How about wallpapering the back wall? ;o)

YIKES! lol In this house we wanted to steer clear of wallpaper. We did use it in our last house and hubby made me swear to 100% in this house. I might get tired of the pattern and this is not the kind of project that I want to be changing up over and over; I want to paint it and have it look good for a few decades lol. :)

Well, this wasn't one of your options, but....if it was me, I'd choose an accent color from my kitchen and paint it that color. I think it's the perfect spot for a little jolt of unexpected color.

I think you are already on the right track with the baskets. I would do painted wood shelves, work the baskets (and more if needed) into the design and add glass storage containers, so you can "see" everything.

Mine is painted a color, F&B French Gray (same as the powder room, guest room/bath, laundry room, MBath and the kitchen island - but it's glazed, so looks different). I had the birdhouses from last house (inside/outside) and put them up high since I didn't need the room for storage and I wanted a "pretty" pantry. ;D I also have a National Biscuit Co (NABISCO) sign above the door and a wooden sugar mold.

Baskets on the floor hold onions and potatoes. Wicker container with lid is a hanging file folder with recipes/Cooking Light mags inside. Vintage fixture was in our last home/foyer. The wooden containers on left shelf hold packaged seasoning mixes, scoops for flour, etc without the lids. They were my grandmother's kitchen canisters. Baskets underneath microwave/toaster table hold bottled water, Coke and V8.

Here is a link that might be useful: my pantry

Beautiful Allison!! Very rich looking.

mom2five - I was thinking that too but the thing is that we hate the kitchen...previous owners taste was all pink, the cabinets are pickled (pink), the counters are rose. This summer we plan on painting the cabinets white and getting neutral color countertops. The color theme of my house is sage/creamy yellow with burgundy accents though. With the whole wheat color on the walls going through most of the common areas. So I suppose I could use either creamy yellow, sage, or red in there. But not sure?? lol

alison - I love your pantry - I like the birdhouses up at top!

Thank you, Mustangs and Nutmegxo. It's not gigantic, but the pictures (imo) are deceiving. The shelves on the right are fairly deep. The far back/right we worked over a HVAC return so it's almost 2 feet deep. We don't keep any food in the kitchen area, besides the fridge. I've linked kitchen photos below. The pantry is in keeping with its style.

Be sure to show us what you decide to do!

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen photos

There is no need to use semi-gloss paint inside the pantry to give wipe-ability. Pantry walls don't get that dirty. I would use the exact same paint you use on the kitchen walls.

I kind of like the idea of darker walls in the pantry and putting a couple of baskets on the shelves here and there to break up the monotony of a pantry filling them with your packets of taco seasoning, gravy, etc, and then another with your jellos etc. I would make the baskets larger and a darker color than I see there. which will provide more contrast to the darker walls and trims. Plus maybe get some tall matching cereal tupperware type containers and spaghetti containers too.

I would put a color in there that you know you like and which will tie into your future kitchen :) sage would be great but I am much more a green girl than a red girl - or what about a fun color.

Attached is a link from the Cote de Texas blog. There is a kitchen which the owner fluffed by painting her kitchen cabinets, and she painted the interior Cooking Apple Green - looks great!

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking Apple Green cabinet interiors

graywings - I have an eggshell finish on the kitchen walls...do you think that would be okay?

Thanks everyone! I am really liking the feedback I am getting here! I am leaning towards painting the interior a darker shade off of my whole wheat card...2 shades darker, which would be Baguette. I think that might be the safest choice since for longetivity and flow. Those baskets you see in there now are just what I had around the house. I am planning on getting some nice boxes/baskets for in there to hold fruit, bags of chips, breads etc. So it will look uniform and inviting.

I know some of you may be wondering why I would want to put so much effort for the interior of a pantry closet
No, there isn't anyone here who would question you - this is a home decor site full of fanatics (I mean that in the nicest possible way).

I think white, wooden shelves with a color slightly darker than the kitchen wall color would be nice. But the thought of a surprisingly jolt of color is fun, too.

I would definitely replace the wire or I suppose you could get clear plexiglass (or something like that)cut to fit so that you don't have that wobbly problem.

My confession is I cannot throw out those wooden clementine boxes. They're so cute & colorful & sturdy! So I use a lot of those in my pantry to hold various items - baking supplies (molasses, honey, vanilla etc), canned goods, fancy vinegars, whatever.

Be sure to post your completed pantry. We love to see end results.

I just wanted to say this thread is making me want to do something to mine. lol I have the wire shelves too. Maybe I'll paint it red. And no, we're not wondering why you care about your pantry. ;)

Allison - Beautiful pantry. I love the wicker container idea. Do you know where you bought that?

