Let’s face it, draining boards piled with dishes is just about one of the most unsightly features in a kitchen. However, it feels almost impossible to avoid – once you’ve reached the satisfaction of clearing it, there’s another dish ready to dry. That was until, we discovered off-worktop dish rack solutions.
There’s been somewhat of a renaissance in kitchen design lately of making the most of wall storage for pots, pans and crockery. It takes inspiration from antiquated working Victorian kitchens where kitchenware needed to be accessible and keeping things on show was the norm in a solely practical space.
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No matter how hard you hunt for a stylish draining board, they still remain an eyesore in a kitchen when packed with plates. Particularly if you have a small kitchen, this is also precious worktop space that could be better used for food prep or to store small appliances.
‘Worktop space is one of the most valuable things you can prioritise in a kitchen, and a drying rack is one of the quickest ways to lose it. It is easy to underestimate how much space they take up around a sink, which is why it is worth thinking about an alternative early in the design process rather than trying to solve it afterwards,’ explains Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr.
When designing your space, it’s easy to opt for an undermount sink with a built-in draining board or assume you’ll pop a draining rack next to a sink, but building an alternative wall-hung option in during the design process means every inch of available space is maximised.
One of the most effective ways of utilising your walls as draining racks is by creating an overhead plate rack that has an integrated draining system. Traditional plate racks have become a big kitchen trend in 2026, but if you want to use it as a draining system then you’ll need to build this into the design.
‘One of our favourite approaches is an integrated overhead drying rack built into a cupboard directly above the sink, finished in the same material and colour as the surrounding cabinetry. Water drains straight down, the doors close, and the worktop stays completely clear! An invisible detail that makes a huge difference day to day,’ Al adds.
If building this in from the beginning isn’t possible, there are a number of add-on solutions you can buy that do the same job. They’re perfect for small kitchens or rented spaces and don’t need to be a permanent choice.
If you’re looking for something a little more design-led than a plate rack, then a rail might be the ideal solution. Pictured in celeb kitchens such as Gordon Ramsey’s, this is a kitchen feature with tonnes of timeless appeal that also has a real purpose in chefs’ kitchens.
Adding a pot rail to your walls is a genius kitchen storage idea for pots and pans while creating a visual effect, but it can also be utilised as a draining solution.
‘For pans, a wall-mounted rail above the sink or hob is both practical and a genuine design feature. Matched to your hardware finish, it keeps your most-used cookware within reach without taking up a single centimetre of worktop,’ Al explains.
The beauty of this solution is that you can choose a finish that is a cohesive part of your kitchen design, so it acts primarily as a visual feature that is also practical.
To achieve this, positioning the rail over a sink area will mean you don’t need to be precious about hanging pots and pans up when they’re completely dry.
‘Wall-mounted or rail-based systems further support an ordered kitchen this by using vertical space rather than competing with the main working area, helping to separate tasks more effectively. Taken together, these approaches improve how the kitchen functions on a daily basis, reduce clutter around the sink, and allow the overall design to feel more coherent, with practical elements built into the scheme rather than added onto it,’ explains Charlotte Butler, kitchen design manager at BK Eleven.
Shop wall-hung dish racks
Generic
Wall-Mounted Dish Rack With Removable Drip Tray
This wall-mounted dish rack is perfect for small kitchens – stainless steel has also been a big trend in kitchens this year.
Linmeng
Wall-Mounted Draining Rack Above Sink Shelf
If you don’t love the visual impact of a larger dish rack, this shelf-style option is unobtrusive.
Acme 1975 Co.Ltd.
Black Toast Wooden Plate Rack
This wooden rack sits somewhere between a drying rack and a storage unit – it’s super simple but will still complement a kitchen scheme.
deVOL
deVOL Aged Brass Hanging Rails
deVOL is the creme de la creme of kitchens – even if a full kitchen is out of the question then adding a slice of the brand through a premium kitchen rail will be just as treatworthy.
B&Q
Rothley Antique Brass Effect Kitchen Rail
I love the dark antique tone of this brass hanging rail from B&Q and it’s a great budget option.
Ferm Living
Kitchen Rod – Brass
For a brighter brass option that will suit more contemporary kitchens, opt for this rail from Scandi brand Ferm Living.
In a well-designed kitchen, a clutter-free space with design solutions that make sense for the flow of the space will make a cooking space feel stress-free on a daily basis. A wall-hung dish rack streamlines a space both practically and aesthetically.
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