In my opinion, one of the most controversial kitchen design concepts in recent years has been open shelves. Some people like open shelves to break down walls and display pottery, artwork, or a beautiful set of dishes. Others hate the extra dust and potential clutter that comes with open shelves.
Given this heated debate, the idea of a fully open pantry – yes, you read that right – probably won’t appeal to everyone. However, an open pantry is very effective for chefs who like to keep ingredients and small appliances at a distance but still appreciate a stylish kitchen. Here are seven examples of food pantries that are completely open, neat, and look good. Maybe you’ll be inspired to add one to your next makeover; It can be as simple as tearing down a door.
1. Open all. This rustic wooden kitchen uses an entire wall as an open pantry. The built-in wooden shelves have an uneven layout that holds a variety of items well, from glassware and pottery to tall vases and bottles. If you’re considering adding an open pantry, you can duplicate this style and customize the height of the shelves to suit your storage needs. Natural wood fits the style of this relaxed, unpretentious worker’s cottage in Melbourne, Australia.
2. Make the most of the corners. Corners can be a difficult part of the kitchen to utilize effectively, as the cabinets placed here rarely make items easily accessible. Placing an open pantry in this tricky spot is a great way to make items more accessible.
Here’s a close-up look at the pantry. You can see that the chef has plenty of room to walk to the floor in front of the shelf and reach for something, which makes this corner more accessible than a traditional corner cabinet.
3. Tap into the potential of nearby corners. This open pantry is located in a corner, close to the kitchen, but still open to the kitchen and near the back door of the house. The main kitchen cabinetry starts from the right side of the rear door as shown in the picture, as shown in the floor plan.
This off-the-road solution is a way to create an open pantry that doesn’t become a prominent visual element of the main kitchen. Homeowners and their guests can see the pantry from most of the kitchen, but it still has some visual separation from the rest of the room. This is great for families who want a pantry that is easy to use and doesn’t become a design element.
4. Place it near the prep sink. This open pantry is located in a corner of the L-shaped kitchen, next to the second sink. If you’re lucky, there are two sinks in the kitchen that you can use to prepare food, and nearby is a natural place to store your ingredients. Located above the counter with a stand mixer, this open pantry is a great place to put your baking supplies. This type of open pantry can work well as part of a dedicated baking station.
5. Put down the door. If you already have a food pantry in your home, or if you’re planning to add one to an upcoming remodeling or new build, you might consider not closing. The pantry shown in this photo resembles a traditional enclosed pantry with a door, but technically, the lack of a door makes it an open pantry.
The cupboards inside don’t have doors, making it easy to find things. The overhead light is controlled by a motion sensor, so you don’t have to worry about turning it off when you’re out the door when your hands are busy. The countertop can serve as a convenient workstation in the pantry or as a place to put appliances you don’t want to display on your kitchen counter. This pantry measures about 5 feet by 8 1/2 feet, which also happens to be the usual bathroom size.
6. Add freestanding shelves to available walls. This version of the open pantry is like the first kitchen in this story, as it adds shelves to the open walls. However, this open pantry is actually much simpler, with only five highly uniform shelves. While the shelving for this pantry is built-in, you can create a similar feature in the comfort of your own home with a sturdy freestanding shelving unit that fits the size of your available space.
This example, while it may have been designed for photo shoots, also demonstrates the power of containers and baskets to make a pantry look organized and feel calm. Since the canisters on the shelves match the shape and fill the available shelf space, they can keep items for a long time, even when the camera is not visible.
7. Use floating shelves. When will simple floating shelves end and open pantries will start? I would say that, based on its function, this example qualifies as an open pantry. Four large floating shelves are used to store food cans and frequently used items, creating an open pantry atmosphere. If building in a pantry isn’t for you, this is another way to test the look without having to fully commit to it.
