Tips For Nailing The 2024 Open Pantry Kitchen Trend In Your Home
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Open shelving has been a trend for quite some time, mainly as a way to showcase our china, collectibles, or other kitchen decor. Now, the trend of open shelving has made its way into our pantry. Our pantries used to be a place to hide away our snacks and cereal boxes, but now, they are becoming part of our home decor. With open shelves and beautiful organization, our pantry not only gives us the kitchen storage we need but also adds to our overall design. But, nailing the open pantry trend can be tough — if you are used to throwing your non-perishables into the pantry and walking away, you'll need to change your approach.
As we move away from the hidden pantry trend and enter into our open era, there are a few things to consider. Mainly, you need to figure out what, exactly, will be going into your open pantry and how you will style it. Here are some tips for making your open pantry look gorgeous and functional.
How to do open pantries the right way
The biggest thing to consider with an open pantry is how fast it can turn from aesthetically-pleasing to anxiety-inducing. To keep your open pantry from looking messy, invest in some great storage containers to help you get organized. You want your containers to not only look great, but be easy to use so you don't fall victim to throwing in your boxed goods on a busy day. Opting for glass containers will instantly improve your pantry. Consider the ComSaf Airtight Glass Storage Canisters from Amazon for $43.99, which also have a bamboo lid for added design. If you have little ones or pets and are worried about the hazards of glass, opt for the Rubbermaid Brilliance Pantry Food Storage Container Set from Target for $39.99. These look just as great while also keeping your food fresh with an airtight lid.
When it comes to designing your pantry, consider using reclaimed wood for your shelves, or if you plan to use the open pantry for dishes, opt for an all-white pantry to help them blend in seamlessly so you can spend less time organizing.
Other things to consider when opting for an open pantry
Open pantries are a beautiful trend that can bring life into your kitchen, but if not done right, they can be chaotic and feel messy. To avoid this, you need to consider your lifestyle. As one user said on Reddit, if you are always rushing to put your food away (e.g. you have little ones running around), you may want to consider bins and baskets over air-tight containers that you need to organize every time. The StorageWorks Pantry Baskets from Amazon for $36.99 are a good option for those who prefer to just throw their items into the pantry without things looking messy.
Another Reddit user suggested figuring out your organization plan before creating your open pantry. "I found it helpful when designing my pantry to build a map of what I wanted to store and where and then measure items to adjust the shelving heights accordingly," they said. They also recommend incorporating a lazy Susan in hard-to-see areas, and putting your heaviest items, like appliances, at the bottom. If you have the space, it's also a good idea to designate a second pantry or cabinet for items that can't fit into bins or containers, or that you want to hide away.