy but definitely possible as long as you want it as much as I do. TY!
Great! Glad I could help.
What are the elongated hooks you used to hang your teapot? I love this design. exactly what we were thinking of doing.
We looked for a long time to find just the right ones – those we found at a surplus store a while ago.
Thanks for the idea! We built one just like this and I love it! Hubs was pretty impressed with his handy work too.
I’ve been contemplating adding light (or really moving existing lights) to above our exiting po track, but I’ve worried about the shadows and how it casts light on my work surface. Can you comment on how this has worked out for you? I do all my prep on my island, and LOVE having my pots there and handy, but the lighting is at one end and the pots cast a shadow, so one end is pretty dark. I want to move the lights 90 degrees to run Above the rack.
Yes, I do get shadows, but I have enough lighting over my sink, which is behind me, and pot lights all around my cupboards on the ceiling, which are behind me and to my left, so I have plenty of light in my kitchen to make up for the light the pots block. It would annoy me if I didn’t have the other lights, so if that’s all you have, you’ll want to add more. I just added lights under my cabinets too, so I can use them if I need more but for the most part, I’m good.
It would seem to me that using free-hanging hooks would make it difficult to engage the hooks with the holes in the pot handles. If the pots are to be above your normal view, it would make the engagement a one-handed operation and frustrating at best. Do you find that to be true in your kitchen?
For the most part, no. I do pretty well at putting the pots on the hooks one handed. I’m 5’8″, so I have a bit of an advantage. It’s a little tricky to hang the utensils up, but I do well enough that it’s not a real bother. All these years after posting this, I still LOVE my pot rack. My DH isn’t as patient or careful and it’s not unusual for me to have to put the hooks back up after he grabs a pot. VBG