An open pantry is a modern solution to organizing and displaying your produce, canned goods, and kitchen items.
With tons of storage potential—but also possibilities for clutter — one of the main questions that most people ask is, “How do you make an open pantry look good?” A visually appealing pantry is one that is well-organized, balanced, and aesthetically coherent.
A well-organized open pantry can help you avoid clutter and improve its functionality. When things are placed in containers and properly labeled, it will be easier for you to figure out which item goes where. It also helps avoid clutter, since you don’t have to look through everything to find what you’re looking for. From a visual standpoint, it can be aesthetically pleasing to see an open pantry with everything that has its place.
Secondly, visual balance is also important when learning how to make an open pantry look good. This means that when you look at your pantry, the visual weight of the containers and kitchen items are evenly distributed from top to bottom, i.e. it doesn’t appear too busy or heavy on one side and empty on the other side.
Lastly, it’s also nice to look at a pantry where everything, from the pantry material down to the baskets, boxes, or containers that you will be using, visually work well together. Most importantly, the materials and finishes that you’re using should also reflect your kitchen’s interior. Aesthetic coherence is a key component when avoiding visual clutter, which is one of the biggest concerns with having an open pantry.
So how do you make an open pantry look good? Here are 16 ideas for inspiration in your own kitchen.
A metal rack is a great option for an open pantry since it’s durable and easy to maintain. It comes with adjustable shelves, so you can easily move them around based on the heights of the containers on each shelf. The large wicker boxes on the top two shelves balance out the coldness of the steel and lend a farmhouse touch to the pantry. Smaller items are placed in glass containers, making them easier to identify. The tin buckets on the last two shelves echo the rack’s material. Labeling each bucket and basket is both an aesthetic and functional way to keep track of every item that is placed in containers and make your open pantry look good.
Apothecary jars can make your open pantry look beautiful and organized. With their transparent qualities, anything that you put inside them can also serve as décor, since they add color and texture to the overall composition.
One way to upgrade your open pantry is to play with colors when choosing your containers. Here, turquoise glass jars give this all-white pantry a fresh coastal vibe while keeping the ingredients fresh and easily identifiable.
If you want to keep it neat, incorporate a tone-on-tone scheme in your pantry by opting for containers and dishware in the same shades as your pantry cabinet. Here, the baskets and clear jars echo the colors of the pantry’s walls. The vintage pitcher, chopping boards, and food lend subtle contrast and create visual interest in this pantry’s neutral monochromatic palette.
Wicker baskets are always a favorite when it comes to styling an open pantry for farmhouse and cottage-style kitchens. Their warm color brings contrast to a neutral interior while the material itself lends a rich texture that keeps it visually interesting. Most wicker baskets are also deep enough to hold many items, making them ideal for organizing kitchen knick-knacks.
Make your open pantry bright and vibrant by displaying food items such as candies, cookies, and other treats inside clear containers. Here, each snack is neatly placed inside transparent plastic jars and arranged according to category. The woven plastic baskets on the top shelf add texture while the white bowls help visually balance the pops of color with their neutral tones. You can also incorporate boards and greenery in your pantry to elevate its charm.
How do you make an open pantry look good when you are displaying snacks and food packets? One way to do this is to organize these items into containers according to size and category. Here, larger treats such as cookies, pretzels, and biscuits are stored in big jars and dispensers while bite-sized snacks are placed in smaller containers. Packed snacks, on the other hand, are displayed inside plastic wire baskets, wood crates, and clear trays.
A cubicle-type open pantry is a great way to showcase glasses, stemware, and dishes. This open shelf follows an alternating pattern where the black and white dishes are arranged in a visual diamond and stemware fills up all the other box shelves. Creating a pattern is always pleasant to the eyes, especially when you are using coordinated sets.
This well-organized corner pantry maximizes available space by making use of different types of storage containers. Chips, snacks, and bread are placed inside wicker boxes while spices, flour, sugar, and condiments are poured into clear dispensers and jars which are either placed on a spice rack or wooden tray. Small packed items, on the other hand, are neatly stored in wire baskets.
A small alcove can serve both a functional purpose and as well making a great pantry nook with open shelves. To make the space appear less cramped, glass containers are used for spices and smaller food items while sugar, cream, and coffee are stored in ceramic canisters. To maximize the space, a counter is added which serves as a preparation and food heating area, making this compact pantry fully functional.
This gorgeous butler’s pantry looks chic and sophisticated with its dark accent wall colors for the coffee bar. The combination of white mugs hanging on the racks and white base cabinet against the dark charcoal paint lends a moody atmosphere that contrasts with the rest of the walk-in pantry.
How do you make an open pantry look good when you have a vintage aesthetic? An open pantry for a country or cottage-style kitchen will look best with a wall shelf in distressed white paint. This charming setup also incorporates the use of vintage glass jars, woven baskets, and small colorful bowls, giving it a warm and dreamy appeal. Add interesting decorative items, such as a plant on an intricate pot and quirky animal ornaments.
If you have limited wall space for your pantry items, mount wire baskets on the side of a cabinet instead. Here, baskets are used to store kitchen-related items, such as chopping boards and books. The plant in the tin container and “Store Groceries and Dry Goods” sigh provide a stylish touch, making the open pantry look like a part of the hallway’s décor.
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