Pantry design and considerations

Pantries are an important part of kitchen design. Most designers have naturally included it when designing kitchens. However, the size varies. Pantries do not have to be big; they just need to be well designed to accommodate the owner’s needs. Most pantries are small in area but have an advantage of height. In this case, one needs to take advantage of vertical space. Pantries like closets are not a one size fits all; each owner has different needs. The main function of a pantry is storage. Naturally, people cut costs in fit out of this room by just installing open shelves. This idea can work for some people but not for all. Before one settles on the size or the design of the pantry, one need to think about the most important question; what do you need to store? Most of the times, people allocate a pantry space without considering what they need to accommodate for.

 

Rental spaces do not always have the luxury of space and therefore, new home owners always want a pantry included in their new home. The first thing one need to do is to evaluate their current need. There is always a danger of over providing a pantry space because of planning for things that one will want to have in it. Note down what you currently have, what does not have space in the current space you are in and what is lacking and is a necessity. Prioritize necessities first. Once this is done, it will be easier to identify what kind of storage solution will be provided for these needs.

There are several storage solutions one can provide in a pantry. Open shelving is the most common type of storage. This type of storage has its ups and downs. It is easy to put things and to remove. However, open shelves need extremely organized people. They look quite messy if everything is haphazardly stored and therefore can be difficult to maintain. Open shelves also accumulate dust quite fast and therefore need constant cleaning. Drawers are another way of providing storage in a pantry. Drawer sizes can be regulated and therefore is a good way to accommodate just enough space required. One can separate different items in drawers and therefore easy to organize. Drawers are a neat way of storage because once things are in the drawers the pantry always looks organized. The other type of storage is in meshed boxes/cupboards. This type of storage works best for vegetables and fruits; items that need consistent aeration.

Extra electrical equipment can also be stored in the pantry. Equipment haphazardly stored on kitchen counters is the most visually annoying. Marie Kondo in her book “The life changing magic of tidying up” states that everything must have a home. Most people find it cumbersome to keep removing and putting back equipment either because they don’t fit in the cupboards or have to dismantle into pieces in order to make it fit. Therefore, when designing the new pantry, one needs to outline all the large items and provide spaces that they can fit in perfectly.

Large and extra crockery are items that also need to be considered when designing a pantry. I personally would advise a crockery store as a separate entity from the pantry. However, for homes with limited space, one can creatively accommodate both. Crockery need to be stored in closed cabinets. Cabinets with glass doors are the most preferred because one can easily point out what they need. Crockery and cutlery are one of items people have a habit of hoarding, therefore one needs to be careful how much one stores. The best way is to always have full sets of items. They are neat, organized and visually appealing as opposed to items with different sizes, colors, shapes and character.

Freezers are best stored in pantries. We all accept that there is always an advantage of shopping for foodstuff in bulk including meat and milk. Therefore, a freezer is necessary. Since it is not used all the time, the best place to store the freezer is in the pantry. This saves on space in the kitchen and only leaves storage for items used on a day to day basis. Chillers just like freezers can be placed in the pantry. Alcohol is one of those items that sometimes need to be stored in a lockable and hidden area. As it’s not consumed every day, a wine cellar can be integrated in the pantry in lockable cabinets.

Cookbooks can also be stored in the pantry. Sometimes, cookbooks do not come in specific sizes, colors or thicknesses. Some come as magazines. It is always difficult to organize such and therefore, one can allocate a drawer/cupboard to store this. Organizers are a necessity for all storage solutions. Nowadays, lots of shops are selling organizers such and glass containers, weave baskets, metal baskets, cutlery trays etc. These come in different sizes and are flexible to fit the different spaces allocated. Baskets need to be used especially in the open shelf storage to keep the pantry clean and organized. 

Due to storage of food items, a cleaning area is needed. Pantries need constant organizing and cleaning and therefore a cleaning sink is necessary. A small sink is acceptable with a separate storage for detergent. This way, it will be easy to always maintain it especially when there is spillage. 

Inspiration pour le Journee

Organising more than design seems to be the biggest issue in pantry design . ORG HOME gives solutions for pantry design. Check out video below for inspiration.

Also check out my pinterest board ORGANISING for more inspiration. 

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Selecting light fittings for the dining room

Light fittings are important elements in design that clients need to seek consultation when selecting. The general design of the home should bring out its flair; however lighting completes the eventual outcome. There are two types of lighting; Task lighting and mood lighting also referred to as decorative lighting. Different rooms in the house play different functions. Some are more function based i.e. reading, cooking, cleaning such as Study areas, Kitchen, Laundry  etc while some are more relaxation based e.g. Family room, front porch, courtyards etc. Modern considerations when designing homes strive to reduce on the sizes of spaces making them multi-functional. With this in mind, some rooms may need both task and mood lighting; for example open plan kitchens with dining areas. Lighting design has become very common in modern day design and therefore, there are many lighting designers and suppliers. These suppliers are more than willing to advice on the amount of light needed for these spaces, the no. of lumens in the bulbs they supply and what bulbs work best with the different fittings they have.

