18 pantry ideas for kitchens that function as great as they look.
18 pantry ideas for kitchens that function as great as they look.Walk-in kitchen pantries began making a comeback in the late 1990’s and pantry ideas are now one of the most requested kitchen features. But many of today’s homeowners expect more from their pantries than just “a place for everything, and everything in it’s place” space. From dry foods and canned goods, to cookbooks and dishes and even small appliances are finding their way into these carefully planned storage rooms that function like kitchen annexes. Painted or stained fixed shelves often wrap the pantry, making the most of the space.
A pantry entrance flanked by shelves for cookbooks is accessed through a pair of single-pane French doors. The lead-glass transom above the doors is a nice touch. Only one light fixture is needed taking advantage of an opportunity to give the pantry some personality. A unique new, vintage or antique fixture like this globe will always add charm as well as necessary light.
Doors are another way to express yourself by making the pantry entrance unique. What better place to jot down this week’s shopping list than chalkboard panels on door? Painting the lower panel gives children a place to create as well.
This pantry is enclosed with a screen door. Unpainted shelves hold dry goods and serving pieces. Other screening materials choices include chicken wire and decorative, flat wire mesh. Shirred fabric or punched tin panels can be used to shield contents from view.
A green chalkboard wall and sliding industrial style interior barn door gives this kitchen a loft-like feeling. The wine refrigerator is easily accessed when entertaining.
No space is too small when it comes to adding extra storage. A shallow “one can deep” pantry is hidden behind a distressed, sliding wood door with iron insert. Glassware is stored on the top shelves, becoming visible through the door’s lattice work and an interesting display when the door is closed.
Double pocket doors slide out of sight, opening this pantry up to the kitchen. A center hutch, that’s slightly deeper than the surrounding shelves, holds small appliances and has drawers for table linens and roll-out baskets for seldom-used cooking accessories. Vertical try storage racks and pull-out spice racks also are built in on the right hand side of the pantry space.
Taking a cue from integrated appliances, this pair of pantry doors blends in with the cabinets when closed.
Another pair of integrated doors is banked by glass front cabinets for tableware display. The pantry is nicely finished inside with planked wood paneled walls, thick shelving and an industrial lantern style light fixture.
Instead of using traditional corner cabinetry full of hard-to-reach shelves, here is a corner pantry. Frosted glass doors conceal its true identity. Designs and wording are often etched on the glass for a decorative touch. A properly placed outlet is handy for using small appliances. The lower wood panels have a center knob, leading me to believe they are tilt-out bins for recycling or pet food.
If you’re brave (and neat), an open corner pantry may be the answer. Lined wicker baskets help tidy smaller items. Seldom used things are stored on the top shelf. The open pantry of the Salie House is similar and includes a farmhouse sink and Traulsen pass-thru fridge.
Another door-free pantry makes a bold statement with mustard yellow paint and a lovely wood lattice work valance. Lined baskets are accompanied by labeled glass jars in this highly organized and styled pantry. But a gathered fabric skirt can hide a multitude of sins.
If there is not enough space for a walk-in pantry, line a kitchen wall or hallway off the kitchen with shelves and stock up on pretty glass airtight containers. As long as they are away from direct natural light, the contents shouldn’t be harmed.
This modern open pantry was designed by Meg Ryan built using white painted brick and stained concrete shelves. This is durable minimalism at its best and at a reasonable price.
Fitted English kitchens often include massive larder cabinets that holds the majority of pantry items for the household. Doors lined with shelves keep smaller items from becoming lost and an open shelf above the pantry provides storage for large items or display.
Another English larder cabinet is integrated instead of freestanding. The door offers storage and luxe interior wood drawers can be labeled.
Pantries can be as big and elaborate as your dreams. Regular depth lower cabinets, a hutch and open shelves will keep small appliances out of the main kitchen.
A hidden feature of our French gray kitchen is the walk-in pantry. Originally, it was the closet for a bedroom we turned into sunroom during the pre-building stage. Double French doors opens it up to the nearby range and our trim carpenter built the shelves to my specifications.
Based on a potting bench, the pantry work table provides space for unloading groceries or even making a sandwich. In keeping with my less kitchen-like look, the toaster and microwave are out of sight in the pantry. A collection of birdhouses is arranged on the top shelf and they are a fun surprise for guests.
(Sources: Design Babylon Interiors, Kitchen Bath Ideas, Country Living, Cottage Living, Colleen Fox Interiors, Closets Redefined, House Beautiful, Team95, EmersonMade, Elle Decor, Venegas and Company, Tracy Leach, Front Door)
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I am fortunate to have a walk-in pantry. It was one of the best things we included when we built our house, Although it does have wire shelving (I would love to change to cabinets or wood shelves) I am so thankful for the storage space and do not know what I would do without it.
