It's been a while

This is the first time we've done something that seemed blog-worthy since moving in. The idea of a kitchen pegboard was originally stolen from Julia Child by Nellie's parents. We stole the idea from them and have had one in every place we've lived since we've been together (almost 9 years now). Pegboards for pots and pans are functional, pretty, and a great use of space especially if you have a small kitchen. While we're lucky to have a fairly large kitchen now, we like the looks of a pegboard and how they display kitchenware effectively. If you ask me, those pot racks that dangle pans precariously over sinks and islands just seem gaudy and cumbersome. A pegboard lets you add a nice pop of color to a otherwise monochrome wall and there's no jumble to find the pan you want.

Sampson was eager to get to work. We painted the board a bright orange-red that closely matches some of our big dutch ovens. We painted it with a nice high-enamel gloss paint to stand up to the banging from the pots and pans. Throughout our pegboard evolution, each one has been painted a similar shade of red. It's the best color for a bright happy kitchen!

We attached spacers in the form of washers to the back of the pegboard using packing tape. This is a monotonous process that involves measuring and matching up the peg-holes to the wall studs. You need spacers so the pegboard hooks have room to go in. Then we screwed the board into the wall studs with finishing washers on the outside. If you want to put up your own pegboard, be sure you're drilling into studs! Cast iron pans are heavy.

And there it is! This board is bigger than ones we've made in the past, but with the luxury of a huge wall, it fits the space nicely. Now I can grab pans quickly and easily instead of digging them out of cabinets. Plus the kitchen is for cooking - what better way to decorate your walls than with your pots and pans?