Crafty Built-In Pantry Ideas for Small Kitchen Spaces
If you're struggling with a lack of storage and organization in your small kitchen, incorporating a built-in pantry can be a game-changer. With some clever planning and customization, even the tiniest kitchen can benefit from a functional pantry that maximizes every inch of available space. From imaginative built-in designs to savvy storage solutions, a well-designed pantry creates a dedicated space to neatly organize all your food items, cookware, and other kitchen necessities.
Read on for crafty built-in pantry ideas tailored to make the most of compact kitchen layouts. With a mix of storage options catered to your needs, you can infuse organization and utility into your small kitchen.
Clever Pantry Placement Ideas
Finding the optimal spot is the first step to creating a built-in pantry in your small kitchen. Take a look at awkward alcoves, underutilized corners, and other often overlooked spaces that present prime opportunities for custom pantries.
Utilize Awkward Alcoves and Corners
That irregular angled nook that collects dust could become the perfect home for your pantry. Measure the dimensions of the alcove and design a narrow floor-to-ceiling pantry to fully capitalize on the available space. Install adjustable shelves and vertical dividers to store canned goods, spices, baking ingredients, and other food items. For corner alcoves, utilize a combination of pull-out shelves and cabinetry with doors to enable easy access to contents. Custom pantries built to fit your unique kitchen layout prevent wasted space and create much-needed storage.
Under-Stair Pantries
Under a staircase is prime real estate for a slender pantry. Build out the area with pull-out drawers, rollout trays, and adjustable shelving to take advantage of every inch. Optimize vertical storage with tall shelves and mounted racks. Under-stair pantries seamlessly incorporate necessary storage without infringing on existing kitchen footprints. Just be sure to measure carefully to design shelving that fits within the stairwell boundaries.
Incorporate Into Cabinetry
If open floor space is limited, integrate a pantry column into your existing kitchen cabinetry layout. Convert an unused section adjacent to the fridge or at the end of a cabinet run into a built-in pantry closet. Install an interior shelving system with drawer stacks to hold necessities like canned goods, boxes of pasta and cereal, baking supplies, and small appliances. Building your pantry into existing cabinetry maintains a streamlined look while boosting storage capacity.
Space-Saving Pantry Layouts
Strategic pantry dimensions and storage components tailored to small spaces allow you to get the most functionality from every square inch. Consider these crafty built-in pantry layouts made for modest kitchens.
Tall & Skinny
A narrow, floor-to-ceiling pantry is ideal for small kitchens. By forgoing width and extending vertically from top to bottom, you can gain substantial storage in a minimal footprint. Outfit the pantry interior with adjustable shelves, racks, and pull-out drawers to fully capitalize on the height. Rollout trays, slide-out cabinets, and other smart storage additions ensure you can easily access items packed into the tall column. Going vertical with a skinny pantry design is a savvy way to incorporate ample storage in a compact kitchen.
Angled Design
If you have the space, creating an angled pantry tucked into a corner can provide both generous depth and easy accessibility. Cut shelves to incrementally alternate from shallow to deep as they extend from the corner. The stepped shelves allow you to see and reach all the contents without any tight corners or dead space. Doors can be added to enclose some of the shelving while leaving others open for display. The angled shape fits seamlessly into an unused corner to inject panache and function.
Partial-Height Pantry
For a lighter, more open feel compared to a floor-to-ceiling pantry, incorporate a partial-height built-in with open shelving above. The lower pantry cabinetry enclosed with doors provides concealed storage for lesser-used items. Installing open shelves on top enables you to neatly display frequently accessed foods and ingredients. The blend of open and closed storage in a partition-style pantry delivers compartmentalization and easy access without sacrificing valuable floor area.
Creative Storage Solutions
Maximize every square inch inside your new pantry with inventive storage additions tailored to your family's needs. Here are some clever ideas for outfitting a small, built-in pantry.
