Do you have building a pantry ideas?

Denise M
by Denise M
We are finally getting to our pantry project. Our available space is 8' H X 11' W X 20" D.
(we still have a little wiggle room to adjust W & D) We have drawn our several plans wanting to maximize the space...decision making is not the strongest part of my character. Hubby is wanting to get started ASAP. Storage for canned goods, dry & paper goods. Right hand end, possible laundry and cleaning. Left hand end, possible 3' hutch like with the extra counter top and open shelves for cookbooks. Any suggestions and/or ideas would be sooooo appreciated.
  4 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Jan 05, 2012
    Denise a number of years ago I did a big remodel on my place and wanted to incorporate a walk in pantry. This would have been located in an adjacent room to the kitchen. The space however needed to be used to rework the spiral stairs that had served the second floor. The home's addition required a larger conventional staircase due to code limitations that the spiral served. As a compromise I built a "pantry" cupboard that is a bit bigger that a basic base unit. The higher work surface provides excellent place for our espresso machine...its a lot more comfortable to use at this height. 90 percent of our basic food storage in housed there with the rest being in a small "spice" cupboard near the range and another one dedicated for baking supplies. We use a little space in the guest room closet, for bulk purchases ( case of paper towels etc). Your space seems plenty big to accommodate a few work areas. I would recommend pull out shelves and a few different work heights. Perhaps incorporating a small work desk for sorting mail...with a cook book shelve above.
  • Denise M Denise M on Jan 05, 2012
    Thank you for your thoughts. We have been "thinking" too long and have changed it many times...time to build and be done. :)
  • Just be sure that the shelving you install is adjustable. Quite often pantry shelves are constructed without that in mind. The result is the one cereal box your kids like is one inch taller and does not fit. Same goes with the can storage. when you stack them you need to be able to do this in such a manner that once stacked you only have a inch left over at top. Its a shame when you put them in and four or five inches still remain that could be used for additional storage space. My suggestion is to measure all the typical products that you purchase. Then take a visit to your local store and with a little ruler measure some of the off shoot type similar products in their containers as quite often these come in different sizes. Once you figure that out you can then determine the total amount of shelves you will need. As far layout. Personally I would try to keep your little desk closer to the door and use the back area for items that you normally do not use that often. Even though your closet it not that big. It would be a shame that you needed to walk back there every time you needed to sit at the desk.
  • Denise M Denise M on Jan 05, 2012
    Thank you! Very nice suggestions. We are putting adjustable shelving as well as pull out trays/shelves on the bottom level. The hutch I have spoken about will actually be a hutch with counter top to allow me to put crockpots, toaster, coffee pot, etc. on it, if space is needed while entertaining in kitchen. The 2 or 3 shelves above will store my cookbooks and below the counter level wil be"whatever" I decide to put there. Possibly drawers for our cloth napkins and placemats...