Kitchen pantry preferences
We love their kitchens — which is a big reason why this room often gets top priority when it comes to remodeling plans. But the new kitchen amenity that ranks highest among homeowners may surprise you.
The feature most in demand today isn’t custom cabinetry, a snazzy backsplash, or upscale appliances: It’s a walk-in pantry. About 83 per cent of respondents to a recent National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) survey said is essential or desirable, more so than a side-by-side double sink (81 per cent), table space for eating (78 per cent), a central island (76 per cent), or granite/natural stone countertops (75 per cent).
Why all the love for a glorified grocery closet? It’s simple; people highly value extra space and an organized layout in the kitchen. Caleb Dodd, owner of Konza Closets in Manhattan, Kansas, explains further.
“Storage can be a tough commodity to come by, and a kitchen is one of the easiest rooms to fill up. By the time you organize all your utensils, pots, pans and small appliances, homeowners are often left with very limited space to stow actual food items,” says Dodd. “When properly designed, a walk-in pantry can nearly double the storage space in a typical kitchen and provide a simple location in which to hold all the items that would otherwise be difficult to keep organized, like cans, boxes, bags, jars and containers.”
Another reason why walk-in pantries fit the bill is our penchant for buying big.
“We often purchase groceries and paper goods in bulk and have more than one set of china, silverware and glassware on hand. A pantry makes all
those extras organized and visible, thereby making them more likely to be used,” notes Catie Quanrud, owner/designer with West Palm Beach, Floridabased Speak Easy Interiors.
Whether you’re building a new home from scratch or aiming to reinvent your existing kitchen, implementing a walkin pantry is probably a wise choice — if you have the room.
“Because of how much value extra storage can bring to a home, a walk-in pantry can be a worthy investment that adds to your home’s resale,” says Dodd.
Ideally, a walk-in pantry should have at least a 24 inches wide doorway and an interior
space no smaller than four feet by four feet, Dodd recommends; a 36-inch doorway and five foot by five foot interior is more preferred.
“However, where space is limited, walk-ins can be difficult to place. If you’re remodeling, you may have to reclaim a powder room or coat closet adjacent to the kitchen, for example,” Dodd adds. “The key is to build the pantry in or close by the kitchen for convenient access.”
Ariel Richardson, owner of ASR Design Studio, headquartered in San Diego, agrees.
“It should be placed near a counter space so you are able to grab what you need and set it down immediately. Additionally the pantry should be positioned in a space with no windows to maximize your storage capabilities,” suggests Richardson.
Dodd says he often sees walkin pantries situated at the end of a counter or adjacent to the refrigerator.
Be sure to equip the pantry with handy necessaries, too.
“Try to provide plenty of accessible shelves, drawers for fruits and veggies, a small hand sink for cleaning up, if you have the space, and even a mini office area or charging station for shopping lists, recipes, phones, tablets and other items,” says James Atkins, designer/founder of Studio Atkins in Los Angeles. “Also, ensure that this room has plenty of good artificial or natural light from above.”
Once built, plan on keeping your pantry tidy.
“Your walk-in can turn into a quick mess if you don’t maintain organization and make dedicated places for everything,” cautions Atkins.
If you lack the square footage to accommodate a walk-in pantry, don’t despair.
“Instead, you can install a fullheight deep vertical cabinet that can act as a pantry, furnished with pull-out drawers, spice racks and storage built into the doors,” Richardson notes.