11 Design Ideas Perfect for Your Pantry Renovation

For most families, the pantry is one of the most important spots in the house. Developing a system to keep dry goods, snacks, paper products, and all things canned and jarred neatly organized is a challenge most of us are far too familiar with, especially in a busy household where everyone is constantly accessing these items. Then, there's also the limitations of space to contend with. Whether you're using a few kitchen cabinets or have a walk-in pantry, we can all agree that there's never quite enough room for everything you need.

Solving this problem is a matter of good design. Adding clever custom features (or renovating your home to create a new pantry) is the best way to ensure you're getting the most out of your space. Pantries have become such a focus for homeowners that many designers are putting just as much thought into these storage spaces as they would a more public-facing room. If you've got the square footage to spare, the rising trend is a butler's pantry, which integrates a small sink and other extras that make hosting much easier. "Traditional butler's pantries are all about entertaining, so these areas deserve as much design attention as the kitchen," says Nadia Subaran, co-owner and cofounder of Aidan Design. "Pantries are a great space to have some fun and splurge on gorgeous tile, floating shelves, cabinet hardware and custom cabinets."

If a big project isn't in the cards, you might need to get creative and add a "pantry" elsewhere. "Mudrooms are not only used as a place to hang coats and hats and store sports equipment, but also as a place to address storage needs for larger items such as bulk purchases of essentials, as well as a place to tuck away less frequently used cookware and dinnerware," says James Rill of Rill Architects PC. To inspire your pantry project, take a look at the features designers are adding to maximize organization and style in these spaces.

Keep fruits and vegetables fresher longer with mesh bins, as seen in this pantry design by Sarah Robertson of Studio Dearborn. Place the basket towards the bottom of the pantry for grab-and-go ease.

This is the ultimate luxury for anyone who loves a good sandwich. Instead of storing bread on the counter, take a cue from Robertson's sleek kitchen design and place it in out of the way in a drawer dedicated entirely to the many loaves you love. As an added bonus, you'll never have to worry about squished bread again.

Another candidate for bin storage in your pantry? Liquor bottles. Robertson designed this cabinet with two levels of pull out bins—one for tall bottles, and another for bottles that can rest on their sides.

Since fewer homeowners now own china cabinets where they can display serving pieces, the problem of where to store these infrequently-used items remains. A butler's pantry, like this design by Rebekah Zaveloff of KitchenLab Interiors, provides a convenient home for serving bowls, platters, teapots, and other party helpers. Glass-front cabinets let you see everything at a glance while protecting items from dust.

You might be able to further justify adding a butler's pantry to your home if you're able to get even more mileage out of this space. One great way to do just that is to incorporate desk space for working in peace. Zaveloff designed this walk-in pantry with a desk placed underneath a sunny window.

Walking into a pantry that's just as stylish as the rest of your home adds joy to your daily routine. Zaveloff chose dark cabinets and patterned tiles that made this functional space a stand out. The open shelving on top is ideal for everyday items while cabinets at the bottom provide more storage.

The "sweep" of a door can limit your kitchen configuration, especially if you run the risk of the door hitting a counter or cabinet (as is the case in small kitchens). Zaveloff freed up floor space by opting for a pocket door for this recessed pantry.

In the same pantry, Zaveloff chose mesh-front cabinets that allow for air circulation within drawers. It's also a nice design feature that gives you the at-a-glance visibility of glass insets while hiding clutter.

If you don't have the layout for a separate butler's pantry, consider any other overlooked spaces that could be repurposed as a storage area. This under-stair set-up by Case Design is outfitted with everything a wine aficionado would love: a wine refrigerator and a wine dispenser.

Open shelving is ideal for frequently-accessed items—including platters and serving bowls, as seen in this pantry by Rill Architects. Turn a cabinet into ideally-sized cubbies for platters simply by removing the doors and positioning shelves to the right height.

Brooms and mops often get stashed in coat closets or end up leaning against a wall. Create a cubby in your pantry design to house cleaning supplies so they have a home but are out of the way.