I would like to share my take on the Mini Rack: a wooden version designed to integrate more naturally into a living space while still keeping the flexibility and modularity of the original concept.
Hardware currently installed
- Fortinet FortiGate 60F
- Cisco Business 250 Series switch
- Lenovo ThinkCentre m720q (running Proxmox VE9.1)
- patch panel
- SSD mount
- WiFi access point
- LTE router
- internal power strip
The goal was to create something that feels less like lab equipment and more like a piece of furniture — without compromising functionality.
From the first idea in my workshop to the final result 😉 I'm not a carpenter by any means, so please excuse the beginner-level woodworking. The project was completed using a circular saw, a jigsaw, a self-built router table, and, naturally, a drill.
Materials & design details
The outer panels are based on IKEA SKÅDIS pegboards, which work surprisingly well as a lightweight and flexible enclosure. They allow easy mounting of small accessories, provide good airflow, and visually integrate the rack into a home environment without making it look overly technical.
The frame itself is made from solid oak. Beyond its structural stability, oak brings a certain calm and timeless character to the build. The natural grain gives each piece a unique appearance, and the warm tone helps soften the typically industrial look of networking equipment. It creates a balance between technical function and material presence — making the rack feel intentional rather than purely utilitarian.
Self-printed clips for notes (patch plan)
To keep track of port assignments and changes, I designed and 3D-printed a few simple clips that hold small paper notes directly on the rack. These are mainly used for a quick patch overview and help avoid unnecessary guesswork when modifying connections.
The clips attach easily to the SKÅDIS board and can be repositioned whenever the setup evolves. This makes it simple to maintain an up-to-date patch plan without relying solely on digital documentation.
While this may seem like a small detail, having a visible and flexible overview of connections has proven very practical during adjustments or troubleshooting.
Sometimes the simplest solutions are still the most effective.
Running my Proxmox environment on my homelab
The system currently runs a compact Proxmox VE setup hosting a number of essential infrastructure services for my home network. While this is not a clustered environment, it provides a stable and flexible platform for everyday use as well as experimentation.
The focus is on lightweight, reliable services that support development, automation and network functionality:
- Bind for internal DNS resolution
- Ansible for configuration management and automation
- Docker for containerized applications and testing
- Gitea for self-hosted version control
- Nginx as a reverse proxy to securely expose selected services
This setup allows me to maintain a structured environment without adding unnecessary complexity. Even without clustering, Proxmox offers enough flexibility to separate workloads cleanly and expand the system gradually when needed.
The Mini Rack provides a compact and organized foundation for this homelab and keeps everything accessible while remaining unobtrusive in a home setting.
Disk-Mount for my backup disks
Hidden power supply compartment
The lowest rack unit is dedicated to hiding various power adapters, which works surprisingly well and keeps the overall appearance much cleaner.
To create a stable base, I mounted leftover pieces of the SKÅDIS board as a bottom plate inside the frame. The power supplies are then secured on top using cable ties, which keeps everything organized and prevents loose cables from shifting around.
A front cover hides the compartment visually, while still allowing easy access if needed. Conveniently, the compartment sits directly below the shelf holding the Lenovo Tiny “server”, making efficient use of the available space without adding visible clutter.
This small detail helped significantly reduce cable chaos and contributes to the clean and furniture-like appearance of the rack.
I would like to share my take on the Mini Rack: a wooden version designed to integrate more naturally into a living space while still keeping the flexibility and modularity of the original concept.
Hardware currently installed
The goal was to create something that feels less like lab equipment and more like a piece of furniture — without compromising functionality.
From the first idea in my workshop to the final result 😉 I'm not a carpenter by any means, so please excuse the beginner-level woodworking. The project was completed using a circular saw, a jigsaw, a self-built router table, and, naturally, a drill.
Materials & design details
The outer panels are based on IKEA SKÅDIS pegboards, which work surprisingly well as a lightweight and flexible enclosure. They allow easy mounting of small accessories, provide good airflow, and visually integrate the rack into a home environment without making it look overly technical.
The frame itself is made from solid oak. Beyond its structural stability, oak brings a certain calm and timeless character to the build. The natural grain gives each piece a unique appearance, and the warm tone helps soften the typically industrial look of networking equipment. It creates a balance between technical function and material presence — making the rack feel intentional rather than purely utilitarian.
Self-printed clips for notes (patch plan)
To keep track of port assignments and changes, I designed and 3D-printed a few simple clips that hold small paper notes directly on the rack. These are mainly used for a quick patch overview and help avoid unnecessary guesswork when modifying connections.
The clips attach easily to the SKÅDIS board and can be repositioned whenever the setup evolves. This makes it simple to maintain an up-to-date patch plan without relying solely on digital documentation.
While this may seem like a small detail, having a visible and flexible overview of connections has proven very practical during adjustments or troubleshooting.
Sometimes the simplest solutions are still the most effective.
Running my Proxmox environment on my homelab
The system currently runs a compact Proxmox VE setup hosting a number of essential infrastructure services for my home network. While this is not a clustered environment, it provides a stable and flexible platform for everyday use as well as experimentation.
The focus is on lightweight, reliable services that support development, automation and network functionality:
This setup allows me to maintain a structured environment without adding unnecessary complexity. Even without clustering, Proxmox offers enough flexibility to separate workloads cleanly and expand the system gradually when needed.
The Mini Rack provides a compact and organized foundation for this homelab and keeps everything accessible while remaining unobtrusive in a home setting.
Disk-Mount for my backup disks
Hidden power supply compartment
The lowest rack unit is dedicated to hiding various power adapters, which works surprisingly well and keeps the overall appearance much cleaner.
To create a stable base, I mounted leftover pieces of the SKÅDIS board as a bottom plate inside the frame. The power supplies are then secured on top using cable ties, which keeps everything organized and prevents loose cables from shifting around.
A front cover hides the compartment visually, while still allowing easy access if needed. Conveniently, the compartment sits directly below the shelf holding the Lenovo Tiny “server”, making efficient use of the available space without adding visible clutter.
This small detail helped significantly reduce cable chaos and contributes to the clean and furniture-like appearance of the rack.