Modern Coat Racks

Mia Jones Interior Design Expert

Mia is a freelance bathroom designer and writer with over a decade of professional experience. From space planning, cabinetry, storage solutions, and tile design to hardware and fixture selections, she knows a thing about creating baths that strike a perfect balance between functionality and aesthetics.

Updated 27/11/2021

A modern coat rack isn’t just the most practical and functional addition to your entryway: it can help you impress your guests with a decorative statement as soon as they step into your home! They’ll definitely appreciate you offering them a place to hang their outer layer of clothing, too. Horizontal or vertical and available in a myriad of styles, here are our choices to help you find the right coat rack to complement your modern interiors.

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Modern Coat Racks

Buying Guide

No matter where you live, a modern coat rack can help keep your entryway organized. Even if you live in the tropics where you are far more likely to need a place to hang a hat than a coat, a tidy rack can help keep outdoor wear neat and tidy.

What are the benefits of getting a coat rack?

No matter what sort of modern coat rack you select, they all fulfill a necessary function: a place to put your outdoor things when you come inside. That might be your parasol and shopping basket or it could be your parka and hood, but having a place to put things when you enter the door is a big boost toward the organization and toward decluttering by providing a place for each of your outdoor items.

What different designs of modern coat racks are there to choose from?

The Free-Standing Coat Rack

The free-standing coat rack is a good choice for a rental home. It is easy to set up, does not require screws or nails and creates an almost instant organizational tool. Hats, scarves, jackets and even shopping bags can be hung on a free-standing rack. Just one caution: because it is free standing, it is a good idea to balance the load. Some are not as well braced on the bottom as others. Too much weight on one side could cause it to topple over.

Wall Hanging Coat Rack and Shelf

What could be better than a shelf for items like your purse, keys, wallet or other necessary items, with a row of pegs underneath? The shelves come in a variety of styles from a simple “floating” shelf to a series of pigeon holes that are suitable for mail. With a place to put essentials as well as a place to hang coats, hats or shopping bags, you can save time and energy because you won’t be searching the house over for that important item that needs to accompany you out the door.

V-Shaped Wall Hanger

Make the most of your wall space with a hanging peg unit shaped like an inverted V. The design spreads out coats and hats while making use of vertical space as well as horizontal – packing more pegs into a narrow width than would be possible for pegs in a row.

Farmhouse Coat Rack

Combine the best of a free-standing coat rack and a small set of shelves to come up with a free-standing coat rack that avoids the inherent instability of most such items. It has a broader shelf at the base, followed by a narrower one in the middle. The poles that hold the shelve together then narrow toward the top, where they are crowned with a circular band that holds the coat pegs. It can be used as a coat rack and organizer, or it can be turned into a plant stand or display unit.

If you have a home without a closet or with a small closet at the entrance, free-standing coat racks & umbrella stands where your guests can hang coats and umbrellas would be a worthy investment.

It’s a wise idea to keep your interiors better organized by allocating places where you can hang coats and keep umbrellas to avoid clutter at the front door. But coat racks are not just functional pieces of furniture. They can also serve as decorative pieces that showcase the style and elegant interior design of your home.

In this buying guide, we help you get answers to some of the most commonly asked questions when choosing coat racks and umbrella stands.

How Much Space Do You Have for a Coat Rack?

Check the amount of space you can allocate to the coat rack before you make a purchase. If you have a small entryway or mudroom, you could go for a wall-mounted coat rack instead of the bulkier freestanding type.

The wall-mounted coat rack saves you space while making good use of unused wall areas. It also adds a touch of class to your interiors.

Will the Coat Rack Handle All Your Family's Gear?

When looking for the best coat racks and umbrella stands, make sure that the coat racks can help you organize coats and jackets, shoes, hats, school bags, and other items that regularly clutter your entranceway. A good example is a hall tree which is quite useful in keeping your children stuff well organized.

What Is the Best Style of Coat Rack for My Home?

Coat racks and umbrella stands are designed for both functional and style purposes. When choosing for the right coat rack or umbrella stand for your mudroom or entryway, make sure it works and fits perfectly with the style of your home.

If you are a fan of transitional decor, you have a wide range of options to choose including geometric patterns as well as understated details in the overall design of the coat rack and umbrella stand.
If you're interested in a more contemporary style, choose a piece adorned with metallics such as a brass coat rack or one with a minimalist aesthetic design.
If your home has a more traditional style, a rustic coat rack with a natural finish will work well. You could also consider going for an antique coat rack with animal or log motifs.

How Tall Should the Coat Rack Be?

While there are no rules set in stone as far as the height of coat racks is concerned, logic suggests that the hooks must be within easy reach for all family members without their having to grab a footstool.

Coat racks come in different sizes depending on the manufacturer and style or design of the stand. However, most products in this category usually range between 66 and 74 inches in height, with hooks mounted within 12 to 18 inches beneath the top.

A mudroom used by kids will benefit from a rack with a dual-hook setup – there's both space to hang long coats and a lower set of hooks for hanging with space backpacks and kids' jackets.

Make sure to check the description and specifications of each individual rack to determine its dimensions and see if it fits well in your mudroom, entranceway, or wherever you plan to place it.

Best Tips

Choose coat racks & umbrella stands that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing
The coat rack should be able to handle all your family’s gear
A good coat rack should complement the interior style and décor of your home
If you have limited space in your home, go for a wall-mounted coat rack
Freestanding coat racks and umbrella stands are ideal for large homes with plenty of space at the entryway and mudroom.

Coat racks and umbrella stands are essential parts of every entranceway and mudroom. They also serve more functions in other rooms in your home including your laundry room, bedroom, kitchen, and even in the garage and basement. The tips discussed above will help you choose coat racks and umbrella stands that meet your functional and aesthetic needs.