There are different types of light fittings. Wikipedia provides a detailed breakdown of these types with descriptions of each. Click here to read more on these. When selecting the light fittings required, one should also consider the style the style of the home in order to select fittings that fit the style.

Dining rooms can be classified more as”relaxation “type of rooms and therefore require mood lighting. There are different types light fittings that can be used.

1.Pendants

2.Chandeliers

3.Wall sconce

4.Floor lamps

5.Concealed light fittings

1.Pendants

Pendants may be the most common type of light fittings used in dining areas. Pendants come in different sizes and styles and therefore easy to use. When selecting light fittings, it is necessary to consider the size of the space and the size of the table in order to select the right size of fitting. Scale really matters. The following are the rules of thumb when selecting pendants

2 seater dining table – A small pendant works best for this as it’s a small type of table

4 seater dining table – A medium sized chandelier works well or a cluster of small pendants. The number depends on the size of the fitting

6 seater dining table – This is the most common size of table in standard homes. 2 large pendants arranged in a row should work

8 seater dining table – This size of table is common in large sized homes.

2.Chandeliers

A while back, chandeliers were the most common types of fitting used in lounge areas and dining areas. A  Matchy matchy look was most preferred where one would use a large chandelier in the lounge, a small chandelier in the dining and matching wall lamps in these spaces and also hallways. These look is now outdated. Chandeliers come in various sizes i.e. 3 arm, 5 arm , 7 arm, 9 arm, 12 arm and sometimes even more. There are also different types of chandeliers that I will cover in a future blog (Keep checking my blog for this). Drum chandeliers work well as they one can change the colour of the shade to match the design style and scheme.

3.Wall sconce

This is a pretty new style of lighting for dining areas. This type of lighting works best for a 2 seater or 3 seater table placed against a wall. It is a creative way of lighting a dining area as the wall sconce also works as mood lighting for this area. The wall between the wall sconces provides a perfect area to display artwork such as paintings, picture frames or mirrors. This works well for small spaces.

4.Floor lamps

Who would have thought about a floor lamp can be used as a dining light fitting? I DID NOT! While researching for light fittings for one of my clients, I came across this and I thought it was absolutely creative. Floor lamps come in different designs and for this case, an Arcing floor lamp works best. This lamp can be placed at the corner with the globe positioned at the middle of the table. A swivel floor lamp will work even better for spaces where the dining room and lounge area open plan in that the lamp can be placed between both. This can then be swiveled to the dining when one needs to have dinner and to the lounge when one needs mood lighting.

5.Concealed light fittings

This type of lighting is mostly preferred in modern and contemporary styles of design. It is easily achieved where gypsum ceilings are to be installed. The fittings can either be LED tube lights arranged in a linear style or LED strip lights concealed in a niche. These fittings can be daylight, cool light or warm light depending on the mood one wants to create. LED strip lights also come in a variety of colours however for a home setting, Cool or warm white are preferred.

Inspiration pour le Journee

It is purely amazing how lighting can transform a space. Interior designer Anne-Marie Barton believes that decorative lighting is one of our greatest accessories. No other element in the home can provide warmth and create the same cozy atmosphere.

Check out her video below,  Interior design:Lighting matters on The Design Network YouTube chanel.

Lounge Area - Designing the front wall

Living rooms are also referred to as lounge areas but most commonly “sitting rooms” here in Kenya. In most set-ups, sitting rooms are located immediately after the entry hall. The main function of this area is to simply relax. It is principally used by the members of the family but also sometimes used to host guests for social functions.  Living room designs are simple but can sometimes be quite detailed. There are many walls in a lounge area, however there is always one main wall i.e. the front wall. The front wall is the main point of focus. The furniture is set up in a way that the seats are placed in a horse shoe arrangement leaving the view of the front wall. In home designs where the lounge area has only one wall, it in this case carries most of the functions. This determines the furniture arrangement in the room. 

There are many ways one can design the front wall to create an interesting center of focus.

1. Fireplace

Fireplaces are common in very many parts of the world with the exception of countries around the equator. These areas are hot most times of the year and therefore do not need extra heating. For areas that receive snow, fireplaces are more functional than aesthetic. They provide the extra heating in the home and therefore form the main feature in these lounge areas. Most fireplaces are centralized to the front wall though some aren’t. When at the center, seats area arranged around this in a horse shoe design or a perpendicular arrangement. Fireplaces are generally huge with the mantle location 1 - 1.2 meters from the floor level. This makes the height quite high to mount plasma screens and if this has to be done, one needs to use tilt-able wall brackets that can allow the plasma screen be tilted downwards. The view for this is more comfortable when the room is bigger and the viewing distance is longer. 

