Small spaces
Paint storage for small desks and small spaces
On a small desk, go up or onto the wall. A riser can double to quadruple the paints per cm² of desk compared with a low tiered rack, slim racks about 120 mm deep fit at the back edge, and pegboard or wall racks use no desk at all. No dedicated space? Painters use pack-away cases.
- Footprint per paint, calculated
- Every spec sourced
- No affiliate links
Footprint
Which racks hold the most paints per cm² of desk?
Desk area divided by capacity, highest first. Racks from other makers only appear where a listing gives width and depth.
| Rack | Desk area | Paints | Per 100 cm² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combo 91 (Rack 38 + Riser) (ours)Rack 38 + riser; about 650 mm tall · Formada3D listing | 334 cm² | 91 | 27.2 |
| Combo 105 (Rack 60 + Riser) (ours)Rack 60 + riser · Formada3D listing | 718 cm² | 105 | 14.6 |
| Paint Rack 38 + Wedge Drawer (ours)122 mm deep; or wall-mount · Formada3D listing | 334 cm² | 38 | 11.4 |
| Combo 77 (Citadel Rack 44 + Riser) (ours)Citadel Rack 44 + riser; top shelf about 45 cm up · Formada3D listing | 787 cm² | 77 | 9.8 |
| Citadel 28 Monolith (ours)Pots; 122 mm deep; or wall-mount · Formada3D listing | 334 cm² | 28 | 8.4 |
| Rack 60 + Magnetic Drawer (ours)4 tiers + drawer · Formada3D listing | 718 cm² | 60 | 8.4 |
| Vallejo Tower Kit (ours)Footprint listed as "about" · Formada3D listing | 669 cm² | 51 | 7.6 |
| Rotating Carousel 55 (ours)Round, about 320 mm across; suits a corner · Formada3D listing | 804 cm² | 55 | 6.8 |
| MDF rack for 40 Citadel pots (as described by MiniatureStorage.com)11.9 × 7.87 in, per MiniatureStorage.com · MiniatureStorage.com | 604 cm² | 40 | 6.6 |
| Rack 35 + Hidden Drawers (ours)Smaller than an A4 sheet · Formada3D listing | 529 cm² | 35 | 6.6 |
| Citadel Tower Kit (ours)Pots + 6 universal wells · Formada3D listing | 748 cm² | 42 | 5.6 |
| Citadel Rack 44 (ours)Pots + drawer · Formada3D listing | 787 cm² | 44 | 5.6 |
Arithmetic from published width × depth, not our measurements. Wall racks (LITKO 108, Plydolex, SKÅDIS shelves) use no desk area at all.
Options
Six ways to store paints in a small space
Wall rack
Zero desk area. Best if you can drill. See wall-mounted racks.
Pegboard shelves
No-drill-friendly if the board is already up. IKEA SKÅDIS shelves, ours or free STLs. See the SKÅDIS guide.
Riser on a rack
Most paints per cm² of desk in our table. Check the top shelf height suits your reach.
Slim back-of-desk rack
About 100–125 mm deep. Stands against the wall, so it acts like a wall rack without screws.
Carousel in a corner
Everything reachable from one seat. Average space efficiency, great reach.
Pack-away case
Makeup train cases, zip cases or a toolbox with foam inserts. For shared tables and moving house.
Sources: Reddit: paint storage for a desk lacking space · Reddit: makeup train cases · Reddit: toolboxes and tackle boxes
Before you buy
Measure these four things
- Measure depth first. A rack 300 mm deep takes half of a 600 mm desk. Your painting area (mat, lamp, wet palette) needs the front 300–400 mm.
- Count paints and split by format. Pots need 33–34 mm holes and droppers 26–27.5 mm; a rack for one rarely holds the other.
- Check height and reach. Tall racks are space-efficient, but the top row should be reachable seated.
- Keep the current project close. A small tray of today's paints next to you, the full collection on the wall or a riser.
Then compare racks: all racks · dropper bottles · Citadel pots · keeping paints from drying out.
FAQ
Small-space storage questions
What is the best paint storage for a small desk?
Go up or onto the wall. A wall rack or pegboard uses no desk at all. On the desk, slim racks about 100–125 mm deep (LITKO is 4 in, Formada3D's Rack 38 is 122 mm) sit at the back edge, and a riser holds far more paints on the same footprint than a low tiered rack.
How can I store paints if I don't have a dedicated hobby space?
Use something you can pack away. Painters on Reddit recommend makeup train cases, zip-up paint cases (one user has two that hold 60 paints each), and toolboxes or tackle boxes with foam-board inserts. Lift the case onto the table to paint, then put it on a shelf.
How much desk space does a paint rack need?
Multiply width by depth. Low tiered racks for 35–60 paints take roughly 500–800 cm² (an A4 sheet is about 624 cm²). Slim 122 mm racks take about 334 cm². Divide by the number of paints to compare: in our table, desk-only racks range from about 5 to 11 paints per 100 cm², and racks with a riser reach about 10–27.
Are rotating paint racks good for small spaces?
They suit a desk corner: everything is reachable from one seat by spinning it. They aren't the most space-efficient per paint, though. Our 320 mm carousel works out at about 7 paints per 100 cm², similar to a low tiered rack.
Is pegboard good for paint storage?
Yes, if you have a wall. A pegboard such as IKEA SKÅDIS takes clip-on paint shelves (store-bought or free printable designs), keeps the desk clear and is easy to rearrange. Each shelf holds a small number of paints, so plan several.