How to Design a Pantry That’s as Beautiful as It Is Functional

With favorite ingredients and everyday essentials in easy reach, a well-designed pantry saves you clocking up half your daily steps making dinner and gives your kitchen counters a fighting chance of staying clear. That lovely sense of being well stocked and in control is a big part of the appeal, but the best pantry ideas start with how you shop, cook and live.

You don’t need a vast kitchen or a separate room to enjoy those benefits. A generous walk-in may suit a household that shops in bulk, while a full-height larder cupboard can make excellent use of limited floor space. Pull-outs can exploit narrow gaps, and an awkward closet or under-stairs area can become valuable storage with some thoughtful planning.

Whatever its size, the pantry should work for everyone using it. Professional organizer Lisa Eckerle, Founder of The Designer Organizer, recommends basing your system on how your family searches for food and how independently you want them to help themselves. ‘If you want your kids to find their own snacks but don't want them coming out with cookies every time, you can create separate categories for KIDS’ SNACKS and SWEETS (and place that baby up high),’ she explains.

We’ve gathered more expert advice and design inspiration to help turn your saved pantry pictures into a space that suits your home and cooking routines, with all the good looks you’re hankering after and storage that makes getting dinner on the table a little less frantic.

1. Decide What Type of Pantry You Need

The word 'pantry' now describes everything from a slim pull-out cabinet to a secondary kitchen (aka the butler’s pantry), so the first decision is which format genuinely improves the kitchen you have.

It is tempting to assume a walk-in is the ultimate goal, but carving a small room out of a kitchen doesn't automatically provide more usable storage. Walls and an aisle both consume floor space, whereas full-height cabinetry can use almost the entire footprint for storage. Before changing the layout, compare the amount of accessible shelving each option will actually provide.

‘A walk-in pantry only earns its footprint if you can accommodate useful shelf depth and comfortable circulation,’ explains Eva Lindsell, Founder & Principal Designer of Lindsell Interiors. ‘In a smaller kitchen, full-height pantry cabinetry can sometimes provide considerably more practical storage, especially when paired with pullout pantry hardware or retractable doors for easy access.’

Walk-In Pantry

Walk-ins are particularly useful for large households, bulk shoppers and anyone who wants to store substantial quantities of food, drinks, entertaining supplies or small appliances together.

The layout might comprise shelving on one wall, parallel shelving on two walls, or an L- or U-shaped arrangement. But remember that corners will always be harder to access. Whatever the shape, draw the proposed shelving at its actual depth on the floor plan before judging whether the room is big enough.

Typical pantry shelving is around 14 to 16 inches deep, while 36, 42 and 48 inches are commonly used as planning dimensions for walk-in aisles. Accessible circulation requires more space. These figures are starting points rather than universal rules, but they demonstrate how quickly opposing shelving can consume the width of a small room. If you can only make a walk-in work by creating a tight central passage, a pantry cupboard may be the better use of space.

Butler's Pantry

Somewhere between a second kitchen and walk-in pantry, a butler’s pantry does a little more than store groceries. A kitchen sink, typically something robust like a reclaimed or butler sink, is a staple, but more elaborate designs include small appliances and perhaps an extra fridge.

It’s particularly valuable for frequent entertainers or anyone keen to keep appliance clutter and preparation away from the principal kitchen. Think about which jobs you’d like to move in here: making breakfast, prepping vegetables or hiding the aftermath of a dinner party. That will help you decide which fittings deserve space. A second dishwasher, for example, may be more useful than another fridge if clearing up is the priority.

As you’ll spend time working here, rather than just grabbing a bag of pasta, planning is more involved. Allow enough uninterrupted counter space to prepare food or set down serving dishes, rather than surrendering every inch to appliances. You’ll also need good task lighting, conveniently positioned electrical outlets, appliance clearances, ventilation and plumbing.