I would be thrilled with anyone of them! Gorgeous and so inspiring!
Oh my, I love all of these, especially the second one.
I wish I had one of the fabulous pantries. Mine is just a large cabinet, but it does have pull out shelves which I love.
I have a small walk in pantry, and I’m happy that it does not have glass doors! I have some glass cabinets, and while they are attractive, we all need some hidden spaces in a working kitchen. These photos are all beautiful and I can get inspiration from many of them. I’m thinking of switching my pantry items into the kitchen cabinets and putting all my dishes and glassware into the pantry! Don’t know yet, but I will study some of these photos! Thanks for posting them! Linda
Hi Allison! Oh, what some wonderful panties! I would love to have a walk in pantry! Oh, well…I’m thankful a even have a little space.
Thank you so much for popping in to see me.
be a sweetie,
Shelia 😉
I would love to have pantry space like any of these! I do love the first two the most.
I love those inspiring examples of pantrys….they are beautiful and well organized…If only I had the space in my kitchen for one of these beauties. For now, I have only a large free standing early American wood cabinet in the breakfast room for my pantry. Stop by for a visit at Mel’s Cabin for a cup of coffee.
Wow! Great collection of images. It makes me want to get in and redo my pantry, because while I do have a large closet type pantry, it certainly doesn’t look like any of those.
As many times as I’ve ogled your kitchen and home, I’ve never seen your pantry before. I love the feel of the potting bench and stained wood shelves. And the birdhouses are such a whimsical touch. Love it! Thanks for sharing these.
I’m glad you all are enjoying the images. So many ways to have a pantry – each serves the same purpose, but in a different way, and we all know how important it is to have decent storage in our kitchens.
Judy, our last kitchen had a pantry cabinet. It was great since it held so much.
Linda Green, have you seen the Salie House china closet at Atticmag? Amazing… you will never look at dish storage the same again.
Laxsupermom, I had shown my pantry in the Heart of our Home blog party post but we did not move the article to this new site. I love seeing the birdhouses when I go in the pantry. Most were scattered around our last home and a few were actually outside on the fence. I didn’t really want them scattered here, but didn’t want to get rid of them either. I’m glad you agree this idea was a good one! It’s like a “just for me” special thing, since not everyone goes into the pantry.
As you know I really like the use of old doors etc. Some terrific ideas. The shallow pantry with a door in front is an idea almost anyone can use with only loosing a small wall space. For our on going building project we are using upper and lower reclaimed kitchen cabinets from a house in Homewood in the back foyer for pantry. This feature has something almost all can use if want a pantry.
Wow, you’ve put together an amazing collection of kitchen pantries! I really like the very first one, where the doors to the pantry are flanked with bookshelves. And the kitchen with the green chalkboard and sliding barn door is really cool.
Thanks, Kelly.
Larry, I was at Tricia’s last Wednesday morning. You weren’t there by chance, were you? Two men were talking in a side room and I almost asked if one was Larry. ;D
Wow! What gorgeous pantries. I would love to have any of them. The white ironstone pitchers caught my eye, I need a couple of those for the new hutch “makeover”. lol Thank you for swinging by and leaving such a sweet comment.
hugs ~lynne~
These are all beautiful examples. My walk-in pantry could be bigger, but I just appreciate having it at all.
I really love the look of the hallway pantry you show, but have visions of my less delicate kiddos going through there and objects or elbows knocking glass containers on the floor… 🙂
You might try putting sliding doors on the cabinets, probably won’t take up much more room, and you’d still have your pantry
Love them all! I’m especially fond of the french doors leading to a separate pantry “room”.
My walk in pantry would have to be one of my favourite things in my kitchen. I posted about it here:
http://fivebrothersonesister.blogspot.com/2010/08/pantry-overhaul.html
I love this article. Great pictures. Who doesn’t need a special space for kitchen things.
I made my coat closet a dish pantry, as I have more dishes than coats which are not needed here in Arizona.
I wish I had seen this article before I did mine. Great ideas. I love the big distressed sliding door pantry.
What a timely post! We’re in the process of designing a smaller new home and one thing I want is a pantry. I like the first one the best because of the bookcases that flank either side of the doors. What a great place for cookbook storage and with my husband and I both avid cooks, we have plenty.
Oh, I would kill for a walk in pantry. Or any pantry for that matter. This is such a fabulous post with fabulous photos. I was actually working on a similar post, but you nailed it!
The pantry with the sliding barn door really speaks to me.
I agree that you have to be really brave to have an open one. I wonder what it looks like on an “off” day?
LOVE these pantry spaces ! ~ ! ~