The rise of the pantry: Design and organisation for the modern home
Once considered a luxury, pantries are now sought-after spaces for keeping kitchens organised, efficient and clutter-free. They offer a dedicated space for food storage that combines practicality with style.
Wondering where to get started with your pantry? Here’s how to create one that makes kitchen organisation a breeze.
Dunham Voyage Blue kitchen with oak interior pantry
Why are pantries becoming so popular?
The growing popularity of pantries is in part due to our changing relationship with food and cooking. With more people embracing cooking at home, batch preparation and sustainable shopping habits, the need for smart storage is on the rise.
A dedicated pantry space allows you to store bulk purchases, reducing packaging waste and shopping trips.
Modern homes may have sleek, minimalist kitchens, but we still need somewhere to store our growing collection of ingredients, appliances and kitchenware.
The pantry provides this storage without compromising the clean lines of your main kitchen space. Everything has its place, tucked away yet easily accessible when needed.
In short, a great pantry is practical, eco-friendly and makes sense for today's lifestyle.
Nordic craft cabinetry in Mindful World kitchen
Soho Balmoral kitchen with pull-out pantry system
Pantry location and layout
The best location for your pantry will depend on your kitchen's configuration. Walk-in pantries offer the luxury of a dedicated room, while pull-out pantry systems can be integrated into existing cabinetry for smaller spaces.
Corner pantries make excellent use of otherwise awkward spaces. Consider the natural workflow of your kitchen when deciding on placement.
Ideally your pantry should be cool and dry, away from direct heat sources like ovens and radiators. Proximity to your food preparation area is also important for efficiency to minimise the number of steps between storage and workspace.
Think about how you move around your kitchen while cooking. A well-designed pantry should make your life easier, not more complicated.
Soho Balmoral kitchen with oak interior pantry
Brunswick Voyage Blue kitchen with fluted glass fronted cabinets
Shelving solutions that work
Shelving is an essential part of successful pantry design. Adjustable shelves offer flexibility as your storage needs evolve over time. Consider a combination of depths, such as deeper shelves for bulkier items and appliances, and shallower options for canned goods and spices. This maximises visibility and prevents items from being lost at the back of deep shelves.
Open shelving creates an inviting display and allows you to see everything at a glance. For a more curated look, glass-fronted cabinets showcase your most attractive items while keeping dust at bay. Alternatively, solid doors conceal visual clutter for a cleaner aesthetic.
Smart storage & accessories
The difference between an ordinary and exceptional pantry lies in the details. Pull-out bins or drawers, for example, bring items from the back into easy reach. Likewise, rotating carousel systems make corner nooks more usable.
Also consider incorporating a mix of containers. Glass jars display ingredients beautifully while keeping them fresh. Dedicated wine racks, spice organisers and vertical dividers turn a basic storage space into an ultra-functional extension of your kitchen.
Corner cabinet with pull-out shelves
Soho kitchen with pantry
Organisation principles for a clutter-free pantry
1. Zoning by category
Create distinct zones within your pantry based on how and when items are used. For instance, you might want to keep breakfast items together, baking supplies in their own section and everyday essentials at eye level. Less frequently used items can be stored higher up or lower down.
It’s also a good idea to group similar items together – canned goods in one area, grains and pasta in another. This makes everything easily accessible, and you’ll know exactly what you have and what needs replenishing at a glance.
2. Labels and visibility
Label shelves and containers so everyone in the household knows where things belong. Decanting pasta, rice, cereals and other dry goods into clear containers not only looks appealing but also allows anyone in your pantry to find things easily.
Soho Balmoral pantry offering great visibilty
Checking through larder cupboard in Yasmin Wyatt's Luna kitchen
3. Regularly declutter
Even the most organised of us can accumulate pantry clutter over time. Every few months, check for expired goods, consolidate items that are nearly empty and remove anything that you no longer use. This will make it simpler to keep everything in its place and prevent overstuffing.
4. Implement a rotating system
For food with shelf life, consider a first-in, first-out system. Think of your pantry as a mini supermarket: rearrange items so that new stock goes to the back, with older stock at the front. This will help ensure that older items are used first, reducing waste and avoiding expired food from lingering in your pantry.
Yellow Ludlow Harvest and pink Ludlow Chalk Blush kitchen
Bring your pantry dreams to life
Ludlow Arboretum Green kitchen with opened cabinets
An efficient, well-organised pantry can make a huge difference to your entire kitchen experience. It streamlines meal preparation, reduces food waste and creates a sense of order in what can otherwise be a busy space.
Whether you're planning a complete kitchen renovation or looking to optimise your existing storage, a thoughtfully designed pantry offers returns that extend far beyond its physical footprint.
Our design experts at Magnet can help you find solutions that perfectly match your space, style and storage needs. Book a kitchen design appointment with our team today and take the first step towards a more organised, efficient and beautiful kitchen.
