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THE HISTORY OF LARDERS & PANTRIES

Larders were created to extend the shelf life of food by storing it against a cooler North-facing wall and airing it from top to bottom. When refrigerators were more widely available in the 1960s, however, wall units became the preferred location for storing canned and dried products,' adds Smallbone's Iain.
Iain also explains why the larder is an essential component of any modern kitchen design: 'We started storing all of our food in enormous American-style fridges in the early 2000s, but we've since learned that it's often best to keep food at room temperature.' Traditional storage, such as the larder, accomplishes this while putting all provisions and condiments in one convenient location. The larder is a chic way to keep track of how much food we have.'


'With exotic ingredients more available than ever before and cooking being more of a hobby than a necessity, having a significant variety of spices, different types of oils, flours, and sugars is not uncommon. As a result, you'll need room to present items in a way that makes them accessible to the busy chef.'
How does this happen? 'Racks on the back of doors, adjustable deep shelves, internal storage accessories, huge tall doors enabling lots of access and, most importantly, a clear view of what's in the larder,' explains Iain.


When it comes to larder design, practicality reigns supreme, so work with your kitchen designer to consider what makes sense for your house and how you cook. It's all about well-considered storage solutions and robust, long-lasting designs. Smallbone's Iain O'Mahony adds, 'Funnily enough, we appear to have mostly avoided the wirework revolution, and our larders are more often than not a reflection of our skill.' 'Beautiful, sturdy tall doors, hand-finished dovetailed solid wood internal drawers, elaborately executed pierced metal vegetable baskets with delightful turned wooden pulls, all produced by one of our extremely talented craftsmen,' says the company.
From 'willow baskets for veggies and pull-out trays for your speciality teas or herbal infusions' to 'custom china stores and spice racks,' it's all about determining what will be most beneficial in your home.
A pantry or larder is an excellent addition to any modern kitchen since it greatly expands storage space, consolidates your most frequently used goods and tools, and de-clutters your work surfaces. We enjoy include pantries and larders in our kitchen designs, whether it's a huge larder-style double closet, a pull-out pantry that maximizes a limited space between cabinets, or a walk-in area that could have been a'studio apartment' if it were in Shoreditch.
To begin with, a pantry is a storage area for long-lasting foods such as dried foods, pulses, beans, flour, pasta, rice, and anything bottled or tinned, as well as items you want out of the way or don't use often such as brooms, step ladders, boots, spare crockery, posh cutlery, Christmas linen, candles, recycling bins, and so on.

A larder is a cold storage area for food that must be kept chilled before being used. They were ubiquitous before refrigeration and often included a 3 inch thick cold shelf for storing butter, cheese, meat, and items that required to be kept chilly in the middle of preparation, such as pastry. They rely on thermal mass, or heat-absorbing walls and floors composed of stone, brick, or tile. On the shady side of the house, larders were frequently located on a north-facing wall. Of course, there are many examples of people getting the best of both worlds by using a cold-ish space as both a larder and a pantry.


Our grandma lived in a house built in the 1950s with a walk-in pantry. I recall how it smelled like she was resting pastry. It was a genuine room with a glass pantry door, and it was like a Tardis, with an astounding amount of storage for such a little space! It would have been especially useful for anyone who buys in bulk or receives multiple internet deliveries at once. The bottom shelf was a thick concrete cold slab that was ideal for keeping things cool, such as cheeses, which lose flavor when kept too cold. It came into its own during the holidays or at parties when the fridge was overflowing with sweets and leftovers. One of the finest aspects of the storage was that it was in the shape of shallow open pantry shelves that was affixed to the wall, which meant there was no room to hide items behind other things.
Modern kitchen cabinets are fairly deep, and it appears like whatever you're looking for is always hidden beneath something else. When it comes to storage, we choose quality over quantity, and the quality of storage is determined by how easy it is to find and retrieve what you need. Keeping track of what you have and finding items at a glance is easy when you store things 'one deep,' and it also looks good.

When there isn't enough space for a separate room, a pantry cabinet, also known as a great larder, is the solution. When you open a cabinet with racks or shelving integrated into the door, the depth is halved and the useful display space at the front of the shelf is doubled. Other pantry organization solutions, such as pull-out drawers, baskets, and spice racks, are frequently used in conjunction with this. Inside the cabinet, a hefty stone worktop can be installed, which is ideal for resting pastry, wine, or a cheese board.


