Small Walk-In Pantry Ideas

Second to the bathroom, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house. And, whether you’re trying to cook up a storm or enjoy a chilled out meal, the last thing you want are appliances and ingredients littering the space. 

What you need is ✨ a kitchen pantry ✨ 

Create well-considered storage spaces, no matter how big your kitchen is

From herbs and spices to dry goods and utensils, a pantry can house anything and everything you need to keep near your kitchen. Amazing for freeing up your cabinets and countertop space, a pantry also helps your kitchen work better for you. By organising everything and taking a methodical approach, you’ll find yourself stressing less about where something has gone, and enjoying the process of cooking more 🧑‍🍳

To help you get the most out of your kitchen pantry, we’ve packed this guide full of pantry design ideas. If you’re struggling to find the space for a pantry, don’t stress. We’ve split this piece into two; one section has storage ideas for smaller kitchens, while the other has inspiration for walk-in pantries. Everyone’s a winner 👍

Whatever shape or size your kitchen may be, there’s a guaranteed way to create a standout aesthetic. Keep reading to discover how you can elevate your cabinets, drawers and doors with our range of premium hardware.

Space-Saving Hacks For Your Small Kitchen

Spoiler alert – you don’t have to have a fully-fledged pantry to get things more organised and accessible. If your kitchen is on the smaller side, check out our clever hacks to make the most of unused storage space in your cabinets and drawers.

Install Cabinets

A kitchen pantry cupboard is a great alternative to a walk-in pantry and can be used however you see fit. Many will choose to install shelves for that much-needed storage space. Others will craftily hide away clutter like lighting, electronics and appliances, or save on space with pull-out work surfaces. Your kitchen may start out feeling chaotic, but a built-in pantry cabinet will let you store everything neatly away and within easy reach for when you next need it. Out of sight, out of mind 😌

If you’re on the hunt for pantry cabinet ideas, look no further than our contemporary collections of door handles and knobs. In this snap from Angharad at @triggs_to_ton, you can see how she’s combined our KEPLER Knurled Single T-Bar Handles and MERCURY Curved Lip Pulls to create a sophisticated and stylish culinary space. Teamed with that soft mint paint and marble worktop – we’re obsessed 😍

We think you’ll also love how Joe and Sarah (aka @e17warnerreno) have rounded off their minimalist kitchen with our LOVELL Circular Knobs. Simple in design and sturdy in your hands, these door knobs are the ideal accent for Scandi-style kitchens. As with all our hardware, you can shop confidently knowing that our LOVELL knobs have been finished with a clear lacquered glaze to ensure long-lasting quality 🙌

Use Drawers For Storage

As much as you want your small pantry space to be aesthetically pleasing, we recommend focusing on accessibility first and Insta-worthiness second 👌 One of our easiest pantry organisation ideas is to install drawers for quick and easy access to your food and supplies. Make the most of the storage opportunities with deep drawers for bulky items like flour, rather than piling in lots of small items that’ll just create a mess. Even better if you have deep drawers that you can fully pull out, as you’ll be able to clearly see everything inside, so no items get lost at the back.

Polish off your kitchen pantry drawers by installing contemporary hardware such as our BECKER Grooved D-Bar Handle. This show-stopping handle offers the perfect balance of style and functionality, flaunting a square frame, rounded edges and grooved grip. If you’re looking for kitchen pantry ideas, this versatile handle ticks all the boxes as you can choose from a shorter or longer length.

Keep things consistent and combine the BECKER Handle with our LENNON Grooved Button Knob. Or if a splash of colour is more your thing, add vibrant accents to your pantry drawers with our KLEE and KLEIN knobs. Available in Pink, Aqua and Cobalt, these charming designs will certainly bring a touch of joy to your kitchen 🌈

Add Storage To The Inside Of Your Drawers

When it comes to pantry storage ideas, we don’t blame you for focusing on how you can adapt the inside of the cupboards. But, you’re missing a trick if you don’t consider the space directly behind the cupboard doors 👀 While you won’t be able to store bulky items on the back of the door, you could easily fit racks, rails and hooks to store your lighter bits and pieces. From your most-used herbs and spices to cleaning products and those reusable bottles that seem to magically disappear overnight, consider how you can make your pantry work better for your daily needs.