2. Bookshelf

     This is the best feature for people who love to read. With the world moving towards more “simple living”, libraries are some of the spaces that have been reduced and sometimes omitted. Designers have opted to provide bookshelves in Home offices, Family rooms or Living rooms to serve this purpose. Depending on the number of books the client owns or intends to own, bookshelves can cover the entire wall or just a section. They can be open shelves or can have doors depending on the clients taste. With this being a digital world, storage for digital media such as CDs, hard drives etc should be considered. Concealed power ports should be installed for charging tablets, notebooks etc as some clients prefer these as reading tools. Open shelves are high maintenance. They require consistent cleaning and organizing and therefore would be more suitable for people who are keen on housekeeping. 

       3. Décor shelf

Décor shelves are fantastic. They are simple to install and easy to clean. People who love to collect souvenirs would love this in their house. Depending on how they are styled, they can look really nice or boring. The secret is to minimize and to provide variety. Décor pieces that can be put on shelves are such as indoor plants, vases, candles, sculptures, magazines, photo frames etc. The décor pieces selected should fit the design style and colour schemes of the space. More often than not, souvenirs collected from all parts of the world do not work in décor shelves unless they have been keenly selected. In this case, one can procure small storage boxes to use as storage for the souvenirs.  

      4.Mirrors

Mirrors are a creative way to decorate the front wall. Large mirrors give a psychological feel of space. The reflective nature of mirrors makes the room feel bigger as they open up spaces. Mirrors can be used to create an interesting reflection from light fittings and reflective surfaces. For a designer look and feel, one can use one large mirror as the centre piece, two mirrors on either side of the fireplace to create balance or salon-styled arrangement using different sizes and designs of mirrors. In modern style of design, large wall to wall mirrors are becoming a more common feature either framed or broken up into pieces. Mirrors are a feature that has also been adopted on ceilings, floors and on furniture.

       5.  Artwork

Artwork may be the easiest form of décor on front walls. Luckily, artworks come in a wide variety; they can be paintings, photo frames and prints or even framed fabric. These décor pieces can be DIY or can be the most expensive items in a house. Lovers of art do not buy art for art’s sake, but rather for the story line and the history. Enthusiastic art lovers buy art pieces that tell a story; they buy pieces from renowned artists who have a story and pieces whose journey has a story. The most expensive pieces ever sold are attributed to artists such as Leonardo da Vinci; Salvator Mundi , Paule Cezanne; The card players and Williem de Kooning ; Interchange. Most artworks displayed on front walls tell the story of the home.

     6. Sofa table/hall table

These are unusual form of decoration for the front wall. However, they are a creatively unique concept. These tables come in many forms and sizes. They also come with designs that match other pieces of furniture such as coffee tables. Hall tables come with drawers that one can use to store small usable items such as fire lighters, remote controls, AC remotes, coasters etc. One can also place decorative items such as table lamps, candle stands and bouquets of flowers on them to add flair to the design. For walls with wall lamps, table lamps may not be necessary as they will appear too much.  

      7.  Plasma screens

Plasma screens are more functional than decorative. Most homes use TVs as a source of entertainment and knowledge. TV installation needs to be well thought out as a lot of cabling and services are involved.  Before any provisions are made, one needs to shop around for the screen they intend to use and understand its requirements. One also needs to research on installations required for the TV cable. With this information, one can make the necessary provision for power, data and TV point concealing everything behind the TV. Hanging cables are a visual turn off.  Built in plasma screens provide flexibility when tying up cables. However, one would need to know the size of the TV first before making this provision.

    8. Wall cladding

Wall cladding on the front wall can change the look and feel of the entire lounge area. This can be done at construction stage or as a DIY decoration project. There are various options of wall cladding;

1. Wood paneling: This option is best for those looking to achieve an old English or traditional look and feel for their lounge area. It is a bit technical and requires power tools to cut and fix. The simplest material one can use to achieve this is MDF as it comes in various thicknesses. One can finish off with paint or decorative finishes.
2. Stone cladding: Various stones such as Marble, Granite, Quartz, Natural stone etc can be used. Various porcelain and ceramic tiles can be used as well. When selecting a finish, one needs to be careful not to have bathroom look.
3. Architectural mouldings : These are decorative panels manufactured from polyurethane.  They come in all designs and sizes and based on the style intent, one can use designs such as geometric shapes, flowers etc.

Inspiration pour le Journee

Small spaces are the most difficult to design. This is because; they need minimal pieces of furniture that also fulfill all their needs. Designers have come up with multi-use furniture to satisfy this need. IKEA for example has brilliant ideas. Check out the video below for your inspiration.