10 suggestions for beautiful and roomy larders and utilities from a walk-in pantry
Cooks who love to cook, followers of minimalism, and people who love organizing can all benefit from walk-in pantry ideas.
Not only could adding a sizable pantry room to your kitchen designs help keep the larger area organized, but it can also make cooking more ergonomic.
According to Richard Moore, Design Director of Martin Moore, "If you are an avid cook, a walk-in pantry is a highly practical adjunct to the working areas of the kitchen, keeping all your ingredients in one place and easily accessible" (opens in new tab).
"Good zoning makes all the difference to how a kitchen looks and functions, and with a lot more of us cooking and entertaining more at home, it has become more and more crucial for our clients to have a place to keep all the necessary goods, spices, and utensils," the designer said.
Ideas for a walk-in pantry
We asked professionals to submit their favorite walk-in pantry ideas, and we found some magnificent examples to inspire you, from creative design flourishes to practical management solutions.
ASSIGN THE AREA TO YOUR NEEDS
Remember that any kitchen larders can be customized to meet your needs, advises Tom Howley, Design Director of the self-titled kitchen design company. "It becomes simple to plan out if you have an idea of the use and practical elements you want to add within the kitchen."
Make sure the design of your space matches how you use your kitchen and what you need because no homeowner's pantry ideas will be the same and shouldn't be. For instance, The Secret Drawer's (opens in new tab) kitchen has a bar section with space for glasses, liquor bottles, and cocktail accoutrements.
According to Life Kitchens' Head of Retail & Commercial Design, Graeme Smith, there are numerous variations and styles, both conventional and modern (opens in new tab). The design is quite individual and may be created with your interests in mind. For example, you can include spice racks for meals, deep shelves for pickling jars, and hidden work tables for food preparation.
Additionally, you might utilize a variety of pantry organizers to help you arrange your essentials and reduce the amount of room they take up in your pantry.
STORE APPLIANCES SO THAT YOUR KITCHEN CAN REMAIN SIMPLE.
More and more of us are choosing a basic appearance for our kitchens, especially across our worktops, as the kitchen is used more and more for entertaining as well as cooking. In order to hide the messy realities of food production, larders solutions must now be more effective than ever before. In these circumstances, a walk-in pantry becomes even more appealing.
According to Melissa Klink, Creative Director at Harvey Jones, "A walk-in pantry is a terrific location to keep small equipment that sometimes take up too much space in your kitchen, such as a kettle, blender, or toaster" (opens in new tab). Don't forget to add some power outlets so you can plug in and use the appliances on the walk-in larders worktop, saving you from having to take them into the kitchen every time you need to use them.
TURN IT ON
Enter-in pantries are constantly in need of smart kitchen lighting ideas to make them an area you actually want to walk into because they are typically windowless and always able to catch more than a few shadows.
According to Smith, "careful use of lighting means that these are no longer dark nooks for concealing unattractive Tupperware and tins, but are wonderfully practical and logical larders."
Why not think about placing strategically positioned spotlights in your kitchen and pantry for lighting?
Louise Wicksteed, Sims Hilditch's design director, continues (opens in new tab). When working in a kitchen or pantry, task lighting is crucial because it contributes to the creation of a well-lit, secure space where food may be prepared and stored.
Even a pantry with a black inside in this Humphrey Munson space(opens in new tab) has enough lighting provided by hidden downlighters amidst the open shelving to be functional both at night and during the day.
In a large kitchen, section off a pantry using a partition wall.
Choosing a location for your walk-in pantry is the first step in assembling it. When designing a kitchen from scratch, this is the simplest time to accomplish it; if there isn't a convenient corner or alcove in which to place it, you might think about building one yourself using a partition wall.
"An experienced kitchen designer will be able to provide useful and valuable larders in whatever space is available," says Moore. This includes combining several small rooms, such as a coal store, hallway, and boot room to create one large space, as well as erecting a partition wall or dividing a room into a walk-in pantry area.
The pantry is conveniently located adjacent to the main cooking area in this instance, but it is deeper than the oven's alcove. It was possible to create a plan like this by building an exterior wall where the pantry now stands and creating a functional larders area from the large open area.
GLASS DOORS FOR YOUR LARDERS TO SHOW OFF
Why not flaunt your walk-in pantry to the world if you're proud of it? Spectacular Crittall glass doors are used in this example by Mowlem &Co(opens in new tab) to accomplish this, but you can also get a more understated look by incorporating glass panels into your pantry's kitchen cabinet designs.
