A pantry is a space that should work for you and reflect the style of your home. Whether you're designing a small closet pantry or a spacious walk-in, thoughtful design can transform it into a highly functional and beautiful part of your kitchen. A well-designed pantry can help keep your kitchen organized, make food prep easier, and even be a visual highlight of your home.
Here are a few top pantry design tips that can help you create a space that blends practicality with style, making your pantry one of your favorite areas to spend time in.

1. Combine Decorative Storage with Adjustable Open Shelving
The key to a functional and stylish pantry is a combination of decorative storage and adjustable shelving. While closed cabinetry can help hide bulkier items, open shelving offers easy access to commonly used ingredients or kitchenware. Adjustable shelves allow you to customize the storage space, so everything from spices to pantry staples fits perfectly. Adding decorative baskets or containers helps keep everything organized while still looking aesthetically pleasing.
2. Consider Sightlines
When designing your pantry, it’s important to consider sightlines. You want the space to look neat when the door is open, so think about where messier items will be stored. Use closed cabinetry for items you don’t want to be visible, such as bags of flour, boxes of cereal, or cleaning supplies. This way, when you open the pantry, you’re greeted with a tidy and organized space that feels visually appealing.

3. Think About Appliance Storage
Appliances like mixers, blenders, or toasters are often left out on countertops, but consider whether they truly need to stay there. In your pantry design, plan for shelves or cabinets where appliances can be easily accessed but stored out of sight when not in use. If you use a specific appliance daily, it may deserve a permanent spot on your countertop, but for less frequently used items, dedicated storage space in the pantry can free up counter space for a cleaner look.
4. Plan for Plenty of Outlets
A well-designed pantry is about convenience, too. Planning for enough outlets will ensure you can easily plug in appliances like blenders or coffee makers. Having accessible outlets in the pantry allows for greater flexibility in using the space and reduces the need for long cords snaking across your countertops.
5. Don’t Forget Task Lighting
Proper lighting is essential for making your pantry functional. Task lighting will make it easy to find what you need, especially in deeper or darker spaces. Install under-shelf lighting or recessed lights to illuminate the shelves and make it easy to spot ingredients and kitchen essentials. Bright lighting also helps create a clean and inviting atmosphere, making your pantry a space you’ll love to use.

With a little planning and thoughtful design, your pantry can be much more than just a place to store food — it can become one of your favorite, most efficient spaces in your home. By combining decorative storage, optimizing sightlines, and including the right lighting and outlets, you can create a pantry that’s both beautiful and highly functional. Above, you can see a glimpse of the materials and design drawing for a new pantry we are currently working on. This design showcases how we’re bringing all of these tips to life in a fresh, functional, and stylish way, and we can’t wait to share the finished space!
These pantry design tips will help you create a space that’s both functional and stylish, making your pantry a true asset in your home.
When you’re ready to transform your pantry into a beautifully organized and efficient space, contact Elevation Interiors to get started!