How to heatproof your pantry
The scorching summer has sparked new interest in walk-in larders, pantries and hi-tech wine coolers, says Jessica Doyle
As we have all discovered this summer, the average British home is not designed for coping with hot weather, and you may have found that your kitchen is not quite fit for purpose when it comes to storage. Foods you wouldn’t want to keep in the fridge, such as bread and certain fruits and vegetables, don’t stay fresh for long in the temperatures we have been experiencing over the past couple of months – and, with hotter summers likely to continue over the coming decades, it’s something to bear in mind when designing a new kitchen. The traditional walk-in pantry or storeroom has had something of a renaissance of late, and for those who have the space, it’s an addition with both practical and aesthetic value.
The vogue for pantries isn’t just down to the weather. In recent years, the Downton Abbey effect has made its mark, almost fetishising the accoutrements and practices of a traditional working kitchen. There’s plenty of modern-day inspiration around too, from the likes of stylists and declutterers the Home Edit (thehomeedit.com), whose clients include Gwyneth Paltrow, actress Mandy Moore and the Kardashianwests, and whose Instagram feed is full of meticulously ordered walk-in cupboards lined with colourcoordinated spice jars and perfectly stacked kitchen rolls.
Such idealistic imagery aside, the dominance of the open-plan kitchen, and its corresponding lack of options for useful storage, have also contributed to the increased demand for pantries. Open shelving – another kitchen trend – may be where we want to display our china, Kilner jars and vintage copper pans, but we’d rather keep our less aesthetically pleasing kitchen essentials behind closed doors. Utility rooms and store rooms are on the rise once more, as the kitchen has become the main social area of the house, rather than purely a space for preparing food.
According to Kim Vanopstal, an interior designer for Hub Kitchens (hubkitchens.com), “homeowners are moving away from purely aesthetic kitchens and edging more towards functionality, incorporating larders and storage units, and hiding away all aspects of the kitchen behind pocket doors to create more of a domestic hub. Fitted storage is a great way of preserving food supplies during hot periods, and a cooling pantry is ideal, especially if the floors are tiled and the walls are well insulated to protect from external elements.”
Rebecca Malyon, head of design at Neptune (neptune.com), agrees: “Nowadays a walk-in pantry or beautifully designed larder cabinet is at the top of everyone’s kitchen wish list. It used to be that kitchen islands were always in the number one spot, but that’s not always the case anymore. Our kitchen designers will often create pantries that occupy an entire room, and utility rooms have become pantries for customers who prefer to use them in that way.”
If you have space for a separate pantry, make sure it is ventilated and situated away from heat-producing machines such as fridges, washing machines and dishwashers. As noted by Vanopstal, a tiled or stone floor will help to keep it cool, and fitted wooden shelves at differing heights – plus a marble cooling shelf – along with hooks and hanging baskets will give ultimate storage potential.
If you don’t have a handy extra room to spare, a pantry cupboard might be the answer. Although it won’t have the cooling effect of a proper pantry, it’s a valuable addition to a kitchen in terms of both storage and, if it’s your thing, styling, and it’s catching on: according to research carried out by houzz.co.uk, 39per cent of people who installed a new kitchen last year included a pantry cupboard in their design.
“Kitchen pantries bring order to the busiest of environments, bringing lots of accessible space for storing items beautifully,” says Helen Reeks, creative development manager at kitchen company Tom Howley (tomhowley. co.uk). “Whether you choose a walk-in or integrated pantry, it makes sense to structure the contents. A good organisation trick is to place utensils, everyday equipment and cooking elements at a lower level, making it easier to grab what you need, when you want it.”
Pantry cupboards can also be used to create areas dedicated to specific kitchen tasks: some incorporate a breakfast station within their design, complete with coffee machine, toaster and pull-out breadboard; others are used as a prepping area for baking, with ingredients and utensils close at hand.
Along with certain foods, wine – red in particular – has been another casualty of the heatwave, and wine storage is a growing trend that is no longer limited to committed oenophiles. Companies such as Spiral Cellars (spiralcellars.co.uk) will create a bespoke wine cellar – with a hefty price tag – but there are other options for those without cellar space to spare.
“There has been an increased demand recently for wine conditioning units, as they offer an element of luxury and that added wow factor,” says Vanopstal. “They mimic the conditions of a wine cellar, for example the humidity levels and temperature, the correct angle to prevent the cork drying out, and vibration control. They can also be built with a glass front, which blocks UV light, so they are far more efficient than a wine rack exposed to the elements of a normal working kitchen.”
Vanopstal notes that aesthetics have become more important to customers over the past few years, and a variety of specifications and finishes are now available, including smoked glass, bespoke lighting, integrated serving trays and handleless designs for minimalist kitchens.
Kitchen company Smallbone (smallbone.co.uk) is one that has responded to increased demand for wine storage with clever solutions. “People are now spending more time entertaining and socialising in the kitchen,” says Iain O’mahony, director of special projects.
“Whether you tend to host large gatherings or intimate dinner parties, a separate wine cabinet or glazed bottle rack will allow you to display your collection, and easily ensure your guests never have an empty glass.”
Smallbone’s most opulent solution is as much about making a design statement as it is about storing wine: its Wine Wall was developed in response to demand from customers to keep their wines close at hand while entertaining, and uses technology from cellar specialist Wine Guardian to keep different wines in optimum condition. It’s also ideally suited to the open-plan or broken-plan kitchen, forming a dramatic room divider between the kitchen and dining areas.
With temperatures set to rise again this weekend, a cool pantry or wine cellar certainly seems an appealing prospect – and a way of future-proofing your kitchen for sweltering summers to come.
‘Nowadays, a pantry cupboard is at the top of everyone’s kitchen wish list’