Take the pressure off the main kitchen area and create a game-changer with a walk-in pantry. They are becoming a desired feature in the homes of today where they become the storage place for small appliances, refillable jars, fresh ingredients and other kitchen essentials that often make the hub of the home cluttered. There are plenty of possibilities in designing a walk-in pantry tailored to your needs, bringing adequate storage, perfect design and neat and tidy organisation. Planning for an additional room such as a walk-in pantry involves more than just shelves and space, requiring thoughtful design, the team at The Handmade Kitchen Company can maximise functionality and make storage suit your lifestyle with their years of expertise.
In this blog, we show you essential design rules to help you create the best functional pantry you can that is both practical and stylish. We have some beautiful examples to show you too.
Space and Layout
First of all, you need to think about the space, how much can you and your home allocate for a walk-in pantry? This will then determine the overall layout of the design, whether it will be a galley, L-shaped or U-shaped. If you haven’t got much available space, opt for pocket or sliding doors, to maximise the floor space and create easy access to the other zones.
Nazeing Project
Enhancing Your Lifestyle
Well-designed rooms are extremely important in the home, particularly the kitchen, and you would have seen this over recent years when the space has had to serve multiple functions to suit your personal and work lifestyle.
When designing the walk-in pantry you need to think of the everyday practical requirements, how will you use it and what will be stored there. Think about what you may need in the future too, like more open shelving to store additional items.
In our showroom project below, we have added different types of shelving including quartz and solid oak.
Showroom Project
Where Will the Pantry Be Positioned?
Typically and traditionally the walk-in pantry is placed downstairs in large English country homes and just off the kitchen. The space was originally used to store cooking essentials, silverware and fresh ingredients. When we look at the walk-in pantry today, they have become an integral part of the home, where they are positioned close to the work zones of the working kitchen.
Design it as a natural extension of the kitchen with a mixture of shelves, drawers and worktop space, flowing the cabinets and hardware through. Consider ventilation and temperature of the room to ensure the longevity of the food you have stored.
Matching Green
Storage Solutions
Storage within the walk-in pantry needs to be instantly accessible and intelligently designed. Include deep drawers, bespoke racking, open shelving and utensil rails. This will allow this busy environment to be organised. Opt for a quartz worktop – it allows you to store small appliances and a space to unpack the shopping and prep for tonight’s meal.
Maximise all available space by considering floor-to-ceiling storage cabinets and shelves at different heights. Think about shallow shelves for spices and cereals, you don’t want deep shelving as this tends to lead to overstacking.
Underneath the floating shelves, install a utensil rail to hang your favourites. Easy to access and neatly stored. A simple storage solution like this can free up drawer space, allowing other kitchen essentials to find a home.
When stepping into the walk-in pantry, you want to be able to grab what you need with ease. This is why the perfect storage needs to be designed for everyday essentials. Think about how you will reach the items. Will you need a step? A ladder or step stool tucked away in the corner can help you access high shelves while keeping the floor space clear.
On lower levels consider pull-out shelves for heavier items. A simple feature like this can make a huge difference in ease of access.
Ingatestone Project
Robust Materials and Beautiful Designs
At The Handmade Kitchen Company, our designs and handmade furniture are expertly crafted from robust materials. We will ensure that each of our pantry designs meets the demands of modern living and is not only functional but beautiful too!
Simple Organisation
Designate each of the areas, organise the items and efficiently store them. Decant dried goods such as pasta, grains and flour into containers and place them in an organised way on the open shelves. Storing items this way allows you more room in the pantry as well as throwing away bulky packaging. Label up everything making it easier to grab the ingredients you need.
Consider bespoke wine racks or spice shelves to enhance the room’s function. Creating zones for these essentials makes it much easier to prepare fast meals and enjoy entertaining.
Cuffley Project
Perfect Smart Lighting
A perfect way to light up the room and find what you are looking for is with task lighting. Because of where this room is located in the home, walk-in pantries can lack natural light, although we have designed some beautiful walk-in pantries with windows looking out onto stunning countryside views. Install LEDs on open shelves or beneath wall cabinetry to illuminate the worktops and light up every item. You could even consider motion sensor lights automatically turning on when entering the pantry.
Essex Project
Complement Your Kitchen’s Aesthetics
Design it with your vision, just because it’s a pantry doesn’t mean it can’t be a beautiful space to work in. Match it to your main kitchen’s aesthetics and add materials that reflect your style. Even adding pieces of art or wallpaper on an accent wall can make your pantry feel like a cohesive part of your home rather than just being a storage space that houses the essentials.
Woldingham Project
Continue Reading
How the Walk-in Pantry is so on Trend
Additional Storage – Walk-in Pantry
A well-organised, functional and beautiful walk-in pantry is achievable by following these design rules. If you would like to know more about our bespoke handmade kitchens contact us today – we look forward to hearing from you. We have designed many kitchen pantries that are suited to each and every one of our clients individually.