Mix of Open & Enclosed Storage
Find the right balance of open shelving and enclosed cabinetry. Store frequently used everyday items on easily accessible open shelves. Reserve enclosed cabinets and drawers for lesser used items or bulk items like larger packages that you only need occasionally. Mixing closed and open storage zones tailors your pantry for both organization and efficiency.
Racks, Bins and Baskets
Incorporate custom racks, vertical dividers and hanging shelves to take advantage of all the vertical pantry space. Mounted racks allow you to store baking sheets upright and stack pots and pans. Use baskets and bins to neatly corral and contain like items. Labeled clear containers help identify contents. Wire shelving, stackable units and other specialized racks and shelves maximize every inch of your built-in pantry.
Pull-Out Shelves & Drawers
Install pull-out shelves and drawers to optimize storage capacity in your pantry's confined footprint. Pull-outs allow you to access items pushed to the back that you can't reach on fixed shelves. Look for smooth extension drawer glides that enable you to fully pull out trays and drawers to find what you need. Drawers are also great for containing smaller goods like spices.
Finishing Touches
Integrate these crafty elements to put the polished finishing touches on your new custom pantry.
Labels for Organization
Adhere printed or handwritten labels to identify what's stored where. Labels on shelving, drawers, baskets and bins help keep everything in its right home. An organized system prevents digging and rummaging to find what you need. Labels also make it easy for everyone in the household to put items back in their proper place.
Lighting
Proper lighting is essential for visibility in your pantry. Undercabinet lighting or sconces provide targeted illumination without the glare of overhead lights. You'll be able to clearly see items stored on all shelves, eliminating messy rummaging and improving accessibility.
Accent Details
Add trim, crown molding or other wood accents to give your built-in pantry a polished, finished look. Glass door inserts break up large expanses of solid cabinets for an airier, less enclosed feeling. Even in a small kitchen, consider coordinating your new pantry with the surrounding cabinetry and decor for a cohesive style.
Creative Storage Beyond Your Pantry
While a built-in pantry provides specialized storage, don't overlook other potential spots to tuck away kitchen items. Here are some ingenious ideas for maximizing every bit of space in your small kitchen.
Use the back of cabinet doors. Install a tension rod or over-the-door organizer to create additional storage space for small items like spices, condiments, and snacks.
Utilize wall space. Install floating shelves, pegboards, or wire baskets on the walls to store items that are not frequently used, such as baking supplies, cookbooks, and small appliances.
Maximize corner space. Install corner shelves or L-shaped brackets to store items in otherwise unused corners of the kitchen.
Make use of vertical space. Install a pull-out pantry or shelf that extends from the floor to the ceiling to store bulk items, such as cereal, pasta, and snacks.
Use stackable containers. Stackable containers can help save space by allowing you to store multiple items in a single space.
Consider a rolling cart. A rolling cart with drawers or shelves can provide additional pantry space that can be moved out of the way when not in use.
Install a magnetic knife strip. A magnetic knife strip can be mounted on the wall to store knives and other kitchen utensils, freeing up cabinet space for other items.
Use the insides of cabinet doors. Install door racks or organizers to store small items like spices, condiments, and snacks, making them easily accessible.
Incorporate a pot rack. A pot rack can be installed above the stove or sink to store pots and pans, freeing up cabinet space for other items.
Use a tiered tray. A tiered tray can be placed on a countertop or table to store small items like spices, condiments, and snacks, freeing up pantry space for bulk items.
Install a wall-mounted spice rack. A wall-mounted spice rack can be installed in the kitchen to store spices and herbs, freeing up cabinet space for other items.
Utilize the space under the sink. Install a shelf or cabinet beneath the sink to store cleaning supplies, paper towels, and other household items.
Use a wall-mounted wine rack. A wall-mounted wine rack can be installed in the kitchen to store wine bottles, freeing up cabinet space for other items.
Don't let a modest kitchen size deter you from incorporating specialized storage. With inventive placement and smart design, you can personalize the perfect pantry for your small space. Built-in pantries designed for compact kitchen layouts offer tailored organization that makes the most of every inch while serving your household's needs. Get creative with your pantry plans to enjoy optimized storage along with beauty and convenience.