When done effectively, open pantries actually serve to open up the kitchen and give a sense of space, says Howley. "Many people may shy away from open pantries as a larders option afraid that it may leave the kitchen looking cluttered or untidy," she says. Kitchens look great with glass finishes. Glazed cabinets not only maximize the flow of light into darker corners, breaking up the monotony of repeating, solid facing doors, especially in large spaces.
If your larders is hidden, it may seem completely different from the rest of the kitchen; but, if it's semi-open, choosing a comparable design will create the illusion that it's an extension of your main kitchen space.
This also makes it simple to store your wine collection away from the area where you cook while yet displaying it, as shown above. Regardless of whether it's in a wine fridge or a rack for wine larders.
INTERIOR: DECORATE LIKE YOU WOULD A KITCHEN
According to Katie Glaister, co-founder of K&H Designs, "In this project, we employed our characteristic detail and personalization to create a stunning pantry space" (opens in new tab). The end product serves as a shining illustration of why you should give your pantry's interior design the same degree of care and consideration that you would give any other space, right down to the kitchen tile ideas.
The London-based clients requested that we incorporate a homage to their transatlantic lifestyle in some way into their new home because they had previously resided in New York. We suggested New York tin tiles for the larders ceiling in response. We arranged for them to be aged and stained suitably to the approved style since we wanted them to have the look and feel of old tiles without the risk of unclean flaking of old paint.
"We sourced the lights and arranged for the words "Full English" and "Chocolate Brownie" to be screen painted on to each light, involving the kids in the creation of this much-loved nugget of a space."
TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY AND DISPLAY, USE OPEN SHELVING
If anything, it's even more crucial to get your walk-in pantry organizing ideas perfect when you have a smaller space because nobody wants to enter a disorganized place. Utilizing open shelving will make the area more usable and force you to keep things organized.
Open shelves is a terrific option since, according to Klink, the key to a successful larders is being able to enter, glance around, and swiftly retrieve goods or utensils. Consider extending your shelves all the way to the ceiling to maximize larders and make the most of the available space.
According to Glaister, "there has been a trend toward sustainable packaging, which means that the fashionable homeowner no longer uses their cupboards to conceal away plastics." 'Instead, lovely ceramics, glassware, and wicker larders pieces can be both useful and elegant.
FILL THE INTERNAL OF YOUR DOORS WITH LARDERS.
You should choose kitchen storage solutions that utilize every square inch of the pantry, even the open hollow just behind the doors.
When building a pantry, Wicksteed advises keeping in mind space-saving strategies like a pull-out rack and shelving behind cabinet doors. This section of your larders is perfect for smaller bits and pieces even if it is not well-suited to accommodate hefty or bulky things.
Howley continues, "If you have room, incorporate a rack for spices on the inside of the door." If you're cooking and need to go straight to the things you need, it's practical.
Create a double pantry and a three-sided walk-in closet.
The double pantry in the most luxurious kitchens, according to Howley, "is the most memorable aspect for me. It's filled with intriguing bottles of infused oils, rustling packets of the best truffles, artisanal canned veggies, and special seasonings." Opening a double pantry is a very impressive moment that makes cooking and entertaining feel like a special occasion.
A walk-in pantry isn't feasible in every house, but a double pantry can create the impression of a walk-in room with tree sides if it works with your kitchen plan ideas. In the designer Liz Caan'shome(opens in new tab), a built-in pantry with huge double doors that open up to create the impression of a completely new room is located in a small hallway space leading from the kitchen. The breakfast bar has its own sink and has shelves on both doors.
BI-FOLD DOORS CAN REDUCE INTRUSION INTO THE KITCHEN.
When you have to squeeze between them and the island because the pantry doors are left wide open, they are excellent. Consider using bi-fold doors to minimize their presence when they swing out if you're designing a walk-in pantry next to a small kitchen. Consider pocket doors that can be completely slid into a wall hollow if you can't decide between an open or closed pantry.
WHY SHOULD A LARDERS CONTAIN THIS?
Everything that you require should fit in a walk-in pantry. It can serve as a simple pantry for non-perishable foods or a place to store both big and little appliances, such as the refrigerator and the food processor. No matter what, it's crucial to keep everything focused and ordered.
