What is a Magazine Rack?

For the home, a magazine rack is an accessory piece of furniture that is used to hold magazines, newspapers, and other periodicals that a homeowner may want to save and keep accessible. There are a number of different styles constructed from a variety of different materials including wood, plastic, and metal. Generally a magazine rack is freestanding, but may be incorporated into another piece of furniture.

Typically, a magazine rack is V-shaped and magazines, books, and other materials are inserted with the spine down. However, this can make it difficult for users to see the different magazines the rack is holding. Though the V-shaped design was one of the most common early designs, many different styles have become available.

In the 1950s, the metal wired magazine rack was a popular accessory. They often held the Evening Post or the latest copies of Better Homes and Gardens. As the chrome look gave way to wood, end tables with a magazine rack incorporated into the side began to surface. Today a magazine rack can be one of any number of styles from modern to country to eclectic.

Less common in the home and more frequently seen in hair salons and doctor and dentist offices, is the wall-mounted magazine rack. Businesses who require their patrons to wait for scheduled appointments typically provide magazines to help their customers pass the time. Though you may see the occasional freestanding magazine rack, most businesses use wall-mounted versions. These are usually too large and conspicuous for the home, but they hold many more magazines and make selecting one easier since the titles can be easily seen.

For home use as a potentially smaller alternative to a bookshelf, magazine racks of many different styles can be purchased from furniture store and home accessory retailers. A magazine rack can be a nice storage solution for small spaces and children’s rooms as they provide a place for magazines, comic books, and other softbound reading material to be kept. Since they are usually small, magazine racks can be conveniently placed next to a favorite reading chair or desk.