The pantry has been in existence ever since the day people first started storing food in a separate room from where it was prepared. These items were ambient products that weren’t immediately perishable.
Not to be confused with a larder, a small cold room for storage of perishable and prepared items, the pantry has been something domestic architecture of every era has relied upon. Named for the Old French word ‘paneterie’, this space allows us to keep our kitchens uncluttered, and we have a place to keep items in a cool, dark area. This storage has allowed us to maintain a settled lifestyle and have food ready to eat whenever we need to. In modern times, the advent of the refrigerator took our lives by storm, changing how we retained the viability of produce, and really did come long a while after the pantry.
In homes of all sizes you will come across some version of it. The larger the house, the larger the size, from a specific cabinet to a small cool room in the house, to a large walk-in wonder, the pantry has been a part of our lives for eons.
The ever-inventive Victorians felt the need to create something in addition to the humble pantry, which became the Butler’s pantry. Although sharing a name, the pantry and the Butler’s pantry have completely different uses, and you are most likely to find them in grandiose buildings from these times.
Nowadays, the modern pantry has made a comeback and there are so many options available to give you the best possible pantry for your requirements. Space can be a commodity in any house, so you need to make the spaces available in your kitchen work for you. Having moved from its start as a box in corner of a room, the pantry has retained its integral reason for being, and is keeping our food in peak condition for us to eat.
There are many advantages of having a walk-in pantry including; a great place to store kitchen equipment such as mixers and smoothie makers, easy access to a large amount of dry food items, vegetables, herbs and spices. If you don’t have an underground cellar, it is also a great place to store wine, as the pantry is a much cooler area, keeping your favourite Merlot away from the heat of cooking.
Plan your walk-in pantry properly, and it will revolutionise your kitchen space. If your pantry is a fairly small room, make sure you equip it with as many features as you can. Plenty of open shelving is a great way to utilise the space, allowing for more storage throughout. Vegetables should be kept at lower levels, where the air is cooler, and there are many options such as deep drawers and open racks to keep everything in premium condition. Glass fronted cabinets on the wall will allow you to see at a glance where any item you need is, without spending time searching for it.
For the more expansive room, including a sink and a dishwasher will give you a whole new area of prepping space for food and cooking clean up. In an open plan living area, this space is revolutionary when you are entertaining, keeping all the signs of your labours in another closed off room, and your luxury designer kitchen clutter and mess free.
The clever use of cabinet doors can hide this room completely, keeping its contents a secret from prying eyes, and your recipes to your favourite dishes remaining in your safe hands. Or if you want to show off the design and your beautiful use of the space, glass doors might be the way for you to showcase it.
Your walk-in pantry can be designed around you and for you. There are many options to choose from, and many great ways to make the space work for your needs.
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