Pantries should be pretty. And Allison has a beautiful pantry and kitchen.
Mine isn't so beautiful, but can give you some ideas on storage. I do need to take new photos since these were taken six years ago when we first built the shelves and I just wanted to get the stuff in there. Didn't even take time to paint the shelves. Ours are made of 3/4" MDF. Very sturdy and so smooth. That's what I like best about MDF.
I used lots of Tupperware and Rubbermaid along with lined baskets to sort things. I don't have any pictures of the other end of the pantry, but it's not food storage so it wouldn't apply anyway.
Oh and we won't eat all this junk anymore. It makes me sick just looking at all the junk food we used to have at home. We now shop at Whole Foods and have learned what real food taste like again.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}

Forgot to mention I'd paint the walls the same as the kitchen walls. If you don't need to change the height of the shelves then get yourself some heavy plastic drawer liner (the kind I've seen looks like scallop striped glass)to keep your containers from wobbling.

justgottobe..Love your organization. Where did you find your baskets and cereal boxes, pretzel boxes, etc???

Eggshell finish would be fine for the pantry walls.

Allison - Beautiful pantry. I love the wicker container idea. Do you know where you bought that?

Thank you. The covered hanging file folder one? I have had it so long. The ones holding bottled water etc came from Target.

I searched for 'wicker file box with lid' and came up with this one. My lid is hinged.

Here is a link that might be useful: wicker file with removable lid

Thanks for starting this thread. I have the same pantries as you nutmeg, but mine are divided behind two different doors with a built-in desk between them. I am not as energetic as you in wanting to pain them now, as I have so much else to do in my home, but love the basket idea and the clear containers. I am inspired now. Since I have a white kitchen with pale green counter tops, I may try to find light green baskets or pink. I will be eager to see how yours turns out. :-)

If you go for a pop of colour, I'd still keep it light or bright; even though your pantry is fairly shallow, it's still nice to be able to see in easily. And remember not to get stuck on a single colour card!

KarinL

nutmegxo-

ITA with karinl, don't feel you have to stick to a few shades darker on the color card, it's a pantry with doors, let your imagination go wild, woman (man), pick something that is as bright, exciting and as daring as you feel you can go, so that every time you open the pantry you feel inspired and think "fun"!

And if you do wooden shelves, paint them in a contrasting color, a color combo that makes you smile and speaks to you.

sandyponder

hhireno - I have never purchased those clementine boxes but that sure does sound cute! I go for a country/rustic look so that might be a good idea!

Thanks everyone else for your advice! I am a woman sandyponder LOL...well I know you all say don't get stuck on a color card but for this particular spot I don't see throwing in a completely different color. I happen to like that whole wheat card and the baguette color is a warm golden brown color that reminds me of gingerbread and what better color to have in a pantry then gingerbread, right? lol I need to go to Lowe's or Home Depot and see what kinds of shelving options they have there. I have read somewhere online that painting shelves is pretty but that in the long run are hard to maintain because cans and baskets and such will scratch the surface and make it look messy and unkempt over time. White does appeal to me thought. I will definitely post pictures when I am done!

I missed whoever mentioned clementine boxes. They are cute. I've eaten a ton of them this winter. I used the boxes in our basement/last house to store extra bathroom supplies, etc. Haven't saved them this time around.

Thank you Dinobambino. As you can see I exceeded my bandwidth so my pictures are no longer there, but I go the baskets at Shopko six years ago. I've seen them in many places though. they come in sets with usually four baskets inside each other.

The boards for my shelves were the type that come white, no painting required. Maybe it's a coated MDF type product? I dunno. I just know it doesn't require any maintenance on my part - yay!

I happen to have extra clementine boxes in the garage (I'm telling you - it's a sickness, I cannot throw them out!), I could ship some to you to get you started.

I think the shelves you are talking about are melamine?? They are white already and don't have to be painted - and are easy to clean

Yes I do the kinds of shelves you mean...the white melamine shelving...we used those in our linen closet in our last house. They are a great option and probably what I will be using. They can also be mounted on those metal tracks for adjusting the height. Gee, I have never eaten a clementine orange but I think I am going to have to start doing that just to get the little crates! I was browsing online and found some baskets on William Sonoma's site that are supposed to be dishwasher safe and they show them storing fruits, onions, potatoes. They look really good but are pricey ($69.00 for a set of 2 baskets)!

Here is a link that might be useful: Williams Sonoma panama baskets

I prefer white and highly recommend using semi-gloss. I have shelf liner (the textured stuff) on a couple shelves. Keeps the surface from getting marred by cans and glass jars.

My old pantry ...

New pantry ...

Back from a trip to Lowe's....I think we are deciding to go with pine wood boards. The melamine white boards are an option but the wood ones might give me that rustic look that I crave. I already bought my Baguette paint so should have that done by end of day. My plan is to put the pine boards up as is and then in the next year or so stain them to match my future hardwood floor..lol..we currently have horrible linoleum in there but we intend to put hardwood in someday. The opening of the pantry closet is 53 inches. The boards come in 48 inch lengths or 72 inch lengths. We decided we will go with the 48 inch length and have a 5 inch gap on one side to prevent having so much waste. I figure I can use that 5 inch gap to prop up tall items like brooms or maybe hang some antique brass hooks there to hang bags and things. I will post pics when I am done!