Pantry Cupboard

A full-height pantry or larder cupboard can be extremely efficient because virtually no floor area is lost to circulation. The trick is to avoid creating one enormous, cabinet-depth cave as fixed shelves extending the full depth of standard kitchen cabinetry will just leave groceries marooned at the back. Shallower adjustable shelving works well higher up, while drawers and pull-out trays bring contents toward you below waist height. Slim door racks keep small jars and bottles visible, provided the main shelves are set back enough for everything to close.

Wide pantry cupboards also benefit from internal divisions. Two narrower bays are easier to organize than one broad shelf where breakfast supplies gradually mingle with baking ingredients. They also allow different shelf heights side by side, so a tall olive oil bottle needn’t dictate spacing across the entire cupboard. Check how the cupboard works when open, too. Doors must swing clear of internal drawers and pull-outs without blocking a busy kitchen route.

Pull-Out Pantry

Tall pull-outs can turn relatively narrow spaces into accessible ambient food storage because you view the contents from the side rather than reaching through items at the front. Bringing the whole collection out in one movement makes it easy to gather several ingredients in one visit. If individual units are narrow, a pair can work well: one for cans and jars, the other for pasta, rice and other dried goods.

They do, however, carry considerable weight once loaded with bottles, jars and cans. Check the load rating of the mechanism, how the pull-out is supported when fully extended and whether the kitchen aisle leaves enough space to open it without blocking movement.

Under-Stairs and Awkward-Space Pantries

Irregular spaces can make excellent pantries if the storage follows the architecture rather than fighting it. Custom shelving is your friend here, making useful provision for sloping ceilings and awkward corners. Keep frequently used ingredients in the full-height section and use lower areas for deep drawers, pull-outs, bulk supplies or occasional items.

Resist trying to squeeze in every possible pantry function. Accessible food storage is a better use of a tight space than a cramped combination of groceries, appliances and prep surfaces. Lighting is essential, particularly beneath the lowest part of the stairs: integrated shelf lighting helps you see what’s tucked away, while a door-activated sensor saves fumbling for a switch.

An enclosed under-stairs pantry can have different temperature and ventilation conditions from the kitchen around it, so check that it is cool, dry and adequately ventilated before filling every nook with foodstuffs.

2. Work Out Where the Pantry Should Go

A vacant corner of the floor plan might look like the obvious pantry spot, but it’s worth imagining a grocery delivery and dinner prep before committing. ‘I always consider two everyday routes when positioning a pantry: how groceries travel from the entry point of the home into storage, and how ingredients move from the pantry into the kitchen during meal preparation,’ says Kanika Bakshi Khurana, Principal Interior Designer and Founder of Kanika Design. ‘A well-positioned pantry should make both journeys efficient. Ideally, it should be convenient to the kitchen without interrupting the primary cooking and circulation zones.’

If groceries usually arrive through an attached garage, mudroom or side door, bulk storage near that entrance can simplify unpacking. You could keep smaller quantities of frequently used ingredients beside the prep space or cooktop, so fetching the rice doesn’t become another expedition. Breakfast foods and snacks can sit toward the outside of the main working zone, giving other household members access without squeezing past whoever is making dinner.

Check the Traffic Around the Entrance

Always draw out the pantry door open on your kitchen plan. Check it against refrigerator doors, ovens, dishwashers, adjacent cabinets and the route between key work areas. An inward-opening door may take up valuable room within a compact walk-in, while an outward-opening door can obstruct the kitchen. A pocket door avoids a swing altogether but must be considered early because the wall cavity needs to be suitable and free from conflicting services. Sliding barn-style doors offer a similar space-saving benefit without disappearing into the wall, although they need a clear stretch of wall alongside the opening to slide across.

Also establish whether two people can use the spaces independently. If every trip to the pantry forces someone into the path of the cook, the location will become irritating however attractive the pantry is.

Think About Heat as Well as Distance

Shelf-stable foods should generally be kept somewhere cool and dry. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidance specifically advises against storing them above or beside a stove, beneath a sink, in damp areas or where they are exposed to significant temperature extremes; for canned and other shelf-stable foods it recommends temperatures below 85°F. This makes a seemingly convenient niche beside a large cooking appliance worth investigating more carefully, especially if it is enclosed and receives little airflow.

