PANTRY IDEAS
A SEPARATE PANTRY COMBINES A FOOD STORAGE AND PREP AREA, KEEPING THE MAIN KITCHEN CLEAR FOR COOKING AND ENTERTAINING. WE EXPLORE THE OPTIONS
Create a dedicated food storage and prep area near your kitchen
STEPS AHEAD
Set apart by steps but on view from the main space, this pantry makes a strong design statement and still delivers on practicality for anyone who appreciates order. Bridging the divide between new extension and existing building, it also turns a transition zone into a space with its own identity. Indigo blue and walnut veneer shelves make a warm contrast to the white lacquered surfaces in the kitchen.
MORNING GLORY
Make a built-in pantry work a little harder by doubling it up as a place to make breakfast drinks – you’ll need a hot/ sparkling/cold filtered water tap and a small sink. ‘This hidden prep pantry is a great place to gather small appliances that take up counter space, such as coffee machines and toasters. Be sure to work out how many sockets you’ll need at the design stage,’ recommends Amy Stoddart of Day True.
AN ELEMENT OF COOL
Taking inspiration from ‘below stairs’ pantries, this look has been moved upstairs and updated. The industrial trend is ticked with Crittall-style doors and concrete floor tiles, with wood shelves and panelling for a modern country look.
‘Tiles will also help reduce the temperature inside the pantry,’ says Sophie Stevens of SGS Designs. ‘This is important when it's part of the main kitchen.’
THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW
A narrow box room with no natural light can be transformed into an ideal place to prepare vegetables, store food or fold laundry with clever use of pale paint colours, marble surfaces and well-placed lighting. Make a display feature out of existing alcoves – it will help to draw the eyes in and make the space feel deeper and more spacious. If building a kitchen, using the space behind appliances for storage means you can keep the rest of the room neat and cupboards to a minimum, perfect if you have kids running around.
HIGH AND MIGHTY
Once, pantries played second fiddle when it came to joinery design – cast-offs or secondclass cabinetry sufficed in a space that was barely seen beyond the family. Now they’re seen as an essential add-on to the kitchen, the same high-quality finish and materials are often used, such as these stone worksurfaces and walnut shelving. ‘Make the most of the space with open shelves to the ceiling and drawers below the worktop,’ recommends Andrew Hall of Woodstock Furniture.
IN THE ZONE
In an ideal pantry, every item should have its permanent place to help avoid scrambles for a missing ingredient. One way to achieve that is to introduce an element of zoning: deep drawers for bags of rice and pasta, shallow ones for spices, bottle racks for oils and vinegars, and a mix of short and long shelves for everything else. Work with a carpenter to create a bespoke design, or choose a modular system that allows you to choose the particular elements to suit the design you’re looking for.
HOUSEKEEPING HEAVEN
Alongside pantries, sculleries and larders, country houses would typically have a flower room, where stems from the cutting garden could be arranged. Achieve the look in one space with the addition of a butler sink, which is equally as useful for arranging dahlias as for prepping veg from the garden. Cupboard drawers for food storage and open shelves for tableware complete the look. Don’t forget about flooring in a pantry, either – if you love the look of wood, try engineered hardwood to make clearing up spills a breeze.
TRADITIONAL THINKING…
For a classic country-house look, cover your bases with prep space, utensils and cookware, and food storage. A Carrara marble surface is ideal for keeping meats and cheese cool in warm weather. Open shelves above the worktop ensure cooking oils, dry ingredients, jams and preserves are easy to find. Deep box shelves and baskets hold larger items, such as mixing bowls and vases.
CREATIVE CORNER
A boxed-in corner provides more space for storage than a conventional larder cupboard and, unlike open shelves, will keep containers free from kitchen grease. Stud walls, plasterboard and a lick of paint are all you need to create one. To maximise volume inside, dispense with a door and maintain a sense of order by disposing of packaging and decanting dry goods. Build shelves at different heights, right up to the ceiling, to give you flexibility – add a stool to reach items on the highest shelves.