A well-designed kitchen pantry or larder must be one of the most eye-catching features of any kitchen, big or little. Sure, larders and pantries provide a lot of useful storage space (particularly for foodies), but they also mean a lot more. We believe it has something to do with the feeling you receive when you know you're in a well-stocked, pleasant kitchen since they instill a sense of homeliness and attention. It's everything a true home makes you feel good about.
Kitchen larders and pantries are deserving of praise in all of their splendor. From subtle, hidden designs in small kitchens to entire separate rooms stocked with every condiment, spice, and ingredient imaginable. And, as always, we love sharing our favorite sources of inspiration with you in the hopes of inspiring your next remodeling project or simply giving you something to aspire to in your dream house. We've got your back! Continue reading for plenty of lust-worthy larders and pantries!
A simple larder cabinet, such as this one from Neptune, is as ageless and utilitarian as they come. Nothing flashy here; simply plenty of storage, a durable wooden design, and a range of sizes, all hidden behind tastefully designed cabinet fronts that go in with the rest of your decor.


If you're putting your larder cupboard in a high-traffic area of the kitchen or just a busy location in general, folding kitchen cabinet doors are a good choice.
Oh, how we wish we lived in a house with a walk-in pantry off to the side of a grand kitchen. Isn't it possible to fantasize? This beauty is based in Devon, and we're immediately enamored with its basic charms.
The area breathes culinary inspiration, with fresh white wall tiles and nearly industrial basic shelves serving their roles brilliantly. This pantry reminds us of the types of wartime culinary items we see in our ancestors' kitchens.
This isn't something we see very often in a kitchen pantry, but it makes perfect sense for designs that may have something built-in. Investing in a freestanding larder closet not only provides ample food storage space, but it also adds design elements, especially when it's as lovely as this Neptune piece.
It's also portable, so you can move it around the room if you change your mind or take it with you when you move.
A built-in larder cupboard, such as this one by Harvey Jones, is well worth considering for homeowners who decide for a bespoke kitchen (or even just a highly personalized design). There's plenty of room for just about everything, and the stone worktop helps to keep things cool.
If you like your kitchen the way it is or don't have the funds to renovate it, you may still achieve this by converting an existing closet using some simple DIY techniques. If you don't want to do it yourself, obtain quotations from a local carpenter for something more bespoke on a smaller scale.
Meet the perfect combination of style and functionality. Holloways' walk-in pantry not only makes efficient use of extra storage space, but it also does so in a stylish manner.


This pantry is ideal for storing spare supplies and glasses, as well as exhibiting tableware and decor that has been accumulated over time. It can also be used as a bar (always a bonus). Needless to say, the Crittall-style doors complete the look, and we love seeing such a feature in a traditional pantry.
We understand that not every kitchen has adequate space for a pantry or larder. However, if you have just a few additional inches to spare and want to incorporate a pull-out, go ahead and do so.
You'd be amazed how much you can store in something like this from Benchmarx, but the sliding design makes the most of every inch of space, whether you need it for food storage or to conceal equipment.
If there was ever a pantry designed to gratify someone who like being organized, this has to be it. A wall shelf unit like this one is the ideal place to experiment with matching containers and labeling.
Apart from that, we particularly like the handy pull-out trays for all the components that end up rolling around the cupboard (and making a mess), as well as the envy-inducing array of appliances.
Personalization is taken to a whole new level with this pantry cupboard. You'll never misplace cooking materials again if you label the kitchen needs and different members of the family (this Tom Howley kitchen does both).
With this built-in design, every inch of space is utilized all the way up to the doors, and the color palette is also very appropriate. Take note of the stone worktop for added functionality, as well as the movable wall shelf. If your food supply change from season to season, having something flexible for diverse shapes and sizes is a great idea.


Eat your heart out, lovers of stately kitchens, because this one is for you. Aside from the stunning carpentry, this Plain English kitchen combines the best aspects of a country kitchen larder with a hearty dose of opulence.
Between the door shelves, U-shaped inner storage, and bottom baskets for all those weird things that roll around, the hidden area is perfectly utilized. The rail above this larder also makes us think of a mobile ladder, which is right up our alley.
For being effortlessly cool, this walk-in pantry gets all the marks. We appreciate how trendy this pantry area is, even if it isn't huge. Maybe it's the darker color palette, or maybe it's how it works with contrasting flooring and counters, but any way, we adore how chic this pantry area is, even if it isn't huge.
This just goes to show that any unused area in a kitchen can be transformed into a pantry in some way, and having more storage and decorating options is never a bad thing.
Larger kitchens will undoubtedly benefit from a storage cabinet, such as this labeled wooden style. It's not huge, but it provides enough extra space to store long-lasting supplies, and the deeper workstation appears to be beneficial for some food processing as well.
If you love the color of your kitchen cabinets, applying it on a large-scale object like this is a great way to make a statement and allow the color speak for itself.
Would you include a pantry or larder in your next kitchen renovation now that we've made our case for how wonderful they can be in any size kitchen? How do you make the most of yours if you already have one?

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