3. Decide How Much Space You Need

There isn't a single 'ideal' pantry size because storage requirements are dictated by the household rather than the room. For example, a smaller household that shops monthly at a warehouse store may need more capacity than a large family that buys fresh ingredients every few days.

The Key Questions to Ask:

• How many people live in your home?
• How often do you shop?
• Do you buy in bulk?
• Will your pantry need to accommodate appliances, drinks, serving pieces and pet food as well as groceries?
• Do you already have a separate freezer, garage or mud room that handles some of those storage needs?

Calculate Usable Space, Not Simply Square Footage

For a walk-in with shelving facing shelving, a useful basic calculation is: shelf depth + clear aisle + shelf depth = minimum internal width. Two 14-inch-deep shelves and a 42-inch aisle, for example, require 70 inches of internal width. Increase the shelf depth to 16 inches and you’ll need 74 inches.

‘At minimum, one needs around 36 x 36 inches of clearance to bend/squat to reach lower shelves. When assessing pantry size, don’t measure the empty room and assume all of it is storage,’ says Eva from Lindsell Interiors. ‘Sometimes we can make a walk-in pantry work by only having an L-shaped shelf versus a U-shaped one. We also love using multiple shelf depths. One wall may be 18 inches deep to accommodate platters and larger items our clients store in bulk, while even a shelf as shallow as 8 inches can hold several canned goods or snack boxes.’

Higher shelves benefit from being shallower to improve visibility and reach. Also allow for drawers or pull-outs when fully extended. An aisle that feels comfortable beside fixed shelving can become cramped once fittings are open. Treat dimensions as planning guidance rather than blanket rules and also ask your designer or contractor to check local accessibility and building requirements where relevant.

Don’t Assume Deeper Shelves Mean More Storage

A 24-inch-deep shelf technically holds more than a 12-inch shelf. The important distinction is whether you can see and retrieve what is on it. A single row of groceries on a shallower shelf gives immediate access. Three rows on a deep fixed shelf can require moving two rows every time you need something from the back. That is storage capacity on paper, but not particularly good storage in practice. Deeper storage makes much more sense when its contents move: drawers, roll-out trays and pull-outs allow the rear section to come toward you.

Finally, don’t forget to calculate the impact of your pantry door. Check the clear opening rather than simply the size of the door slab, particularly if the pantry will contain a freezer or another substantial appliance. The same principle applies to tight turns outside the pantry. Getting an appliance through the doorway is of little use if it cannot negotiate the corridor or island opposite.

4. Plan Out What You Want to Store

Before designing the shelves, take stock of what your pantry will need to hold. ‘The most useful thing a client can bring to a pantry design meeting isn’t an inspiration image, but photographs and measurements of what they already store. The unusual items are often what determine the best shelf spacing,’ explains Eva. ‘We’ve created storage for dog food and bowls, commercial-sized coffee percolators, blenders, even pizza peels. Everyone has different needs, and a list of those special items is crucial to our planning.’

Time your photographs for just before and after your usual grocery shop. Comparing the two will reveal how much your supplies fluctuate and the peak storage capacity your new pantry needs to absorb. Then make a rough inventory by category: canned goods, pasta and grains, baking ingredients, breakfast food, snacks, spices, oils and vinegars, drinks, pet food, bulk purchases, paper goods, entertaining supplies and small appliances. Be realistic about what you’ll decant, too. If cereal and chips usually stay in their original packaging, plan for those boxes and bags rather than an imaginary collection of matching jars.

Measure the Awkward Stuff

Record the height, width and depth of your largest items, allowing enough space to lift them out comfortably. Serving platters stored upright, for example, need clearance to slide out without catching the shelf above.

For appliances, measure the working dimensions, not only the dimensions listed online. A stand mixer may need overhead room when its head lifts; a coffee maker may require access from above for filling; appliance doors and drawers need space to open.

It is also worth deciding what won’t live here. Cleaning supplies may be better in a utility area; if they must share pantry space, consider separate enclosed storage away from food and inaccessible to young children.

