15 Practical Pantry Design Ideas for Any Home, Big or Small

You can make a pantry work in any home: all it takes is a little creativity.

A well-planned pantry plays a quiet but important role in how your kitchen functions day to day.

Whether it’s used to keep clutter out of sight, support meal prep, or house everyday essentials, the right layout can make cooking feel more efficient and less chaotic.

In this guide, we round up practical pantry placements, layouts and design ideas — from familiar solutions to more flexible interpretations — to help you plan one that fits seamlessly into your home.

Design ideas for a pantry in the kitchen

1. Build a counter-to-ceiling pantry in the middle of your kitchen island

Need a sleek pantry for storing essentials/items you reach for often? Try this unconventional design with a pantry right in the middle of your kitchen island, with some suspended shelves and hollowed storage.

Besides being functional, it will certainly be a conversation starter when you’ve got visitors.

2. Build a pantry around a structural column and conceal it for a seamless look

By building the pantry around a structural column, you avoid wasting space on awkward corners. Pocket doors then keep the storage hidden when not in use, while still allowing easy access without taking up additional floor area.

Use pull-out drawers to keep your snacks organised and within reach (especially those at the back so it doesn’t get forgotten and expire).

3. Create a full-height pantry to maximise space

Instead of expanding outwards, this pantry makes the most of its height.

Full-height cabinets maximise storage from floor to ceiling, keeping groceries and appliances neatly contained within a slim footprint. It’s a straightforward but effective way to increase capacity without making the kitchen feel cramped.

That’s a win for organisation and space-maximisation.

4. Play with inside-door storage and space-saving door designs

Inside-door storage for your pantry is another practical way to get the most out of limited square footage – which is what the owners of this resale HDB did.

And if you haven’t noticed, the pantry sits near the entrance because it's part of the kitchen stretch, which happens to be the closest space to the door.

Besides trying out a variety of storage compartments, you can opt for doors that help you save space too: not only do these double barn doors add to the contemporary look of the pantry, but they also require less clearance than traditional swinging doors!

Explore: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Renovation: Layouts, Materials, and More

5. Use lower cabinet space for an open pantry

This streamlined design gives you easy access to all your pantry staples (or in this case, liquor collection) while keeping your kitchen organised.

Just keep in mind that this requires a fair bit of bending, which might be tough on the back and knees.

To avoid the strain for yourself or other family members, store items that you don’t need often – like the spirits here.

6. For bigger kitchens, carve out a walk-in pantry

You’ve heard of walk-in wardrobes, but have you heard of walk-in pantries? This resale HDB flat boasts one carved out from the space at one end of the kitchen, and can be closed off with a sliding door.

For those of you who cook often and have a lot of cooking equipment/essentials to store, this gives you plenty of room to customise the shelving and organise it for your ideal cooking flow.

Design ideas for a pantry in the service yard

7. Have your service yard counter double as a mini-pantry/bar

In this home, the service yard goes beyond laundry duties and doubles as a compact pantry. It’s a practical solution for kitchens that share space with the service yard, adding storage without visual clutter.

8. Turn the divider between your service yard and kitchen into an open pantry

Instead of putting up a solid partition, you can let the pantry act as a divider between the kitchen and service yard.

Open shelving keeps cooking essentials visible and easy to access, making this a practical option if you don’t need extensive pantry storage but want everything within quick reach.

However, this setup may not suit households that do a lot of heavy cooking, as an open partition allows fumes to drift into the laundry area.

9. Install a ‘secret’ door to your service yard that doubles as a pantry

If you want to partition the service yard so cooking fumes don’t get in, put a spin on the previous idea and go for a pantry that doubles as a door leading to the service yard!

It’ll make for a neat surprise when you’re showing guests around the home too.

10. Flush shelves into your service yard wall to create a recessed pantry

If you have a recessed corner in your service yard, you could build a flushed pantry in that space to maximise it too.

It’s also perfect for those who can’t stand the thought of carpentry ‘jutting’ out.

Design ideas for a pantry that doubles as a dry kitchen

11. Hide pantry clutter with slatted cabinet doors

To keep clutter neatly out of sight, this mod-Japanese home uses slatted cabinet doors that partially screen what’s stored within the pantry.

The layered effect softens the visual bulk of full-height storage while still allowing airflow and a hint of transparency — ideal if you want a tidy look without completely closing things off.

By extending the carpentry all the way to the ceiling, you also gain extra storage for bulkier or less frequently used items.

12. Go for a no-frills pantry with an open shelf

Visual organisers, you’ll love this fuss-free pantry which features an open shelf and a simple built-in counter with lower cabinet storage. This way, you get to display tea sets and other collectibles, while being able to see regularly used items at a glance.

Then, use the counter for appliances like a water purifier or coffee machine, and hide away dinnerware and other supplies in the lower cabinets.

13. Add a splash of colour to your pantry

In a home designed around a soft pastel palette, the pantry naturally follows suit.

Colour-blocked cabinets blend into the overall theme while subtly defining different storage zones, adding visual interest without overwhelming the space.

Design ideas for a pantry that doubles as a coffee counter/bar

14. Try a 2-in-1 peninsula-cum-pantry design

Designed for dual use, this peninsula pantry works on both sides — with a coffee/bar counter on one end and a meal prep surface on the other.

Fully opening the partition extends the counter, giving you more room for prep or turning the space into an easy bar setup when guests are over.

15. Turn your pantry or dry kitchen into an ‘airplane galley’

Fancy having an airline experience right at home? Take a cue from this home which boasts a pantry with what looks like refurbished airline meal carts on the lower cabinets.

It creates visual interest and draws the eye immediately, and also makes for a pretty interesting conversation starter when you have guests over.

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