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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