5. Create Pantry Zones

Once you know what needs to fit, think about how your pantry can make cooking easier. ‘The most effective way to zone a pantry is to start by identifying your daily routines and the categories you reach for most frequently. From there you can group by food type or activity in order to support those routines,’ says Ashley Murphy, NEAT Method co-founder, CEO, and author of The NEAT Method Organizing Recipe Book. ‘For many households these categories include snacks, dinner prep and breakfast. For others it may include baking, canned goods and grains. The ultimate goal is to make your system work for you.’

For a household making packed lunches five mornings a week, that might mean keeping wraps, snacks and lunch containers together. Keen bakers could gather flour, sugar, baking powder and dried fruit in one spot, with measuring cups alongside. Labels on shelf edges or baskets can help everyone else follow the system, too, so you’re not the only person who knows where anything lives.

Keep Everyday Items in the Prime Zone

‘Once you’ve identified daily use categories, they should be placed on shelves or drawers within arm’s reach. Reserve upper and lower shelves for anything you aren’t reaching for daily. Occasional-use small appliances, vases, and backstock should all be located out of the way,’ advises Ashley.

Weight matters as well as frequency. Keep heavy appliances and bulk drinks lower down to avoid lifting them from overhead, leaving lightweight items for the highest shelves. And don’t be afraid to split supplies where it saves a journey. A working bottle of oil can stay beside the cooktop while its refill lives in the pantry.

6. Get the Shelving Depth and Spacing Right

Shelving is where a pantry either becomes wonderfully easy to use or a mysterious hinterland of forgotten and out of date groceries. ‘Deeper shelves do not necessarily mean better storage. For everyday groceries I generally prefer shelves around 12 to 16 inches deep because they provide useful capacity while keeping items visible and accessible,’ says Swati Goorha, Founder and Principal Designer of Swati Goorha Designs. ‘Greater depth can then be used selectively for baskets, bulk goods and small appliances, while very deep shelves can result in items disappearing behind one another.’

Spice shelves can be shallower still, while reducing the depth of upper shelves improves reach. Treat dimensions as a starting point for your cabinetmaker, then tailor them to your inventory. Vary the spacing, too. Identical rows may look pleasingly ordered on a drawing, but leaving bottle-height gaps above canned goods wastes space. Adjustable shelves are idea as they let you change the arrangement as shopping habits evolve (and can easily rectify any poor planning decisions). Don’t forget to allow clearance to lift items out comfortably, rather than making every opening an exact fit.

Make Deep Storage Accessible

Below waist level, full-extension drawers or pull-out trays make deep storage easier to access. Internal dividers keep drawer contents organized; trays with low sides can accommodate taller items. Check hardware weight limits and stability at full extension, particularly for appliances, cast iron cookware and bottles.

Fixed shelves need proper support as well. Long spans loaded with cans and jars can bow, so ask your cabinetmaker to specify the material, thickness and support spacing for the expected weight. Finally, avoid letting corners become a dumping ground for things you’ll never retrieve. Stopping one shelf run short, reducing its depth or fitting purpose-designed corner storage can make access easier than continuing deep shelving around every wall.

Match Depth to What It Holds

7. Think Vertically

Full-height storage can add useful capacity, provided reaching the top shelf doesn’t start being tougher than a gym workout. Plan the highest spaces for occasional supplies, with construction that can comfortably support everything you intend to store.

‘Shelf thickness should not be chosen for appearance alone. The longer the span and the heavier the intended contents, the more important the shelf material and intermediate support become,’ explains Swati. ‘Cans, bottles and small appliances can add considerable weight, so I like to establish what each section will hold before determining the shelf construction and spacing rather than treating every shelf identically.’

Plan Access to the Top

Check that you can retrieve items without stretching over the counter or shelving beneath them and leave enough clearance above tall containers to lift them off the highest shelf without hitting the ceiling. Labels on the front of high baskets will save you taking down three before finding the festive table linen.

