20 Gorgeous Pantry Closet Ideas for Your Kitchen

There's a difference between a pantry that's overflowing with half-empty chip bags and a pantry closet that boasts an organization system and enough style to claim a room count in your home. Whether you have huge walk-in storage complete with its own window or a corner nook, your pantry closet has the potential to be just as functional and beautiful as your kitchen.

Ahead, 20 pantry closets that elevate the look of your kitchen and your home.

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Light It Up

pantry closets — Design: HUMPHREY MUNSON; PHOTO: PAUL CRAIG

Pantries have a way of looking dark and cavelike—that's thanks to the fact that almost none of them have windows—and how are you supposed to pick a snack if you can't even see? Install some lighting in your closet, like these under-the-shelf LEDs, to instantly elevate the look of your pantry.

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Make It an Extension of Your Kitchen

Since the pantry is usually off the kitchen, why not design it in tandem? Try installing the same tile as your backdrop and shelves in the same finish as your cabinets to make it a cohesive extension of your kitchen.

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Carve Out a Corner

If you've always longed for a pantry closet but are convinced you don't have the space for it, think again. This adorable nook is carved out of an unused corner in the kitchen and makes it more functional than ever.

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Make It Beautiful

Thinking of your pantry as another "room" in your home will ensure it looks beautiful and motivate you to keep it organized and well-stocked. This pantry is beautiful enough to live in with its light wood floors, glam pendant hanging overhead, and a window that lets in plenty of light.

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Make It Your Cookbook Library

If you're a fan of cookbooks, a pantry closet is the perfect place to keep them on display. You'll be surprised how much more likely you are to put them to good use when they're easy to access.

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Use the Area as Back Stock

Pantry closets are the best because they hold much more than your standard kitchen cabinets. Stock up extra on items, like water and paper towels, to ensure you never run out.

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Color Coordinate Your Snacks

Placing your favorite snacks in color order to create a rainbow selection not only looks bright and cheery, it creates an organization system that makes it easy to find anything you're looking for when you want it. And dare we say, it makes organizing fun.

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Place Cans and Jars on Risers

Jars and canned foods have a way of getting lost behind one another. Place them all on display using pantry risers, and you'll never have to sift through all of them to find a single can again.

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Play With Patterns

Pantries are often painted in a bright white and rarely real boast style. We're here to normalize the use of wallpaper in pantry closets. This gray and white gingham looks right at home in this farmhouse kitchen.

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Incorporate Drawers

If you're working on a custom pantry design, a variety of storage solutions ensure you have a place for everything you need.

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Make Way for Lazy Susans

Rotating platforms (also known as the Lazy Susan) are the perfect pantry addition. Place bottles and jars on these spinning displays and you'll never have to shuffle things around to find your favorite hot sauce.

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Keep Things Tidy With Baskets

Create groupings and keep them tidy by placing them in baskets. Keep bagged items, like potato chips in one, juice boxes in another, and fruit in open-weave baskets.

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Store Your Appliances

It's impossible to cook when your kitchen counter is cluttered with appliances covering every square inch. Instead, create a designated area in your pantry closet to keep everything from your toaster to your pressure cooker together in a single place.

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Use It to Store Your Party Dishes

Pantries aren't just a place to stock endless snacks and every types of pasta under the sun. Incidentally, they are the perfect place to store your bulky party bowls and cake stands. Your kitchen cabinets are best filled with everyday items anyway.

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Break Out Your Label Maker

Whether you're working with bins, baskets, or drawers, labeling everything will keep your items organized and make preparing meals so much easier. Plus, it'll hold you accountable when putting things away, ensuring your pantry always stays organized.

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Place Your Spices On Risers

Spices have a way of accumulating and cluttering pantries, and before you know it, you're finding doubles (and triples) of the same spice. Keeping them on risers ensures you can see everything and they're all within reach. Go the extra mile and decant them into uniform bottles for a luxe look.

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Embrace Glass Doors

Most pantries hide behind solid doors—or frosted glass, at best—but when your pantry is as beautiful as this one, you're going to want to show it off. This trio of glass doors looks modern and encourages guests to help themselves.

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Stock Up On Clear Bins

By now, you know storing items in bins keeps things tidy, organized, and categorized. Be sure everything is visible and at your fingertips when you opt for clear containers. Score extra points by going the extra mile and labeling everything.

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Decant Your Pantry Items

Mismatched boxes and bags of food can make your pantry look cluttered. From flour and sugar, to pasta and cereal, grocery items look more organized when decanted into clear glass containers. And the best part is you can see exactly how much of every item is left, so you always know when to restock.

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Create a Combination That Works for You

When in doubt, incorporate all the best organizing hacks to keep your pantry closet tidy. We love how this space uses clear containers, lazy Susans, risers, and bins to ensure everything has a place.

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