I may have mentioned in the past that at my house my husband does the cooking. This means that in addition to being the lucky party privy to all sorts of intriguing and delicious delectables, I also sometimes inherit a catastrophic mess. It seems that no matter how expansive the counter space, he manages to fill every inch of it with spices, utensils, plates, and assorted spatter. Small wonder, then, that I’m a bit dreamy at the prospect of Franke’s Rail System. The concept is so simple, so brimming with the kind of pragmatism that characterizes good design, it’s surprising we haven’t seen it sooner.

The Franke Rail System. Designed by Franke KSD.

You’ve gotta admire the straightforward name, as well. The Rail System is just that–a sort of modular assemblage of stainless steel crosspieces with a central slot to accommodate kitchen accessories. This gives cooks the boon of efficient storage for a variety of handle-mounted accessories: bowls, baskets, colanders, shelves, grids, utensil hooks, cheese graters, potato peelers, salad spinners, and beyond. The rails come in 24 and 39 inch lengths with single and double slots. They simply mount to the wall above the stove or sink (or wherever else might work for your particular set-up); individual lengths can be joined with a seamless connector, and each piece can hold up to 33 lbs.

The advantages of the system are several fold: not only does the ability to suspend accessories above the workspace give cooks the boon of clean and clear counters, it facilitates a sort of “specialization of labor” in the kitchen. In the case of my own domestic situation, I envision on one side an orderly line-up of prepped items ready for their contribution to the eve’s repast, and on the other a steady approach to the dishwasher (often yours truly) for dirty bowls, spatulas, and such. Indeed, in the best scenario, Franke’s Rail System will make good cooks better, clean kitchens cleaner. As Franke’s VP of Product Development puts it, “the new Rail System represents the first time that an expert in kitchen systems has taken the concept beyond space saving and related it directly to the practical kitchen processes themselves. "It's a system for people who actually cook and clean up, designed by people who know all the steps that takes and how to connect them efficiently and attractively."

Via KBB Online.