Pantry photos/ pics of pantries

15 years ago

There are some great pantry threads that will eventually be lost and Starpooh suggested I post links here so that others can post and, hopefully, we'll keep some of these resources alive for those planning pantries in the future. (She pointed out that threads 'live' longer here than on the discussions side of the forum.) There is one thread, in particular, that has awesome photos of pantry interiors that I can open through a link I've saved, but if anyone posts on it, it doesn't become current again. Starpooh has put it in .pdf form and it is too large to download here, so I've linked it below.

Here is another walk-in pantry thread with helpful shelf spacing guidelines/recommendations:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0518351723171.html

There is also a previous thread with photos of closet style pantries, which I'm still trying to track down. Of course, photos of pantry cabs will be helpful to people, too.

Anyway, here's hoping people will start showing off their pantries here, so we form a pantry album for others to consult.

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread as .pdf: Anyone Willing to Share the Inside of their Pantry?

Featured Answer

arlosmom

13 years ago

Here's my newly completed walk-in pantry. It's about 5' by 5' with a 1' by 2 1/2' vertical soffit for HVAC ducting in the back corner. Back shelves are 12" deep; can shelves are 4 1/2" deep.

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Comments (69)

MariposaTraicionera
15 years ago
Pantry check list:

Determine layout that meets your needs, plus additional space for what you don't anticipate (will you try to cram a vacuum cleaner or step stool in there?).

Allow for adequate movement for humans operating in the space.

Make sure doorways are wide enough to enter and exit and bring shelving and food items into the pantry closet.

If possible, locate the pantry in the northeast corner of the house, or the coolest location.

Allow deep shelving for small appliance storage, bulk food, and other odd-shaped items.

Allow shallow shelving for easy access and visibility to canned goods.

A mix of open shelving and drawers will cover most of your pantry storage needs.

A place to store and sort recyclables

Bins or baskets for potatoes, apples, bananas etc.

Plan for ample lighting, maybe even a motion light for convenience.

Include wall hooks for miscellaneous items like aprons, sweater, or purses - this tucked away storage helps keep your main kitchen looking neat and tidy effortlessly.

Consider keeping some empty wall space - you might want to hang calendars, a reminder board, or hanging pouch storage (or fly swatters, yardsticks).

Many people associate the color white with pantries, and for good reason. White walls and shelving brightens a space allowing it easier to see your pantry goods.

Include outlets inside the pantry. These would come in handy to recharge items out of the way, like flashlights, cell phones or even popular rechargeable vacuum cleaners. Also, you may want to run a small appliance, such as a crockpot. DO NOT make the mistake thinking you can squeeze something like a small chest-type freezer into a walk-in pantry. Pantries need to be kept relatively cool; a freezer's compressor would generate too much heat to be located there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pantry
MariposaTraicionera
15 years ago
My pantry is about 5' x 5' so not too big nor too small.

I measured where we have our recycling bins, and we'd need about 24" from last shelf to floor, unless I find somewhere in the garage to keep them.

The MW & toaster are on 15" shelves, but some of the other shelves are about 11", and that makes finding canned goods easy.

What I am having a heck of a time figuring out is where to keep the brooms/mop/vacuum cleaner.

I also would love to have a shelf with outlet for charging phones/iPods because it is not working out on my desk! Also thinking of having another outlet for the paper shredder. Who would have thought a pantry would require that much thought???