My pantry project was a success! I painted the interior in Baguette and it is so pretty! Reminds me of the color of gingersnaps and spices. Hubby put in pine shelving on white metal brackets. In the future we will stain the wood shelves to match our future hardwood floor LOL. I still need to go hunting for some perfect baskets that will help organize some of the clutter. I am not sure what color baskets to look for but I am pretty sure that I want a "boxy" crate style basket because the curvy baskets don't seem to hold as much.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Congratulations...that looks great. You got it done pretty fast too!!!

Your pantry looks great! You work really fast too! Glad you posted pics -- very inspirational, I'll be repainting mine now too.

:)

Well done! It looks so warm and appealing. I need to get working on mine now!

Oooh, nice job. That looks great.

Wow, are you ever FAST!

It looks super. Great job.

I have a very similar but wider pantry (if you are interested, I think my kitchen is still in the kitchens gallery). My daughter gave me one of those retro tin signs last summer; a woman drinking coffee and the quotation, I haven't had my coffee yet - don't make me kill you. It's cute and I wanted to use it, because she gave it to me, but it would have stuck out too much in our rather formal looking kitchen. So I put it on the inner pantry wall. It's a fun surprise when I open the pantry.
To me, pantries, laundry rooms, mud rooms, etc. are all places to have some decorating fun, because they aren't "public" spaces guests see, just for you and your family. (Well, as monablair knows, I have succumbed to that temptation in the MOST public room of my house, but that's just me.) And paint, especially in a small space, is the most low-risk way to step outside our comfort zone. It's cheap, easy to sample, and easy to change if you decide you don't like it. Great for decorating commitment-phobes. So I'm glad you decided to go with a color in there.

Aren't those wire grid shelves the WORST? Everything tips like mad, and oh, when there's a spill -- ! We used melamine, too, and it's great. Shallow shelves make all the difference. Allison's pantry is STUNNING! I do like the layout you and I have, though. It's not gorgeous, but it's so convenient to leave it open while cooking, so I can see and easily get to everything all at once and I don't bang into cabinet doors.

Now go paint your laundry ultramarine! :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: don't make me kill you sign

LOL thanks everyone! I do work fast; once I get an idea in my head I just get compulsive about it. Hubby just shakes his head at me. I love the shelving that we chose because it is real pine wood and can be left as is or stained. Someday we will stain it to match the hardwood flooring that we want so badly. I have little gingerbread men accessories...little signs and things and I might have to hang them on the inside of the pantry! I just love the color in there!

Oh wow! It looks great nutmegxo. You did good. The fabric boxes could work too if you can find them easier.

I have one more suggestion. We did this once in our old home with a cabinet door that opened to nothing -- it was in front of a chimney and just there for so the run didn't get interrupted. On one side, it was about 3" deep, so we put spice shelves there (boy, do I miss that), but on the other, it was only about 1 cm deep, and the builder was just going to glue it closed until we thought of this.

Think about putting up framed corkboard and/or erasable memo board on the inside of the pantry doors. Get the clutter off the fridge and out of sight, but still easily accessible and where you will see it every day. Just make sure to use very strong magnets, pushpins, etc., so stuff doesn't fall off every time you open the door. Some of your "gingerbread" and some pictures and kidz' art could go there, too, as long as you secure it well.

It won't contribute to the "look" of the pantry itself, but if you have a bunch of stuff all over the refrigerator or a bulletin board in the kitchen, it will clean up the look of the whole room.

I would have done this with our pantry in the new house, but we have bifold doors. If I had regular doors like you have, I would definitely do it.

I just had to open this thread - at first I thought you must have a butler's pantry b/c who decorates a pantry *closet*? But the paint does wonders - esp. since you have such pretty doors. I want to replace our awful builder's wire shelves too - our old house had wooden cleats and wooden shelves, I could store *so* much on those!

allison - how wide/deep is your pantry? It doesn't look deep to me, yet our builder wouldn't make our 3ft wide pantry more than 3ft deep since he said it was too narrow to be a walk-in. The door on it is the same size (32") as all of our BR doors! So I'm thinking if we have to replace tile, i might just steal some space from the 7 ft (interior) long coat closet that it backs up to, and make the pantry a "stand-in" pantry with 8-12" deep shelves along one side and the back instead of the 16" deep shelves we now have in 2ft deep pantry.

I'd love to get the MW off the counter and into the pantry, but I don't know how DH would feel about having to open the pantry door to make hot water for his tea, cook veggies, etc. Actually, I have an idea of how he would feel - negative! How do those of you who have a MW n the pantry (not a butler's pantry or actual "room", but a closet) deal with MW use?

gellchom - I was thinking about that already. I don't have a bulletin board up right now but I was thinking about doing that inside the pantry. Or maybe putting little antique brass hooks and hanging my gingerbread stuff. Cork on the inside of the doors is a great idea!

ajsmama - I can't help you with the MW idea because we have never owned a microwave! LOL We actually have an outlet in this pantry and I have NO IDEA what to use it for. The only electrical appliances we currently have out on our counters are a coffee pot and toaster oven. Our cake mixer is tucked away in the island cabinet with the cuisinart.

I'd be careful about hooks on the inside of the doors. You could bump yourself on them when you are reaching inside quickly (at least if you move as clumsily and precipitously as I usually do!).