If you need a step stool or ladder, give it a proper storage spot so it doesn’t spend its life blocking the doorway. For taller ladders, a purpose-designed library ladder system provides a secure connection to a rail, which must be fixed to suitable structural support and installed to the manufacturer’s specifications. Pull-down shelf fittings are another option for high cupboards, provided there’s room for them to lower fully and their load rating suits the contents.

8. Don’t Forget the Door

The back of a pantry door can provide seriously useful shallow storage, particularly in a smaller pantry or reach-in larder. Slim racks keep small essentials visible, while hooks give reusable bags and aprons somewhere to live.

Choose rack spacing around the contents, tall bottles need headroom, while small spice jars benefit from closer rows. Retaining rails help prevent things toppling when the door moves but should sit low enough for labels to remain readable. Expect a little rattle but if you’re noise sensitive (i.e apple crunching drives you nuts) avoid metal door racks like the plague. Wooden racks are much quieter.

Allow Room to Close

‘Before adding a storage solution to the back of a pantry door, measure the clearance between the front edge of the largest shelf and the doorway to ensure you have enough room,’ advises Ashley Murphy of NEAT Method. ‘In addition to depth clearance, you’ll also want to check that it can accommodate your door height and depth.’

Check that the rack clears internal drawers and pull-outs when the door is open, too. Weight matters once your racks are filled. Bottles and cans place more strain on hinges than packets and spices, so check the rack’s load rating and your door’s suitability before stocking up. On walk-in pantries with solid doors, Ashley recommends the Elfa Utility Pantry Over the Door Rack for condiments, bottled drinks and individually packaged snacks.

9. Choose the Right Containers and Organizers

Your pantry doesn’t need a matching jar for every flour type, however dreamy those perfectly styled shelves on your Pinterest board might look. Prioritize organizers that solve a problem and be realistic about whether keeping them clean and refilled will still happen once the novelty wears off.

‘People tend to overdo clear containers. I’m not a fan of using them throughout a larger pantry, where seeing everything at once can feel overwhelming and look just as cluttered as before you started,’ says professional organizer, Lisa Eckerle. ‘This is especially worth considering with open shelving in a butler’s pantry. Mix clear bins with woven baskets, or choose wire baskets to provide a visual break while still letting you see what’s inside.’

Before buying any new containers or baskets, empty your pantry shelves and take stock. Clear out anything no longer fit to eat, bring duplicate purchases together and set aside unopened food you won’t use to donate where accepted. There’s no point buying extra storage for three bags of lentils you’d forgotten you owned.

‘Only after you have sorted, edited and placed your categories back into the space should you consider adding storage solutions like baskets, risers and canisters to your pantry,’ advises Ashley from NEAT.

Organizer Essentials

Baskets and labels: ‘They contain each category while making it clear to everyone what belongs where. We also love that they can easily be repurposed as needs change.’ Use them for loose packets and bags that refuse to stand neatly on their own.

Canisters: ‘We love canisters for preserving freshness and elevating the look of baking staples and grains but be careful not to overdo it. We don’t recommend them if you are someone who doesn’t like the idea of stopping to decant every time you restock.’ Choose sizes that hold a whole new packet, with a little room to spare, or you’ll need somewhere for the leftovers, too.

Risers and turntables: ‘Risers and turntables are super effective for containing canned goods and condiments and offering an elevated visual to prevent items from getting lost.’ Tiered risers suit rows of cans; turntables let you bring bottles at the back around to the front.

If you do decant, retain any cooking instructions, allergen information and expiration dates from the original packaging – a photo will do. Clear containers make stock levels easier to judge, while opaque baskets hide a jumble of packets. Choose whichever helps you keep track of what you have.

10. Plan Lighting Before the Shelves Go In

Lighting deserves a place on the pantry plan before the cabinetry is made, so channels can be incorporated neatly and cables concealed. ‘One of the most common mistakes in a pantry is relying on a single central ceiling light,’ says Daniel Fosbery, Lighting Designer and Founder of Fosbery Studio. ‘While it can make the room feel bright overall, it often casts shadows over the shelving when you're standing in front of it, making it surprisingly difficult to see the contents clearly.’

