The Perfect Pantry Design For Your Dream Kitchen
For many of us who love to cook, the kitchen is the space that receives the most attention and thought when it comes to a new home build. Even if we’re not cooking, the kitchen is the heart of any home where we spend time talking with friends and family, grazing on nibbles, or doing homework at the kitchen table.
So it’s no wonder that when it comes to pantry design, it’s important to do the kitchen justice and get the style that’s just right for the space. Whether you're leaning towards a cabinet pantry, butler’s pantry or micro pantry design, this latest blog will talk you through all the options.
Cabinet pantry design
Let’s start with the most traditional option first, the in-built cabinet pantry which is usually included as part of your kitchen joinery. The original design of one large corner cupboard with open shelving is fast becoming a thing of the past as we realise it’s an inefficient use of the corner space. For those who really love to cook, the cabinet pantry design is also usually lacking enough space for the storage of larger kitchen appliances. With the design, our recommendation would be to ask your kitchen designer for pull-out drawers to be included in your cabinet pantry so you can utilise every bit of space - and you don’t have to spend ages rummaging through the cupboard either! You can see the effectiveness of the pull-out draw design in the images below from one of our recently completed kitchens, Orchard Road Renovation with Condon Scott Architects.
Pros: Efficient storage solution for smaller kitchens, pantry access is more centralised being located in the kitchen.
Cons: Space wastage, unable to access top shelves easily, limited space for large appliances, loss of workable bench space.
Butler’s pantry design
Traditionally the butler’s pantry used to be where the butler would polish silver and store estate heirlooms. Now, this pantry design is no longer limited to those who actually have butlers, and instead is often a consideration in most kitchen designs for renovations and new home builds. It’s not hard to see why, when the addition of a butler’s pantry gives you a separate zone for cooking and storage, with the added benefit of being able to close the door on the dirty dishes quickly if you have friends coming over! Butler’s pantries can be as small or large as you prefer, with some even including the oven, cooktop and dishwasher to keep all noise and cooking smells separate from the main living area.
Pros: Huge amounts of storage, space for large and small appliances, room to prepare food, less cooking noise in the main kitchen and living space.
Cons: Home needs enough space to make feasible, storage is more spread out, can reduce efficiency when cooking as butler’s pantries are some distance from appliances and prep space.
Micro pantry design
A relatively new concept and similar to the butler’s pantry, a micro pantry design combines the two concepts of a cabinet pantry and a butler’s pantry all in one. The micro pantry is typically a small version of the butler’s pantry, usually integrated into the kitchen design as a cabinet pantry is. With this design, you can have a dedicated space for your small appliances, such as your kettle and toaster, and your frequently used pantry items. With the concealed appliances, you can enjoy having more bench space to utilise for food preparation.
Pros: Efficient storage solution for smaller kitchens, pantry access is more centralised, appliances can be concealed, minimalist kitchen, perfect for tiny home designs.
Cons: Limited storage, most would need a secondary pantry space for remaining appliances and food items.
Micro Pantry Design by Zephyr and Stone
When picking your pantry design, we encourage you to think about how the space and small appliances, food items and large appliances will be used most days. Perhaps a way to get the best of both pantry worlds would be to have a micro pantry to conceal your small appliances and store everyday food items with a complimentary butler’s pantry to store bulk food items and all your large appliances, such as your dishwasher and fridge.
If you’re planning to build your dream home - complete with a dream pantry - here in Wanaka, get in touch today we’d love to hear from you.