Any other ideas for type of wood to use for shelves?
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My mom's are 44 years old and stay on track, the ones in our old house (also 40 years old) did, too. Can't help with new ones. I have bypass doors on most closets now and would LOVE to take THEM off their tracks. Basically, if you think you have a 5-foot closet you really have 2 28" closets. It's hard to access the space in the middle where the doors overlap. But, you do what you have to do :) I had a 24X21" pantry (regular door), and had 18" and 12" lower shelves, and 8" shelves from the middle on up. I liked the shallower shelves; nothing could cower behind taller cans. I also had room to put a shallow basket system on the side wall. Would something like this work for you? What are you planning to keep there? Just food, or small appliances, too?
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Was it in the pantry thread in the Gallery? If not, it should be added! Here is a link that might be useful: Thread: Pantry photos/ pics of pantries
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I think it's interesting how different parts of the country have an impact on food storage, particularly weather. In our area, it rarely gets below 40 degrees F in the winter or above 75 in the summer. A freezer, extra fridge or pantry in an unheated/cooled space work just fine here. And I love having them in my garage and unheated portion of the basement as I don't have to lug all the groceries upstairs as most are put away just a few feet from the car. Since I tend to stock up on sales for many of the same reasons Amber and Loonlakelaborcamp listed, this works great for me. By the time I've whittled things down to what goes in the kitchen fridge and pantries in my laundry room (adjacent to kitchen), I don't have all that much to carry. At least not the heavy stuff like lots of cans. The bulk of my home-canned items are down there and brought up a few at a time as needed. Same if I buy something on sale by the case. If i'm in a hurry, I'll just put in my shopping bags to take upstairs items that need refrigerated or I'm using right now and leave the rest at the bottom of the stairs to grab later or DH will bring them up when he gets home. Easy. When I wrote earlier about not liking corner pantries and that they are often torn out, it was the type that MrsPete wrote about that protrude into the kitchen blocking off an area and ruining the work flow as well as being a visual negative to my eyes. Those that are less obtrusive or aren't splitting work zones too much are fine. I like Buehl's. I'm all for pantries especially the cheaper framed in kind. I've never had actual pantries made of kitchen cabinetry and I really don't see the value. Framed make so much more sense. My current actual pantry cabinets are original built-ins to the house, 7.5 feet wide and 7 feet tall, 10.5" deep, with some shelves spaced for cans, others for things like cereal or cracker boxes. I have a few of those little wire shelves with legs in places I need more storage for short items. While I have two sets of lower doors to open and two sets of uppers, I never have to open all the doors to find what I need. One section holds all the items related to main and side dishes, another for baking, another for snacks and dog food, another for small appliances and other items I rarely use. I also have labels on the shelves so someone who has never been in my kitchen can easily see what shelf pasta goes on, or the home-canned tuna, etc. If items are grouped and organized, no searching is required. In my previous home, I had a walk-in pantry and I actually liked it less than my current set-up. I think this was mainly because my family tends to be messy. Even if I tried to group items, even labeling shelves, like I have done in my current pantry, the kids and, especially, DH would find it easier to just toss things in a random empty space. So I'd have dog food next to chocolate chips next to soup. Ugh! Then I did have to do a search. And I can't even tell you how irritated I was when things were just piled on the floor! Because my current set up is organized and doesn't lend itself as well for someone to toss things in without putting them away properly, things stay organized. I love it. I could be blind-folded and still find what I need because I know just where it's at. I think this is an YMMV thing. I also have a broom closet with space for some extra shelves where I can store bulkier items, like the big bag of paper towels that takes me a year or more to use up. And cleaning supplies like the big jug of Simple Green, floor cleaners, the rag bag, and such. It's nice to have separate space for non-edibles and toxic items.
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I think I'd do 18" (or maybe 16") shelves on the lower part of the straight wall (R) with more shallow shelves above them - maybe 10". on the L side maybe counter depth for a good # of feet - with maybe drawers underneath? counter for mw, counter oven etc. that could end part way to the 'point' with shelves that are triangle shaped into the wall to be open shelves for a few larger pots or whatever. or at that end of the counter depth shelves cabs have a taller (end) cabinet like we often see as a 'broom' closet for a pantry ladder closet. The ladder would be right there when needed - but hidden. you could have the top part of it (above ladder height) as skinny horizontal shelves to slide your larger trays into. like the cookie sheet slots except horizontal. the first few ft of the wall to the R could have some hooks for dog leashes, coats / sweaters (or dust mops? if needed - or a grabber bar). but that would keep the entry area open so it doesn't feel cave like. from the end of the counter depth shelves/cabs on the R to the point area could be for the dog food bin and dishes. you could hang pictures of the dogs over their dish / food area so they can look at themselves while eating. without shelves running into the point area on the R side, it'd allow for open / standing space in front of shelves on the L side. you could keep a small ladder in there for reaching higher shelves - possibly hang on the wall toward the point area or lean on the wall (if not in a 'ladder closet'). Also, try to think of anything weird or weird in shape that you will want to store in there.
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2ajsmama
15 years ago
I will be back for help redoing my standard builder's pantry closet (they said i couldn't make it deeper than 24" b/c at 3ft wide it was too narrow for walkin). I hate the 16" deep shelves!