If you’re using recessed ceiling fixtures, position them around the shelving layout rather than following an evenly spaced grid. Inside a full-height cupboard, vertical lighting near the front edges can help illuminate several shelves.

‘Integrated shelf lighting works particularly well, positioned towards the front underside of each shelf and angled back towards the wall. This illuminates the items directly while minimising glare,’ explains Daniel. ‘Another effective option is to use overreaching wall lights above the shelving, such as our Ripley light, which projects light down across the shelves and highlights the contents beautifully.’

For an existing pantry, a plug-in option offers a simpler retrofit, with a remote control and warm 2700K light. Plan a discreet route to an outlet to keep trailing cables out of the picture.

Choose Controls to Suit the Task

Motion sensors and door-operated switches save fumbling when your arms are full of groceries. Where wiring would be awkward, rechargeable motion-sensor attach magnetically and detach for charging. Their always-on setting is useful for longer tasks, when you don’t want to keep waving at the lights halfway through unpacking.

For an open or glazed pantry, coordinate the color temperature with the kitchen lighting and consider dimmable fittings. ‘Shelf lighting on a dimmer can create a warm, inviting glow that extends beyond the pantry itself, turning it into a feature rather than simply a storage space,’ says Daniel. ‘In the evening, this layered lighting can contribute to the overall ambience of the kitchen while still providing excellent task lighting when needed.’

11. Consider Ventilation, Temperature and Humidity

A pantry needs to look after your groceries as well as accommodate them. Shelf-stable foods (ie non-refrigerated) need to be kept cool and dry, ideally below 85°F, and temperatures above 100°F can harm canned goods.

‘An enclosed pantry that shares a wall with the refrigerator, oven, or dishwasher can trap heat faster than you'd expect, especially in tighter floor plans where appliances are clustered,’ says Cathleen Gruver, Vice President & Lead Interior Designer of Gruver Cooley. ‘If the pantry also houses a beverage fridge or wine cooler, ventilation becomes even more important to protect both food and finishes over time.’

For appliances housed within cabinetry, follow the manufacturer’s ventilation and clearance requirements, including where air needs to enter and escape. Direct sunlight also needs careful consideration. A window can make a pantry feel more inviting but be careful to position food shelves out of direct sunlight, as recommended on many packaged foods.

Check the Conditions Before Fitting Out

An awkward corner may have pantry potential, but investigate condensation, musty smells or signs of water damage before covering the walls with pantry shelving. Any underlying damp problem needs resolving first.

‘We generally avoid placing a pantry over an unconditioned crawl space or in other areas prone to moisture; if that can't be avoided, we recommend providing an HVAC supply or considering a dehumidifier,’ says Seth Ballard, Founder and Principal Architect of Ballard & Mensua Architecture.

Not every pantry needs mechanical ventilation. A dry-food cupboard and a secondary kitchen packed with appliances place very different demands on the space. Ask your designer or HVAC professional to establish what’s appropriate for the room and any applicable local requirements before committing to the fit-out.

12. Choose Robust Finishes

Pantries are hardworking spaces and flour dust, sticky bottles and the occasional oil spill make easy cleaning a priority. For painted open shelving, choose a durable, wipeable finish; rough textures and decorative grooves give crumbs way too many places to settle.

‘A pantry needs to be highly functional, with durable shelving, cabinetry and easy-to-clean surfaces, but it doesn't have to feel utilitarian,’ says Seth Ballard. Sealed plywood and solid wood suit custom shelving, while laminated boards offer a smooth surface that’s straightforward to wipe down. Adjustable metal systems are another option, although wire shelves may need liners to keep small bottles and packets upright.

Underfoot, continuing the kitchen flooring into an adjacent pantry avoids an awkward material change/trip hazard at the doorway. Don’t forget to stop underfloor heating at the pantry threshold. Tile or a similar mop-friendly finish will make spills easy to tackle. If you’re remodeling, establish the finished floor level before cabinetry is measured so doors and plinths fit correctly.

