As one of the most requested kitchen features, the traditional pantry is a trend that doesn't seem to be fading anytime soon- and it's easy to see why! If you're looking to introduce one of these beautiful statement pieces into your kitchen, we're sharing our top tips for getting the most out of your pantry design, in terms of both practicality and aesthetics.

Thanks to the 'Downton Abbey' effect, the traditional pantry has made a come back and is now the feature most requested by those looking to renovate their kitchen spaces. However, unlike in the early 20th century, the pantry no longer holds the sole purpose of storing dried goods and baking ingredients, and whether a pantry is walk-in, traditional or integrated, it can be used for a wide variety of reasons, tailored to the individual.

Read on for our top tips in making the most of a kitchen pantry.

1. MAKE A STATEMENT

Whether you design your pantry to blend seamlessly with the rest of your kitchen, or you give it a unique style to make it stand-out from the rest of your units, a pantry can create a beautiful 'wow factor' feature.

Firstly, colour can determine how dramatic your statement is. If you want to make a bold feature that instantly grabs attention, choose a splash of contrasting colour, like a playful Cornflower Blue pantry alongside crisp Porcelain or White cabinets. Or, if you're looking to create a sophisticated statement with your pantry, why not use a wrap-around bold colour for your entire kitchen, like Hartforth Blue or Copse Green?

Another way to create a statement is with the style of door you choose for your pantry, along with its hardware. You need to ask yourself whether you would prefer to leave the doors open on your pantry, in which case bi-folding doors would be practical, or whether you would keep them closed to hide kitchen clutter, meaning standard pantry doors would be perfect. Once you've made this decision, you must choose whether you want the hardware to be the same as the rest of your kitchen, or whether you would like the pantry to have its own distinctive handles to set it apart.

2. MAXIMISE SPACE WITH CLEVER STORAGE SOLUTIONS

A pantry is the perfect storage opportunity, with an abundance of space for your choice of shelving, drawers and worktop space. Maximise possibilities with the wide selection of storage solutions available from our storage partners, Kessebohmer UK- like the base unit pull-out as an alternative to a standard cupboard, making kitchen essentials easily accessible, or the Butler's Pantry wooden spice rack, allowing you to make use of the extra space behind your pantry doors.

3. USE THE SPACE TO HOUSE APPLIANCES

As times have changed, the traditional pantry is no longer just a home for dried goods and baking ingredients- a pantry is also a great place to house your kitchen appliances. Is your coffee machine taking up a lot of your main kitchen food preparation space? Why not transfer it to your pantry, creating a handy yet attractive coffee station? Then, once you've finished using your appliances, simple close the pantry doors and hide away the clutter!

4. CREATE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR EVERYTHING

If your pantry is perfectly placed in your kitchen layout, it will be the ideal unit to house your frequently used kitchen essentials. Giving these essentials, such as ingredients you use a lot or handy utensils, a certain place will make your time spent preparing and cooking food more efficient.

5. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Looking for a way to incorporate something a little different into your pantry? Why not integrated a chopping board into your design, as a great way to keep work space clutter to a minimum whilst keeping the kitchen essential close to hand?

Have we inspired you to incorporate a pantry into your kitchen design?

Why not pay our showroom a visit to see how we can help you bring your kitchen dreams to life?