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Design Dilemma Polls home office

What adds more value to a house - walk-in pantry or office space?

last year

Keen to hear your thoughts. Renovating kitchen space and have additional space which is being considered for either a walk in pantry or office? What do you think would add more value when we come to selling in the future.

Walk-in pantry

office space

Featured Answer

CSmith

last year

Agreed with PP. If the space is small, I'd just go for pantry. A home office (IMO) isn't really of value unless I can fit in a large desk and have space away from my family.

Comments (7)

einportlandor
last year
I think it depends on the house. Is it large with many bedrooms? Is kitchen storage at a premium? Do other homes in the area have a walk-in pantry? If those statements are true, then I'd choose a pantry.

OTOH, are the bedrooms few/small? Is there a single living space? Is the floorplan open concept? If so I'd choose office space, assuming it has a door that can be closed. That said, if you're talking about a desk in the kitchen, every single one I've seen has become a dumping ground for miscellaneous stuff, and was never used as an actual working desk. I think they fall into the category of aspirational living that never really pans out.
blueskysunnyday
last year
My friend's office is IN her pantry and she loves it. She keeps the coffee maker in there and the spare fridge is in there too. Very cozy.
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I had this dilemma also, but we had less room to work with than you. I was talked out of the walk-in but DH and GC because they thought it would close the space in too tight. They were right. Instead I opted for a very large "pantry cabinet" that looks like a piece of furniture. It has 24" deep upper cabinets and deep drawers on the bottom. It was built by the Amish cabinet makers who made all my kitchen cabinets. It has a counter for pulling out the small appliances I store in there, too. It was the right choice. I love it! I used to have a walk in pantry that became a powder room. But I always piled stuff up and it became very disorganized.
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@mama goose_gw zn6OH Okay, these are awesome points. So if i put the 30” range on the ext wall, I can still do it within the existing pantry width? I could switch it w the sink and still keep your earlier Option A? I forgot about the fridge door issue. My fridge is a bottom freezer (w upper french doors, water n ice dispenser), its an older electrolux model that is about 2.5ft wide and very tall too. For the main kitchen im looking at having a 6 burner range or rangetop. I wasnt wanting to take a foot from the kitchen because of the impact it could have on the island. Another option could be to have a longer narrower island perhaps which houses the double sink and dishwasher? And then maybe they’ll let me add more windows and only 18” lowers along that wall? More prep space...your thoughts?
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functionthenlook
last year
It depends on how big the space is. Is it big enough for a real working office. A desk that can accommodate at least 2 screens, a big comfy chair, file cabinet and storage for printer, paper, books, etc. If not I would make it a pantry.
arcy_gw
last year
SQ footage that is a usable room--your office another's nursery--another's prayer sactuary is worth money. A pantry--negligible.
PRO
Debbi Washburn
last year
How big is this pantry?/office? How big is the kitchen? Is there first floor bedroom and bath or powder room? There are so many things that can affect the resale .

Are you selling in the next 5 years or so? If not- then do what you want.

Around here many businesses are bringing the employees back to the office, so remote jobs are not as available anymore - not sure how valuable and office would be then.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I hate walk in pantries unless they are done for storing not food but dishes etc and placed like a butlers pantry . As for the office IMO every house needs a space for an office even if no one works from home. But where to put it is not so simple . Are there little kids that need supervision while the office is used or do you actually work from home . I like true pullot pantries for food storage in kitchens in the main working space . I ften do those with the fridge all on one wall to keep food storage all in one space . Resale is never a good plan when designing a home for you to live in unless of course you are a house flipper.I think walk in pantries are a waste of space so to answer we would need to see what the plan is for the home you want.

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