Give It Some Personality

A pantry behind a solid door offers more freedom to prioritize budget and practicality. If it’s visible through glazing or an open doorway, consider how its finishes will look alongside the kitchen. ‘When the pantry is visible from the kitchen, I find it's actually more interesting to complement the kitchen rather than copy it by pulling in one shared element, like a consistent hardware finish or a similar wood tone, while letting the pantry feel slightly more relaxed in its own right,’ says Cathleen Gruver.

13. Decide Whether You Need a Worksurface

A pantry countertop takes up space that could otherwise hold more shelving or drawers, so be clear about how you’ll use it before sacrificing storage. ‘A countertop earns its place in a pantry when it gives the space a clear additional job, such as making coffee, housing appliances that don’t belong on the main kitchen counter, or providing a secondary prep area,’ explains Joy Allen, Design Manager at Next Stage Design + Build. ‘The decision about what happens there has to come before anything else, because it determines the counter depth, the storage configuration, the lighting, and whether you need power outlets or plumbing.’

For an appliance station, allow for equipment in use as well as at rest. Mixer heads need room to tilt, coffee machine reservoirs must be accessible for refilling, and toasters need safe clearance above. Follow each manufacturer’s instructions for ventilation and positioning.

Resist filling the entire run with equipment. A clear stretch gives you somewhere to unload groceries, decant ingredients or set down serving dishes. Without it, you may find yourself carrying everything back to the kitchen anyway.

If baking is the priority, check that the counter height suits tasks such as kneading and rolling and choose a surface suitable for food preparation. A heavy mixer you use regularly may be better left on the counter than repeatedly hauled out of a cabinet. And if you want a cold shelf if your pantry, for resting cheese before serving or a spot to keep buffet food cool, go for a solid stone like marble or granite.

Be Sure About a Sink

A sink is useful for rinsing containers, filling pitchers and clearing glasses when entertaining, but it costs more than the plumber’s install bill. The bowl takes up worktop space, while the pipework reduces usable storage below. Surrounding finishes also need to cope with splashes. For a pantry mainly devoted to dry storage, especially one close to the main kitchen sink, that space and budget may be better spent elsewhere.

14. Plan Electrical Outlets Early

Electrical planning needs to happen alongside the cabinetry design, while there’s still time to put connections and circuit breakers where you really need them. ‘It is essential for me to have a full list of all appliances that will be plugged in and their wattage needs before placing any electrical box,’ says Yoni Asulin, owner of ASL Remodeling. ‘If I know exactly where each appliance is going to be placed, I'll be able to place outlets at the right height, usually 4 to 6 inches above the surface of the shelf.’

Check plug access, too. An outlet directly behind a deep appliance can push it farther forward than expected and make disconnecting it awkward. Allow room for the plug and cord without having to drag a heavy machine across the counter.

‘I would highly suggest having 20-amp circuits dedicated to heavily used shelves with outlets located in each cabinet niche every 24 inches to avoid power cord tangles,’ adds Yoni. Treat these heights, spacings and circuit suggestions as points to discuss with your electrician. The final specification must suit the appliances, cabinetry layout and locally adopted electrical codes.

Allow for the Extras

A discreet charging point can give cordless kitchen equipment a home and stop chargers accumulating on the main kitchen counter. If you also want to charge a cordless vacuum here, identify its docking position before the cabinetry goes in, leaving enough room to remove it easily without blocking access to shelves or drawers.

15. Make Room for Future Needs

A pantry filled to capacity on day one leaves nowhere for the extra groceries that arrive with houseguests or a holiday gathering. Leave some breathing room rather than ramming every shelf and drawer full. ‘I always advise my customers that a rigid pantry is a failed pantry. At least 30% of your pantry should have flexibility,’ says Yoni Asulin, owner of ASL Remodeling. ‘Families get bigger, children mature, and technology advances at a rapid pace.’

To make sure you have room for changes in the future, Yoni recommends installing vertical tracks that allow for adjustments rather than fixed shelves. ‘Combine this with flexible, pull-out drawers and dividers that can be adjusted without having to make any alterations yourself,’ Yoni adds.