Just wanted to comment on outlets in closets/pantries. My builder wouldn't put any in - not even in my 9.5ft x 7ft WIC! I have a broom/coat in my mudroom. They put an outlet low on one side of the closet (outside) by the kitchen door, and another one high on the other side (by the utility sink) but wouldn't put one inside when I asked b/c "it's a fire hazard" Has anyone run across this? I think it's more a fire hazard when I have my Swiffer plugged in with the cord running over to the sink area (nonhinge side of the door) and someone shuts the door all the way when I've left it cracked!
rhome410
Original Author
15 years ago
I have NO idea why outlets in pantry or closet would be considered a fire hazard. Shoot, some rooms can be as small as 9 1/2 x 7. The electrical and building inspectors sure had no problem with outlets in our pantry and walk in closet. We even have an outlet in the back of the builtin cabinetry that serve as our kids' closets, which, are, of course, much smaller and might be more likely to get clothes shoved up against them. I would ask more about the actual code and not let his preferences, if that's all it is, dictate what you need. I agree with you about the greater hazard being in running cords all over the place.
kerrygw
14 years ago
Just to follow-up on this post - we were told the same thing about outlets in smaller closets - because they were not immediately visible, if there's a spark then it won't be seen. Ridiculous in my opinion but apparently in some areas it's a code issue.
rhome410
Original Author
14 years ago
This seems so funny (and aggravating for you), since many outlets are located where you can't see them...Behind fridges, ranges, behind cabinets for rangetops, etc. So for your area is there a square footage guideline that determines the code, or is it just how the area is labeled on the plans? I wonder if you left off the door and/or called it a 'work room' if you'd get away with pantry outlets.

The outlet for my microwave, which is situated in the bottom half of an upper cabinet, is inside the enclosed part of the cabinet above it!
kerrygw
14 years ago
I personally just find it bizarre.. this came to our specific attention because I was trying to put an outlet in a utility closet and our electrician balked initially - I think we will end up doing it anyways, but technically it's a code issue. I don't know exactly why though, but I think it may be a combination of square footage and lack of sight (i.e., there's a full door in front of it so you don't see it on unless you open the door). But as you point out, that's the case for many many outlets in our home, so... who knows! :-)

Thanks for this thread by the way - VERY helpful!!
kerrygw
14 years ago
BTW Rhome - your pantry looks great - mind if I ask how big the "room" itself is? It looks similarly sized to the one we are doing which is 5 ft deep and 5 1/2 ft across... trying to visualize what I'm doing!
rhome410
Original Author
14 years ago
Kerrygw, your pantry sounds pretty nice! Mine is only 4 ft wide by 3 1/2 ft deep.
antiquesilver
14 years ago
As opposed to most of the pantries posted from newer homes, my built-in was designed to accomodate the scale & space limitations of an antebellum house. Doors still waiting to be painted. Overall size is 6' wide x 11' tall x 16" deep shelves. My cabinetmaker warned, pleaded & threatened about the size of the doors & how they were too large, would warp & sag, etc but eventually, he built it the way I wanted. After 6 years, I still love it - & yes, I need a ladder to get to things at the top!
MariposaTraicionera
14 years ago
That is a beautiful pantry.
desertsteph
14 years ago
I love pantry threads! according to my dbf's eyeballs my soon to be pantry is 4' wide and 18" deep. I will be changing out the shelves at my eye and reach level to about 12" deep. that's about as deep as i want most of them to keep from losing things in the back. the lower shelf and a higher one will remain 18" for larger items.
maddielee
14 years ago
from broom closet to Pantry....(fitted with Ikea Rationell pullout drawers)

before:

after:
zeebee
14 years ago
(*sigh*) Some great pantries on this thread - thanks for keeping the photos and ideas alive, Rhome!

