Pantry Layouts
A pantry is a small closet-like room within a residence where food, beverages, and other household products are stored, such as cleaning supplies, linens, and so on. Located in close proximity to the kitchen, pantry layouts are in large part determined by the kitchen layout that they accompany. In this way, there are many different styles of pantry layouts, including walk in pantries, walk through pantries, reach-in pantries, and butlers pantries to name a few. Important fixtures to consider within the pantry are the shelving units and their spacing, along with any desired counter space.
When planning a pantry layout, it is important to consider available storage space, types of storage, kinds of items that will be stored, and what aspects of the layout are of most importance to the user (adjustability, aesthetics, functionality). Two ideals of a pantry are ease of use and open floor space, the first of which can be achieved with open shelving and the latter being dependent on shelving choice as well. It is also important to consider possible dead spaces (the corners) and how to avoid these to maximize storage.
Maximizing storage space and maintaining accessibility are two goals of pantry organization. The first step is to assess what is being stored and group like items together. Suggested means of storage include: clear containers with labels so items are easily identifiable, use pans or crates to separate groups, add hooks for hangable items to increase shelf space, and integrate pop-in drawers so items placed in the back can be reached.
A butler’s pantry, historically, is a space in a home used to store the formal china and silver of a family. In modern times, the butler’s pantry has taken the form of a wet bar or prep/staging area for serving dishes. The butler’s pantry will typically include a countertop and cabinets, and sometimes features a refrigerator or sink.