Give Overflow a Home

Allocate a shelf or section for temporary extras, so a larger grocery shop doesn’t immediately spill onto the floor. Keep it available by resisting the temptation to turn it into permanent backstock storage.

Be cautious about appliance cubbies tailored to the millimeter, too. A replacement model may be taller or wider, even if it does the very same job. Allow some tolerance around the current appliance, alongside its required working and ventilation clearances, so replacing it doesn’t become a major joinery project.

16. Common Pantry Design Mistakes

Most disappointing pantries aren't undone by one catastrophic mistake. More often, a series of seemingly small decisions makes the space progressively harder to use. In no particular order, here are the expert’s most referenced pantry planning errors:

Making shelves too deep. Extra depth increases theoretical capacity but often reduces visibility and access. ‘If your shelves are too deep, hire a handyman to have them cut down. You’ll be surprised how much more functional a pantry is when you can see everything on your shelves!’ says Harmony Weihs, Designer and Owner of Design Harmony.

Choosing a walk-in simply because there is room for one. Compare its actual usable shelving with the full-height cabinetry that could occupy the same footprint once walls and circulation are deducted. Factor in what the surrounding kitchen loses, too, particularly if the enclosure squeezes prep space or narrows a busy route.

Using identical shelf spacing. Groceries aren't all the same height. Adjustable shelves and varied intervals make better use of vertical volume. Leave enough clearance above containers to lift them out comfortably, rather than fitting each opening to the contents’ exact height.

Not measuring appliances. Check width, depth and height as well as the additional space required to operate lids, doors and moving parts. Include handles, plugs and the manufacturer’s ventilation clearances, which can all increase the space required.

Planning electrical outlets after the cabinetry. Appliance locations, lighting, receptacles and their electrical requirements should be resolved while drawings can still change.

Ignoring doors in their open position. Draw pantry doors, cabinet doors, appliance doors and pull-outs fully open and look for clashes. Allow room for someone to stand and use them, rather than checking only that they physically open.

Putting everyday items in inaccessible places. Eye- and waist-level storage is too valuable to devote to the turkey platter used twice a year. If children help themselves to breakfast or snacks, give those supplies an accessible zone of their own.

Buying organizers before planning the pantry. Containers should fit the storage and solve specific problems, rather than determining the whole design. Check their capacity against the pack sizes you usually buy, or you’ll end up storing the leftovers separately.

Forgetting vertical storage. High shelves are useful for reserve and seasonal supplies, even though they aren't suitable for everyday groceries. Plan access from the outset, including somewhere convenient to store a step stool or ladder.

Trying to fill every corner. Leaving a difficult corner partly unused can be preferable to creating storage that can only be accessed by emptying everything in front. Check that any corner mechanism brings its contents within reach without obstructing neighboring drawers or shelves.

Overloading door storage. Consider both hinge capacity and where racks will sit once the door closes. Retaining rails should keep bottles and jars secure as the door moves, particularly if it’s likely to be opened enthusiastically.

Ignoring temperature and moisture. A conveniently positioned hot or damp cupboard may be a poor place to store food. Assess conditions with any planned appliances running, since an empty room won’t reveal the heat they generate.

Leaving no overflow capacity. If every shelf is full immediately after installation, the pantry has nowhere to accommodate real-world fluctuations. ‘I like to keep a zone free for the rotating items that change based on season, like winter squash, potatoes and onions or fresh summer fruit,’ adds Harmony. ‘It's a great area to get inspired to cook and use more seasonal ingredients given in the US you can get anything at any time, which is not always a great thing.’

Making it beautiful before making it functional. Containers, labels and decorative finishes can transform a pantry visually, but none can rescue poor circulation, inaccessible shelving or badly planned storage.

The best pantries are built backwards from your cooking habits rather than forwards from an empty room. Before signing off the layout, walk through unloading groceries, gathering dinner ingredients and putting everything away to check that each task has enough space. Then go ahead and start drooling over dreamy pantry decor.

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