Going into the new year I needed to refresh and optimize our pantry within the kitchen. One lesson I have learned comes from Scandinavian living, where you merge style with function. Scandinavian is not only a minimal feel with soothing tones but it is also about displaying what you use all the time. For example, displaying plates on a kitchen table in a beautiful way because you use those plates daily. Or displaying your mop and broom in a way that is appealing to the eye but also functional since you use it all the time.Â
I decided to redo my pantry to not just holding food but to also hold what we use daily in our kitchen. We have separate storage units on either side of our refrigerator on the other side of our kitchen and it became a chore to get things in and out for the stove/cooking. So I made our pantry to make it more functional for things that we use on a daily basis. Here are the key things we did to make the pantry within the kitchen functional and beautiful:
Plates & Bowls – We did not have plates & bowl close by when we were in the kitchen. It didn’t make any sense. It’s so much easier now having them close by. We went with a simple black matte salad & dinner plate set of 6. It goes perfectly with my black and white aesthetic.Â
2. Decor – I never really had decor within my pantry and I now love it. Add a picture frame, little vases or something to tie the pantry into the rest of your kitchen or home.Â
3. Glassware – I never had glassware or drinking glasses in my open pantry. It’s so easy to add to it and it’s functional. It’s also beautiful if you choose the right ones. Check out some that I just love right now.Â
4. Create zones – I used trays to create zones for my coffee bar and for little snacks. It will all the little things like sugar, mugs and jars organized and in order. Also within the draws and shelf areas I separate them by: Snacks, Backstock, toiletries, and cooking items.Â
5. Mug racks – I am a huge coffee drinker so I do have many coffee mugs and to using a simple black mug rack. It’s so nice to have and I hang my simple and cohesive mugs for a pleasing look.
Our contemporary kitchen pantry is one of my favorite renovation projects so far. It has evolved let me tell you, but it is beautiful and functional for our family.
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Backstory: Our home was built in 1976, and the previous owner lived here for 28 years but failed to update anything but the floors. Yes, so you know there is work to be done.
The original space! We had a small pantry and a small refrigerator. When we bought a new fridge it did not fit, so we had to relocate that.
Anyways, last year in 2021 we tackled the pantry area of the kitchen. We lacked space and for re-sell purposes that would hurt us tremendously. In the long run, we decided to revamp it with the help of California Closets. We love our contemporary kitchen pantry so much, and it has turned out to be extremely functional for our family. Here are the ends and outs of our pantry:
Small fridge & Pantry = less home value – Originally the space had a small pantry with wired shelving and an old folding door. You couldn’t fit anything in there. If we try to sell right now, we potentially can discourage buyers due to the lack of space in the kitchen.
We originally were just going to replace the fridge, but when it arrived it did not fit! We decided to move it to the other side of the kitchen and expand the pantry.
Expand Expand when you can! – We knocked out the little wall and made one huge space to install the open pantry. It has made such a difference in being able to hold all our food and seeing what we have.
Power cord hidden – That is a must have in a pantry always. My coffee machine to my tea kettle all work!
Add design to your pantry when you can – Simple peel & stick wallpaper was the trick for me. I wanted some excitement on the walls before the unit was installed. It now looks like a stunning contemporary kitchen pantry.
After the wallpaper was installed. Details of wallpaper at the end of this post
Used simple white bins from the container store at different sizes to “contain” everything in the pantry.
