Pegboards Are the New Must-Have Storage Solution for Small Kitchens – Here’s How Designers Are Turning This Functional Storage Into a Feature Decor

Functional, decorative, and affordable, kitchen pegboards are the playful solution to small kitchen storage

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A collage of pegboards
(Image credit: Future)

When you think of pegboards, images of dorm rooms or even your teenage bedroom walls filled with magazine clippings probably come to mind. Which is exactly why a kitchen is probably the last place you'd expect to see them.

But it's the one room I've been seeing them cropping up in more and more. They not only offer a small kitchen storage solution, but they are proving to be just as stylish as they are practical. So, needless to say, you will be seeing a lot more of them in small kitchens this year.

A traditional small kitchen with white cabinets, wooden countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a large pegboard for extra storage

(Image credit: Max Sinsteden/Max Kim-Bee Photography)

When it comes to kitchen storage, cabinets, drawers, shelves, and perhaps even pot hangers are the most used and considered. But people are endeavoring to be more creative in their kitchens, especially when space is at a premium, and pegboards are evolving as a go-to choice.

'To me, it is practicality and beauty woven into one idea. Everything has a place, and everything is in it. It is deeply functional, too, as each object is visible and only half a step away,' says interior decorator Max Sinsteden, whose pegboard blends seamlessly with the traditional details of his kitchen.

'In my own kitchen, I asked my decorative painter to outline each pot in varying shades of blue to indicate materiality: a pale blue for brass, a medium blue for copper, a deeper blue for bronze, and a navy blue for cast iron. It is orderly, yes, but it is also quietly expressive. It brings us an inordinate amount of joy,' he explains.

A small kitchen with a pegboard on the wall beside the cooktop to store additional pots and pans

(Image credit: @cabagges.world)

It's the blend of style and function that makes pegboards appealing as kitchen storage. For many, simple pegs are ideal for hanging pots and pans, but you can do so much more with them.

In this kitchen, alongside the pans stored on the pegboard, a small rail has been added to hang small utensils within easy reach of the stove, as well as a magnetic knife rack. They ensure everything you need for cooking is easily accessible, but without cluttering the kitchen countertops.

You don't have the same installation fuss with a pegboard, either. Most designs, which you can find from the likes of IKEA, Wayfair, and Target, are easily installed on kitchen walls with a few screws, making them an accessible DIY project if your scheme needs a lift, both visually and functionally.

With these things in mind, it's clear that a pegboard is a great feature in kitchens of every size, but it's a true storage saviour in a smaller scheme. Yes, you could look at adding an extra cabinet, or even an open shelf, but both options require a lot more space, which most small kitchens simply don't have.

A small kitchen with wood and white cabinets, and a floor-to-ceiling pegboard housing shelving, hooks, and food baskets

(Image credit: @weiting_room)

And it was the need for storage without taking up valuable floor space that led Wei Ting, the owner of this compact kitchen, to introduce a pegboard. It's not only created more storage, but created a charming focal point in the design, too.

'We added the wooden pegboard because our appliance cabinet left us with this awkward blank wall. We didn’t want to waste the space, so we customized a pegboard for some vertical storage instead,' she recalls.

'Now, it’s honestly my favorite little corner of the kitchen. It’s so versatile, I can switch things around anytime, and it just makes the space look so much cuter and more alive,' she explains.

Her scheme really showcases how decorative a kitchen pegboard can be. Shelves have been added to display ceramics, framed art, and even pretty cutting boards. And the trio of baskets, holding fruit and vegetables, adds a more lived-in touch. What started as a storage solution has transformed into a decorative detail that the kitchen just wouldn't feel complete without.

Shop Kitchen Pegboards

If you're looking for new ways to add storage to your small kitchen, this is your sign to try a pegboard. They're fun, customizable, and these spaces prove they fit into kitchens of every style.

Molly Malsom
Molly Malsom
Kitchens & Bathrooms Editor

I’ve worked in the interiors magazine industry for the past five years and joined Homes & Gardens at the beginning of 2024 as the Kitchens & Bathrooms editor. While I love every part of interior design, kitchens and bathrooms are some of the most exciting to design, conceptualize, and write about. There are so many trends, materials, colors, and playful decor elements to explore and experiment with.