Planning for Walk-in Pantries

Having wonderful walk-in pantries is a great addition to any kitchen. If you are in the middle of remodeling your home or your kitchen, you will want to make sure you plan for a walk-in pantry. Having this very large storage space helps keep your food and other kitchen appliances safe. It is not only useful but it also allows you to properly organize your kitchen both for form and function.

Planning your Pantry Access

First, consider how you will access the interior of your pantry. Many pantries have two doors. If you can only afford one door, that is OK, but the best plan is to have a pantry that has double doors. This will give you an ample amount of room to access the entire space that you are designing for your food and appliance storage use. The doors should be designed so that they are easy to open. Usually having a simple pull mechanism is the best approach.

Designing the Shelving

Every pantry must have loads of shelving room. You will need to consider whether your pantry can have stationary shelving or whether it would be better to build shelving that will roll out. The shelving should be designed so that you have room to put tall appliances and boxes up on the shelves right side up. Too many times pantries are designed without the consideration for tall items and homeowners end up placing these items on their side, they tip over and create a mess all over the floor.

Designing the Depth

Depending on the amount of room you have in the kitchen, you will want to consider the depth of your kitchen pantry cabinets. Many new walk-in pantries are designed 3 to 4 feet in depth. This provides enough room to install shelving on the back of the pantry and along the side. If you cannot afford the extra depth of the room, then you may need to forego the side shelving inside your pantry.

Consider a Spice Rack

Spices tend to get pretty messy and are hard to find because they end up in a jumbled mess in a cupboard somewhere. Consider designing a spice rack for your pantry where you can layout each spice so that you can see the outside label easily, without much effort. Most pantries will design the racks so that they sit neatly on the inside of the pantry doors for easy access and storage.

Consider the Flooring

In almost any walk-in pantry it is best to go with a durable floor that can be cleaned up and mopped up easily. Consider things such as tile, linoleum, or hardwood. Stay away from carpeting because you will inevitably have spills and accidents on the pantry floor.

Also, you want your pantry to be in a location that is not only convenient for you as a cook but is also located in a spot that does not interfere with the utility of the kitchen.