I Bet You’ve Never Seen Coffee Mugs Stored in This Unexpected Spot

In a small kitchen, wall space is limited — if not totally unavailable. And sometimes, cabinets don’t have room to hold all of the items people use daily. Does that mean they should donate those items and opt out of using them? No. They might just need to take a step out of the kitchen to find the perfect storage spot.

When Zach Mauer (and his cat, Bentley) moved into a 300-square-foot New York City apartment, the kitchen nook wasn’t the most accommodating when it came to storage. So, after zhuzhing up the kitchen’s aesthetic (he added peel-and-stick tile to cover the original), he took advantage of a small strip of wall space that people typically ignore by adding a wooden wall storage rack for his coffee mugs. 

“In small New York apartments it’s really important to think vertically in how you store and arrange things,” Zach explained at the time of the House Tour. “So, I put my little mugs up here, which I just thought was fun, especially with the ambient light over here, how it reflects off them when there’s not a lot of light in here. It’s just a really fun aesthetic.” 

Zach hung the mugs next to a mirror with a smiley face drawn on, which adds a quirky touch. The mugs aren’t at eye level, but they’re still reachable, which makes the area look way less cluttered when you’re simply looking into the kitchen. 

While the functionality of this choice is premium, it also has eye-catching benefits. Mugs are lightweight, which makes them the perfect decor object to store up high. Plus, Zach’s clear cups bounce the soft light around his apartment. You can easily swap them out, too, if you want to change them up seasonally. What an unexpectedly subtle way to work holiday decor into your home! 

If you love the look of the wall rack in Zach’s home, there are several options available that look similar. Take this option from The Container Store, for instance. It comes with either four or six pegs and is made of solid maple. You could keep it with just the wood tone, or you could paint the bare canvas a different color to add a visual pop. 

Choosing unexpected storage spots leads to conversation starters and encourages others to make “lemonade” out of the quirky “lemons” rental apartments give us. But regardless of the size of your home, taking advantage of vertical space is always a good move.

To see more of Zach’s home, visit the full House Tour.