We’re kicking off the week with a little update on our walk-in pantry! This space in our home really encapsulates all the quirks that often come with an old home: multiple doorways, lost space from past renovations and working around century old pipes and other hidden surprised inside each wall. Even though our old Craftsman has a fairly straightforward and efficient layout, this has definitely always been one of the most awkward spaces in our house.
where we started
Here is what the space looks like while standing in our kitchen. You can see that there is an original doorway from the kitchen into a small hallway or pass-thru; the existing closet/pantry space was framed in somewhat recently, adding another door to the room. To the right is the basement access and small door that leads to the tv den.
The house came to us with this odd walk-around space that has four doorways: one from the kitchen, one into the closet/pantry, one to the tv den and one to the basement. Although this may seem like a lost cause with so many entry points, separating the space into two spaces actually made more sense of things. So we framed up a wall that would distinguish the pantry space – and give it a larger footprint – while allowing basement access through the tv den door.
That odd walk-thru always kind of drove me crazy, so I’m very happy to have the space closed off and to have more space to work with now as we put the pantry back together. This is a good reminder that removing walls may not always be the best option!
The ceiling in the existing pantry space was lower than the rest of the house, so we knew there was something up there. It ended up being bathroom plumbing + a radiator pipe that had been moved from a previous owner did on the upstairs bathroom. Luckily enough, with building custom cabinetry we’ll be able to work around and hide all of the exposed pipes without compromising the pantry design.
design concept
I’ve went back and forth quite a bit on how I want the pantry to feel. Our existing kitchen & attached mudroom is a nice balance of depth and color; we have Benjamin Moore Hale Navy on our lowers + Benjamin Moore Simply White on the remainder of the kitchen, so at first I was thinking of bathing the entire pantry in the dark, rich hue that Hale Navy brings. After standing and staring at the pantry for a few weeks, I decided that introducing a new color to the kitchen space would be nice. It would also allow the pantry to stand alone as it’s own space while coordinating well with our kitchen as it is.
We’re going to start by building cabinetry that is built to the ceiling, making the most of the space despite its small footprint. Keeping the cabinetry open and straightforward will allow the perfect space to showcase my serving dishes, cookbooks and linens. We’re incorporating space for our microwave and other small appliances to keep them out of our main kitchen & keep the butler’s pantry feel. Lining the back of the cabinets with shiplap will also create continuity from out kitchen into this space.
For the cabinet color, I’m almost certain I’ll go with Benjamin Moore Smokey Taupe. I like the undertones in this hue and it works really well with the other paint colors we already have going on in the kitchen & the rest of our house. I’d love to add wallpaper to the little bit of wall space we have — I’m still on the hunt for exactly what I want. I’ll also incorporate a cafe curtain or two on the lowers to hide unsightly kitchen tools and necessities while adding a bit of character to this little space.
I’ve been really excited for this project so I’m thrilled that we’re going on it now. Cabinetry drawings are almost complete & purchasing lumber is happening this week! I’ll be sharing more here and on Instagram as we move along, so stay tuned.