The pantry is a wonderful option for hiding appliances because of the increased trend toward keeping worksurfaces devoid of clutter to create a more minimalist feel and free up more prep space, according to Howley.
Howley continues, "The pantry offers tremendous adaptability when it comes to accumulating ingredients." "Use baskets and shelf organizers to group like items together; this not only looks neat but elegant when the doors are open. Integrated drawers are ideal for storing more perishable goods including bread, produce, and fruits.
Tins and jars fit perfectly in the pantry's central, easily accessible shelf. To keep foodstuffs separate so you can quickly see everything you need, use dividers or shorter spacing.
WHAT DEEPNESS SHELVES SHOULD BE IN A WALK-IN PANTRY?
Work out just how much space you have to give them before deciding on the depth of your pantry shelves.
As Klink suggests, "consider how much space you can allocate for a larders because this will affect the whole arrangement." As a general rule, provide the walkway inside the space a width of at least 1000mm. Allow a space of about 2.4 m × 3 m if you want the walk-in pantry to accommodate larger features and equipment, like a fridge, sink, or microwave.
Determine exactly what you plan to store as the next stage. Howley claims that optimizing shelf spacing can increase the amount of larders space available. When storing equipment that you might not want on your kitchen work area, wide, deep cabinets with integrated workstation are great. If adding baskets or larger larders options, consider the height and depth of the shelves.
Wicksteed advises going bespoke if you truly want to make sure you're utilizing your shelves to their full potential. Custom cabinetry can help you make the most of your limited area if you are working with an odd or small location, she adds. With this in mind, recessing shelving into the walls also works nicely.
An selection of amazing wall-to-ceiling larder closets, walk-in pantries, mysteriously tardis-like food stores, and delightfully well organized cooking supplies can be found in stylish kitchens on Instagram, Pinterest, and in nearby homes. We're getting more requests to include pantries or larders in our kitchen designs, and we're pleased to comply!
The pre-refrigerator rooms known as "larders" were once used to lard raw meat (ie. to cover it in fat for preserving). By the 18th century, the name "larder" had come to refer to the storing of meat, milk, butter, pastries, bread, and butter. The French term "paneterie," where bread (pain) was kept, is where the word "pantry" originates. When refrigerators entered the picture, convenience food replaced home-cooked meals as the preferred option, and everyone could quickly run to the store to pick up whatever they desired, making larders mostly obsolete. To make place for the kitchen cabinets and countertops that are common in modern kitchens, utility rooms either changed into utility rooms or merged into the primary kitchen areas.
PANTRIES OR LARDERS ARE VERY ADEQUATE FOR MODERN KITCHENS.
The goal posts are shifting once more now that sustainability is a hot topic. To reduce food miles and packaging, we're all eager to buy in bulk, therefore we need space to keep those enormous sacks of pasta. Due to the amount of sourdough bread we are doing, we want space to store our lovely jars of handmade flour. Because we love to cook, it is essential to have shelves that display the exotic items we discover. Due to time restrictions, we want to be able to quickly grab what we need, and since we love to share our culinary adventures on Instagram, our kitchens need to be spotless, clutter-free, and gorgeous—even within the cabinets.
YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO CREATE A ROOMY WALK-IN LARGER IF YOUR KITCHEN IS LARGE OR YOU HAVE PRE-EXISTING CUPBOARDS, EXCESSIVE BOXING-IN, OR AN UNUSED CLOAKROOM.
You will understand what we mean if you have seen the particularly desirable example on Nigella's "Sleep, Eat, Repeat" television program. Enter a secret world of shelves housing lovely screw top vintage jars, plenty of space for stacking artisan packed foodstuffs, and a few sparingly placed strands of twinkling fairy lights. Fabulous.
There are still several possibilities for gorgeous fold-out larder cupboards that open to expose shelving that rivals the kind you'd see at a Dean & DeLuca branch if you're a little more space-constrained.
A larder closet could be placed against a full wall, tucked away in a corner, or simply incorporated as a practical addition to a kitchen with a more minimalist style.
If you want a kitchen with a larder, that's exactly the kind of kitchen we enjoy. At Blackbrook Kitchens, we're all about turning your ideal kitchen into a reality.
Why not get in touch with us to schedule an appointment at our showroom so we can talk about how to redesign your kitchen space to accommodate the ideal kitchen storage solution.
Then, all that remains is for you to think about what you'll eventually fill it with and what culinary marvels you'll be creating with its wealth.