Have you ever wanted a cool decor item but not wanted to actually buy one? lol, I find I’m that way with anything remotely ‘trendy’.

I started seeing these Vintage Industrial Mug Racks all over the place after one was featured prominently on an episode of Fixer Upper. The perfect occasion to create my own DIY mug rack.

I think they are super cool, but I didn’t want to spend my hard-earned dollars on something that will look very 2016-2017 in a few years.

So wasn’t I tickled pink when I found THIS while trolling the thrift store one day! $10 and I knew I could DIY it into something with the same vibe and functionality as one of those expensive mug racks. 

BTW – Today is a Flea Market/Thrift Store/Upcycle HOP with some of my best friends from ECM Media – so make sure you check out the links at the bottom of this post to see what they all did this month!

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Supply List for Wall-Mounted Mug Rack

First things first – Here’s the SUPPLY List:

• Heavy-duty scissors or shears
• Sandpaper and sanding block
• Spray Paint in Oil Rubbed Bronze
• Small Table Top Spray Tent (This HomeRight Tent is the exact one I have)
• Half-Mask Respirator Mask
• Heavy-duty drywall anchors (with screws included)

What to know before doing a DIY Mug Rack?

Waking up, you need your coffee cup to be accessible without efforts. That means, keeping cups at the place where you can easily spot them.

To avoid being all clumsy while looking for the coffee cup, display all the mugs in a beautiful DIY vintage mug rack. But there are certain things to know before starting to prepare a DIY mug rack.

1. The costs of creating a DIY cup holder depend on the material you are using. Using the minimum supplies will cost you approximately $1 while buying more supplies for a prettier and larger mug holder might cost you $7-8.
2. The size of the DIY mug rack depends on your preferences. Decide on how many mugs you want the rack to handle.
3. To fit 12 mugs, you can use a pallet-sized 20.75 by 25 inches.
4. Be sure to wash the wood before creating a DIY hanging mug rack because you are going to hang drinkware on it.
5. If you have a full pallet at home, choose the most stable and best-looking section.

How to Create a DIY Cup Holder

You can find vintage cup holders in industrial thrift stores. They’re perfect to create your own DIY mug rack for cups.

Step 1:

The first thing I did was remove the dowels from every other rung using heavy-duty sheers. The dowels are quite thin and snapped off easily.

Step 2:

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Then I chiseled off the little bits that were left over and sanded down the entire piece.

Please make sure to have a look at my easy guide on how to clean thrift store furniture too. It comes in very handy when doing your DIY mug rack.

Step 3:

From there, I busted out my tabletop spray paint shelter – SUCH a great tool to have for this type of project!!

And I gave the piece two solid coats of Krylon’s Oil Rubbed Bronze.

Anytime you’re spray painting or using high-VOC products, it’s important to wear protection. Dan got me this half-mask respirator for my birthday (LOLOLOL) and it totally does the trick. PLUS, I look like a rock star, right? ;P

Who’d think that a mug rack DIY could be so fun!

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Step 4:

After painting it, I found it was still giving off  A LOT of stinky off-gases, so I let it sit on the back porch for a few days before bringing it in and hanging it up.

But look how lovely it is in our teeny tiny kitchen!?! I’m THRILLED. 

Step 5:

I have inadvertently amassed a collection of dark teal kitchen items, so this photo is quite matchy and it’s honestly the stuff I use every day!

I guess that says something about the textiles I love. A word about those drawers in the corner…

I KNOW THEY don’t match at all… this is a looooooooooong story. But still, they’re the perfect storage solution for a small kitchen space.

So, if you’re looking for beautiful mug storage ideas, this DIY mug rack is just perfect! And in case you’re looking for pretty teal mugs to fill this mug rack up, have a look at my favorite teal mugs on the internet.

But nutshell: That weird gap was created when we moved the fridge from that spot to allow the counters to continue to the wall. (The fridge is on the opposite wall now with our pull-out pantry).

We went years with a small makeshift shelf in that spot until a few months ago when we found that set of drawers at our local Habitat ReStore for $50.

They fit PERFECTLY.

Why I Love my DIY Mug Rack

Mug Racks are made from durable material ranging from wood, metals to glass. Recognized as cup racks, mug holders, organizers, or trees, there’s no doubt that mug storage solutions are extremely useful.

From an adorable way to present your beautiful mugs to providing a safe and organized storage, mug racks do it all.

There are myriad options to choose from, for every kitchen size, home decor style to cup collection. However, my favorite way of storing mugs is with a DIY mug rack.

Below are some of the benefits of DIY coffee mug racks in your home.

1. Versatile

Use the mug racks to hang your mugs, mason jars, and glassware. They are versatile and can be used to organize a collection of mugs.

Not just that, but hanging mug racks can also be used to hang house ribbons and yarns, mittens, and scarves, or other loose stuff.

2. Organised Storage

Organizing mugs and other glassware on the mug racks instead of placing them on the slab or a shelf is a wise choice.

Placing them inside the shelves can increase the risk of damage, which is not the case with hanging mug racks. They have various hooks to hang mugs separately.

3. Home Decor

Mug racks are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. The good point is that they allow to store mugs out in open that adds a modern look to the kitchen. Fill them up with mugs that contrast each other and the rack too.

Consider using metal mug racks to organize daily use mugs neatly.

Final thoughts about my DIY Mug Rack

So I just need to find time to paint them to match the rest of the cabinets and then trim them out. That’s why it looks like that. But let’s focus back on the pretty mug rack, shall we? 

I’m happy I went with the Oil Rubbed Bronze colour instead of flat black.

I think it adds a nice little pop of sheen that makes the tired wood look metallic and industrial. Le Love. 

It really compliments the black and white happening in the room as well. AND it frees up A BUCKET of space in the cupboard!!

Alright – this is a hop, as I mentioned…so make sure you check out these other Flea Market-Thrift Store upcycles to get inspiration for your next project!

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FAQ about DIY Mug Rack

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