Re electrical outlets: our electrician told us that in our city, they are against code in an enclosed space unless you have some ridiculous amount of clearance from any flammable material, like 3 feet in every direction from the outlet. Means if your wooden pantry shelf or cabinet is within 3' of the outlet, it is a code violation. You can get around it by not making the pantry enclosed; so a walk-through pantry (like a hall lined with shelves) is fine, or an open alcove pantry like WillowDecor's is fine, or a reach-in pantry with no door is fine.
Buehl
14 years ago
~bump~
jsol
14 years ago
This is a very timely thread for me as well. I have a slightly different problem. I have the pantry, but I need to find the appropriate door. My old one was oak and my new kitchen is mission style cherry. The KD want's to sell me basically a 24x80" cabinet door so it will all match, however this is very pricey. The pantry is on a standalone wall so I don't know that it has to match the cabinets. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
rhome410
Original Author
14 years ago
Jsol, is your pantry a framed-in rather than a cabinet? From what you're saying, I think it must be? Our pantry has a door that matches those in the rest of our house...not the cabinets.

Our pantry door:
jsol
14 years ago
rhome410, yes it is a framed in space. We tore out the original door and frame for our remodel and now I need to find a door to go with the rest of the kitchen, or at least something that doesn't look out of place.
dlfrun66
14 years ago
heres our pantry...
Marcia B
14 years ago
I love my walk in pantry! This was one of the top priorities in our new house~

{{!gwi}}{{!gwi}}
formerlyflorantha
14 years ago
Where we live we cannot put lighting into a closet unless it's a fluorescent with an enclosing face cover that is X distance from combustables. No chandeliers or vintage anything.

This thread makes me very curious as to whether we are allowed to retain a previously legal outlet when the space gets incorporated into a pantry closet. I had assumed I could use the old outlet (formerly served a refrigerator) for the Rhoomba and the dehydrator. Yes, we planned to include ventilation via a louvered door.
dirtymartini
14 years ago
Here's mine! Just finished last night.

Shelves are painted Dove White, then polyurathened. Brackets are wood, stained a "walnut" (they look darker in the pics...but they *are* pretty dark...a little darker than I wanted, but I still like them) and also polyurathened.

Left side (pictured here) the shelves are 15" deep, all the way to the top.

From floor to first shelf is 18 inches
from first shelf to second, it is 15.5
next 5 shelves are 10" apart
top shelf goes to the ceiling. Ceilings are 8 ft.

Left side is exactly the same, except those shelves are 11.25 " deep. Top shelf, though, is 15"...since it is so high up, doesn't affect people when they walk in, so we made it deep to store large, rarely used items. Same amount of distance between the shelves going up.

Back shelves are 7.25" deep.
from the floor, 18" to the first shelf.

Then, we skipped a shelf going up, so they are 20" between, but we may add some more 7.25" shelves in between, depending on what we find we need. We may put a bulletin board on the wall back there.

For now, my "door" will be a beaded curtain...it is wood beads (bamboo) and I will have two tiebacks on either side of the doorway (inside the pantry, not visible) for when I am cooking and using the pantry a lot...or unloading groceries.

I also plan to get a pretty light fixture inside. Ceilings are too low for even a mini chandelier, but I want something really pretty in there...gotta go shop for it soon.

Anyway, I hope this helps some folks. I got so much help from this thread and the forum in general.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}
bickybee
13 years ago
BUMP
doonie
13 years ago
bump
bickybee
13 years ago
bump
shelly_k
13 years ago
Here is mine! Dimensions are 57 inches deep by 82 inches wide. I have a separate broom closet and I have enough cabinet storage for large platters and things. So this pantry is just for food and appliances, basically. I have a counter in there for additional prepping space which I love!

Can storage:

Door closed:
bickybee
13 years ago
Shelly K - Gorgeous pantry!!

I especially love the pocket door with the frosted window.
shelly_k
13 years ago
Thanks, Bickybee!! We just moved into our new home a week ago so I'm still getting settled, but loving the pantry!
beckysharp Reinstate SW Unconditionally
13 years ago
Bump
melaska
13 years ago
Thanks for this great pantry thread for newcomers! I really needed to see this :)
doonie
13 years ago
My pantry ideas were all obtained from Gardenweb help. It's an odd shape in the corner of the kitchen. We have a Corian counter in there to hold our toaster oven and coffee maker. (It cuts down on our kitchen clutter.)

{{!gwi}}

This is to the right of the door and where we keep our stereos and satellite box for the kitchen tv and our kitchen and patio sound systems.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}
allison0704
13 years ago
Here is a link with 18 various pantry ideas:

Here is a link that might be useful: Pantries
willtv
13 years ago
Here are some before and after shots of the pantry area of our newly completed kitchen.
We think it used to be a mudroom but it had cabinetry in it since the day we moved in.
Our kitchen is small, 8x12, so this space really helps out.