For a helping hand while you’re cooking, hang your pots, pans and go-to utensils with our AUSTEN Industrial Towel Rail and set of five BRONTE S Hanging Hooks. By knowing exactly where everything is stored, you’ll be able to enjoy a more relaxed cooking experience. If you have an eye for subtle details, you’ll love being greeted by your beautiful gold hardware and its curved shape every time you open your cupboard doors ✨

If a subtler Matt Black is more to your taste, check out our other hardware including our PORTER Circular Hook. Sleek and sophisticated, we suggest purchasing this in multiples to create consistency across your pantry cupboards.

Ways To Elevate Your Walk-In Pantry

Your walk-in pantry may be hidden away, but that doesn’t mean you should neglect it. Rather than treating it as one huge cupboard or dumping ground, think of your walk-in pantry as an elegant extension to your kitchen. With a few of our design hacks, you can quickly spruce up your pantry and create a considered look.

1. Upgrade Your Pantry Door

While a pantry door gets you from A to B in your kitchen, it can also be a smart design feature that helps tie the room together. Need some ideas for your pantry walk in designs? 👇

If you’re all about modern farmhouse chic, a tongue-and-groove door will sit perfectly in your rustic kitchen. You can keep the paintwork in an elegant dark wooden shade, or go for earthy tones like tans, blues, greens, golds and greys. Either way, your pantry door will look beautiful paired with one of our elegant door lever handles, such as our HENLEIN Door Lever Handle. This handle’s 12-sided section makes it easy to get to grips with, while its geometric look will keep your door looking modern and fresh. Choose from a striking Brass finish or minimalist Matt Black, both of which are guaranteed to offer contrast and impact against your kitchen cabinet units.

Alternatively, perfect your pantry door with our MORRISON Knurled Door Lever Handle. Its sturdy, textured finish catches the light, adding a luxurious touch. Take this to the next level and go supersize with our KEPLER Heavyweight Knurled Handle, which covers a larger surface area of the door. This makes it even easier to go between your pantry and kitchen, and also creates a more dramatic look.

Whichever pantry door handle you select, with our KEPLER Knurled T-Bar Handle or HUMBOLDT Knurled Button Knob for a thoughtfully styled, cohesive kitchen. You’ll be pleased to know that installation is nice and simple, as all our hardware comes with a set of screws and a handy instruction sheet.

2. Hang Up Your Pots And Pans

Would you prefer to see your pots and pans as soon as you walk into your pantry? As part of our walk-in pantry ideas and inspiration, we suggest fitting rails and hooks to your kitchen walls. You’ll then have all the equipment you need in plain sight, so when meal times come around, you won’t be stuck delving through your cupboards.

With a first-class finish that’s easy on the eye, our collection of rails and hooks will keep your kitchen in order and looking sharp. If you love your frothy coffees or comforting cuppas, why not have a wall rail and hooks for your favourite mugs? ☕️

Hands up if your tea towels are scattered over your work surfaces or wedged in between drawer handles 🙋‍♂️ We thought so, and instead, grant them a bit of breathing space with our MONROE Curved Towel Rail. The curved rail doesn’t just offer a gentler appearance, it also encourages airflow – so your tea towels will be dry in no time! 

Do you wear an apron a lot of the time too? Then hang it with pride on our BRUNEL Large J Hook, which combines clean, defined lines with an elegant curved end designed to support your kitchen essentials. It’s easy to install in your modern pantry and comes with gold or black fixing screws, as well as wall plugs.

3. Incorporate Open Shelving

When you’re blessed with the luxury of space in your pantry, you can get more creative with how you display your food and ingredients. We suggest having open shelves, which have a warm and welcoming look, while ensuring everything you need is within easy reach. For Pinterest-worthy style, transfer your food from its original packaging to clear glass jars and canisters. Then add black labels with the name of the food handwritten in white chalk. Top it all off by installing a few spotlights or strip lights on your open shelves, helping to create a well-lit and safe area to prepare food 💡

Remember, the purpose of a walk-in pantry is to get your kitchen working smarter for you. Ask yourself how you can make your surroundings easier to navigate, and then start planning how it’s going to look. If you’re in any doubt, head to our Instagram @plankhardware to see how your fellow DIYers have transformed their kitchens. And, once your pantry is complete, use #PlankProjects so we can see the end result!

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