This Old House Magazine: Shelf Help

In Grandmother's day, the answer was the separate food pantry, or larder, off the kitchen. "Pantries were very popular before refrigeration, when woodburning stoves made kitchens too hot for storing food," says Matthew Viederman, an architect in New York City. "Placed adjacent to the outdoors, they were kept at a lower temperature than the rest of the house." A common feature before World War II, the pantry was "lost over time as kitchens were modernized and expanded," says Jeff Peavey, co-owner of the Kennebec Company, a custom-cabinet and design firm in Maine.

Now, pantries are making a comeback, thanks in part to the boom in warehouse shopping; those gallon jugs of olive oil and 12-packs of macaroni-and-cheese save money, but where to put them? A larder's shelves and bins can whisk bulky goods out of the way. In addition to easier viewing and quicker access, food storage rooms can provide extra workstations, such as a marble countertop for a blender or for rolling out a pie—not to mention a corner for the water cooler. "Walk-in pantries have joined islands as the latest kitchen must-haves," kitchen designer Mary Jo Peterson says.

Regarded as extensions of the kitchen, pantries often receive the same level of aesthetic attention, including such details as solid-wood cabinetry and state-of-the-art hardware like stainless steel drawer glides and door hinges. But they also offer a way to save on kitchen remodeling, Peavey points out. "You can get by with fewer cabinets in the kitchen and use more inexpensive options, such as simple open shelves, in the pantry." No matter what size or shape your food storage area takes, Peterson stresses the importance of flexible design. "I use adjustable shelves wherever I can," she says, noting that you may want to bring certain shelves—those that hold healthy snacks or tall, heavy bottles, for instance—into or out of the reach of children as they grow.

An ideal spot for a pantry lies between the home's utility entrance (such as the garage door) and the kitchen itself. That's where the This Old House crew placed the 5-by-7-foot food storage area for the Billerica project house in 1999. "Groceries come right in from the back door, down a short hall, and into the pantry," says T.O.H. contractor Tom Silva. "From there it's just two steps to the kitchen." Closets and passageways between the kitchen and dining or living rooms—even under-stair spaces—can be converted, as well. Pantries are typically small, under 100 square feet, but they fill up fast, so you're not likely to regret building one on the large side. You'll want good overhead lighting to see to the backs of shelves and an electric outlet for appliances if you'll have some food prep room. It's also advisable to follow tradition and keep a pantry cool, away from heating elements, so that grains, oils, and bulk produce last longer.

Tom says that pantry cabinets and shelving need to be strong, of solid fir, hardwood, or high-quality plywood. "Most of what you're putting in a pantry is heavy, like canned food, bags of sugar and flour, or oversized pots that you use only occasionally," he points out. To prevent back strain and crushed toes, the heaviest items should go on lower shelves and bins, which should be deep enough (at least 24 inches, front to back) and tall enough (around 30 inches clearance) to accommodate large-scale items. For upper shelves, Peterson likes the visibility granted by open shelves but warns, "don't make them any deeper than about 15 inches, or stuff will get lost." In a pantry with high ceilings and open shelving, "a decorative library ladder can be used to extend your reach," she adds. She also recommends fitting out tall cabinets with accessories that roll or pull out to bring stored items within comfortable grasp.

Today, pantry cabinets frequently conceal can racks, full roll-out shelves and bins for bulk dry goods, and heavy-duty wooden lazy Susans. More of these options are available now, due to improved design of durable, well-balanced hardware. "The hardware just keeps getting better," says Peavey, citing heavy-duty, stainless steel drawer glides that extend fully and mount on the bottoms of drawers so that no metal tracks are visible, and a superstrong ball-bearing pivot assembly for oversized lazy Susans.

In the end, however, Peavey cautions homeowners, "Don't accessorize to the point where there's no room left for the easy, open access of big shelves. You still need a place for the cereal box." And open shelves can look downright picturesque if you happen to do a lot of home canning. Grandmother would be proud.

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If you have no room for a separate pantry, retrofitting existing kitchen cabinets can provide equally efficient storage. "With a few key accessories mounted inside, anybody can make their cabinetry more functional," says Eric Rikeman, manager of Aberjona Kitchen Center in Woburn, Massachusetts, who served as kitchen consultant on the fall T.O.H. TV project in Charlestown. Here are a few smart storage-maximizing ideas:

• Open, slide-out wicker baskets add a rustic touch to 15- or 18-inch framed or frameless cabinets and provide neat, open storage for produce such as potatoes and onions (figure A).