Old Pantry Entrance

Old Pantry

New Pantry Entrance

New Pantry
crazyone
12 years ago
arlosmom i love your pantry, how wide is your door?
antiquesilver
12 years ago
Maddielee,
I think yours is one of the best uses of a re-purposed broom closet that I've ever seen.
kevinw1
12 years ago
Here's our finished pantry:

More details and pics of the process in the post linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: From black hole to kitchen pantry
breezygirl
11 years ago
Here's my small corner walk-in. Its much more organized now than when I took this. Sorry for the mess.

Shelves are off the rack from HD done by my carpenter. I wanted something more built-in and prettier, but this will do for now.

Shelves are 12" deep on three sides.
kellykath
11 years ago
Can you please tell me the color of the grey you used on the walls? THX
rhome410
Original Author
11 years ago
Kellykath, who were you asking? If it was Willtv, or another who posted here, you might click where it says (My Page) next to their user name and send them an email, so you'll get a quicker answer.
jaynees
11 years ago
Our new walk-in pantry. Just over 6' x 8' in size, with 9' ceilings. Shelves are a mix of 24" deep, 12" deep and 9" deep. We have two slide out drawers under the bottom left shelf in which we put kid snacks for their easy reach. We store ALL food and small appliances in here - the only foodstuff we keep in the main kitchen are spices near the stove.

Our contractor cut and painted the wood himself, and then hung all the brackets. Shelving has been braced together in the corners to keep them from separating.

We love it! It's a vast improvement over the small over-stuffed closet we had before our kitchen remodel!
crazybusytoo
10 years ago
bump!!
jubilante
10 years ago
What type of lighting is needed for a walk-in pantry? We are planning something about 5X8. I noticed a few windows in the pictures posted, how is that working? Too hot? Nice natural light?

Posting overall dimensions along with the pictures is so helpful, thanks!
Buehl
10 years ago
It looks like I've "broken" the link to my pantry pics (posted 02/04/2009), so here is the current link:

Buehl's Pantry (includes inspiration, design, construction, etc.)

(It's too bad you cannot edit earlier posts!)

[Edited to fix link again in January 2015! I don't know what's up with Photobucket, but I've even seen pictures I've posted with issues - I haven't moved anything!]

This post was edited by buehl on Sat, Jan 31, 15 at 21:28
fogelhut
9 years ago
My kitchen is almost done. What a disappointment. Large pantry that was 23 inches deep and 41 inches wide is now 19 inches deep and 36 inches wide. I went custom but I think I got short changed. What is the standard clearance for rollout shelves. We have the noxious that goes into the prior opening. This has boards on each side to frame it according yo the contractor. Then there is a bar the pullout is attached to. I don't get it.
Buehl
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Between the studs pantry example (since there don't seem to be any above...or we lost the pictures along the way.)

Can also be used for a broom/utility closet.

100 Square Foot Kitchen Remodel · More Info
Karen Lee
2 years ago
https://www.houzz.com/user/dlfrun66 I am working on a walk in pantry and found this thread. I love your photos ou shared but I don't see the dimensions. Do you mind sharing those please! Thanks!!
Karen Lee
2 years ago
https://www.houzz.com/user/rhome410 I am working on a walk in pantry and came across this thread. I see everyone loves yours but I can't get the link to work. I tried saving it as you mentioned in the thread but that did not work either. Can you repost the link or email me the PDF,. I greatly appreciate it!!
rhome410
Original Author
2 years ago
@Karen Lee that .pdf was a link someone gave me at the time. It linked to a saved Gardenweb forum discussion, I think. I’m guessing maybe that link stopped working when Houzz took over Gardenweb, but I’m not sure. I’m sorry I don't have the .pdf to send you.

I am not sure if you want info about my own pantry. Here are links to blog posts I wrote about my kitchen and pantry back a few years, with floor plans and pics, in case that can help you at all:

http://rhome410.blogspot.com/p/my-kitchen.html?m=0

http://rhome410.blogspot.com/2011/12/tko-tuesday-food-storage-zone.html?m=1
Karen Lee
2 years ago
@rhome410 Yes that is perfect thank you!