July 27, 2009

pegboard for pots + pans

Each kitchen presents a different space-defying problem zone, but all kitchens make you ponder the same question: where should you put your pots and pans? My answer came in the way of a pegboard. Meet my pegboard! Dan and I got our watery blue pegboard up on Saturday. Hooray! Not only is one major part of the kitchen now organized (pots + pans problem solved), but Im loving the way the pegboard looks. Below, I shared how to make a pegboard (and some lessons learned from my pegboard project.)

In the end, we opted for a pegboard over investing in a kitchen island. One big reason why: since were renters, were trying to avoid buying furniture that works swell in this space but may not work in the layout of our next home. Its so costly and annoying to re-sell furniture. So pegboard won as the perfect non-committal, affordable solution.

 

how to make a pegboard:

+ measure the space where you want to put your pegboard: We had just one area of kitchen wall space where a pegboard could go — that teeny 17-inch-wide kitchen enclave off our cabinets. I recommend taking your pots + pans and laying them out on the floor (in the same size space planned for your pegboard.) That way, youll make sure all your pots will fit on the pegboard (typical size is 2 x4), and if youre flexible with wall space, this helps you decide how big of a pegboard space you need.

+ pick up supplies:

pegboard. You can have it cut to size at Home Depot, if you need a custom size like we did.

frame pieces. youll need 3 pieces of wood for each piece of pegboard (make sure the pieces are cut to the exact width of the pegboard)

screws. youll need long screws to screw the wood frame into your wall and short screws to attach the pegboard to the wood

paint. I wanted non-toxic paint. I found zero-VOC Yolo paint at my moms NJ Home Depot (I havent been able to find Yolo paint in a NYC Home Depot yet.)

pegs. I totally overestimated the number of things I could fit on my pegboard. (I hate making a second trip to the hardware store for supplies.) Youll need only a package or two of pegs (dont buy 6 like me!).

+ prime your pegboard

+ paint your pegboard. I went with Yolos semi-gloss paint in Water 07. Love love love the color!

  

+ hang your frame. measure + mark your space and then screw in each wood frame piece. Make sure the pieces line up so the frame sits flush behind your pegboard — a mistake I made when I first went to hang the frame.

+ use the small screws to attach the pegboard to the frame.

+ put in pegs and play with your arrangement!

Our pegboard turned a small, otherwise-useless nook in our kitchen and created a hidden gem of storage. Making a pegboard does require some work, but it was actually pretty simple. And the end result made it all so worth it.