Ultra-modern kitchen spaces finished off with crisp, sharp lines and shiny stainless steel work surfaces aren't for everyone; there are many people who much prefer the warmth and coziness of a more traditional, rustic-style kitchen. If that sounds like you and you've been searching for country home decor ideas, then you might like to consider installing a hanging pot rack for your copper cookware, as it's perhaps the ultimate rustic-style furnishing addition you could make to your home. If you've already thought about installing one, but just don't know what type you should choose, or how or where to install it, then this article is for you!

How to Select the Perfect Pot Rack For Your Kitchen Area

There are several things that need to be considered when selecting a pot rack for your kitchen, including the size, location, installation, and finish. Making the wrong choice can be costly and inconvenient, so follow the tips below to ensure that doesn't happen.

1. Choosing the Right Size - Buying a pot rack that is too big can make it look permanently empty, detracting from its charm and appearance while choosing one that is too small can make your kitchen look cluttered or chaotic. In reality, it's actually easy to determine which size is the right fit for your kitchen. The first thing to do is to gather up all of the pots and pans that you plan to hang from it, paying special attention to the largest pot or pan that you own and the one with the longest handle (usually a frying or sauté pan). Your new rack will need to be able to accommodate the number of pots and pans that you own, in addition to being large enough to allow the largest pans that you own to hang from it, as well as make the smallest pans that you have easily accessible.
2. Location - You may already have a clear idea of where you want to have your new pot rack installed, or you may be torn between two or three different locations. Whatever stage you're at in the planning process, you need to keep two main things in mind when deciding upon the right location for this particular piece of country home decor: the items or furnishings that will surround it and the people who are going to use it. To a certain extent, the location of the pot rack will also influence the size that you should buy, as you wouldn't want it to hinder the functioning of other features in your kitchen. After identifying a location in your kitchen that won't interfere with other features, you need to think about the "who" part of the equation. The smallest person in your home needs to be able to reach the smallest pan that will be hung from it, but the rack also shouldn't hang so low that it presents a health hazard for the tallest resident in your home.
3. Picking the Perfect Finish - When selecting a finish for your new pot rack, you really need to ask yourself "how much maintenance work am I prepared to commit to?" In terms of country-style decor, you're really leaning toward materials such as copper or traditional wood, which both add a real rustic look and feel to your kitchen. Either can complement copper cookware, with copper probably being the higher maintenance out of the two as it needs polishing fairly regularly if it is to retain its shiny appearance. Although you could potentially buy a copper pot rack that has a special resin finish to prevent it from tarnishing or scratching if you didn't want to have to polish it so often.
4. Make Sure It's Properly Supported - Unless you want your kitchen to resemble a warzone after installing a pot rack, you need to make absolutely sure that it's properly secured, otherwise the weight of your pots and pans could pull it down unexpectedly. Never under any circumstance hang your pot rack directly from drywall, as it simply won't be able to support it indefinitely and one morning you're almost guaranteed to wake up to your beautiful rustic home decor items decorating your kitchen floor. Instead, screw it into the wooden joists, which are more than capable of supporting heavy loads. It's a similar tale for plaster ceilings, which typically have large central joists behind them.

What to Watch Out for When Planning for Your New Pot Rack

Just as with any other time that you are looking to add a new furnishing or decor item to your home, there are certain things that you should watch out for and consider prior to "pulling the trigger" and making a purchase. For pot racks, these things include:

• Be wary of the path of cabinet doors being impeded by your pot rack.
• Make you you'll have adequate headroom when the pots are hanging down.
• Try to avoid positioning your rack too close to the stove, as greasy stains can affect its appearance (particularly if it's made from copper), and force you to clean the rack more frequently.
• Be wary about positioning your pot rack between workspaces and the lighting in the room, as this can make it significantly dimmer.

Along with copper planters, a pot rack is a great way to bring that country feel to your home, and providing that you select the right model and the installation is completed correctly, it's a feature that will enhance the appearance of your home for many years to come.