krystle_delaforce

Hate my corner pantry - what can I do?

4 months ago

Hi everyone, I’m really struggling with what to do with the corner pantry in our design. I want a sharp edge walk in cupboard with an appliance bench and storage but I’m not sure if I can do it. I really don’t like the swing out door or the wasted space in the corner pantry. Any ideas?

Comments (61)

  • 4 months ago

    Picture inside current corner pantry

  • 4 months ago

    dreamer the cooktop is on the back wall next to the spice rack, you will see the pull out.

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  • 4 months ago

    Here is another photo

  • 4 months ago

    Have you checked through your sale/purchase documents as there should be a copy of the plan.

  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    my suggestion has more kitchen and an alternate arrangement for dining table ...cabinets are made up of a corner base cabinet 1050 x 1050 to give 450 wide bifold doors for easier access to the corner space. mostly 750 wide storage drawers and/or cabinets, 1500 wide tall storage (or alternate option for fridge and wo/mw) and a 3m x 750mm island with stools grouped at one end to allow maximum space for dining table


  • 4 months ago

    Wow!! oklouise thank you so much! Do you have a 3D representation of how that would look. Love the layout and the benchtop just trying to visualise the corner again.

  • 4 months ago

    Using oklouise,s plan. I suggest taking away the corner upper cabinets and making the pantry and appliance cabinet “straight” along the wall. In the space I have marked with red outline. I have added photos that are similar to my thoughts. You could have the entire red marked space as an appliance storage on bench top, with food/pantry storage above on shelving. With doors for clutter free look.

  • 4 months ago

    3D images will take many hours to prepare so it will be easier for me if you first decide how you want to work in the new space and what supplies you need to store and that also depends on the number of people using the kitchen and adjoining spaces ie what is outside all the sliding doors?..do you need to be able to carry supplies in and out, would the fridge and/or wall oven be easier access at the other end to avoid traffic between counters..imo adding tall cabinets near the corner creates similar problems to what you already have ...imo the 1050 x 1050 base plus cabinets is ideal for storing big appliances out of the way and leaves a generous corner counter for spreading out


  • 4 months ago

    I am a little confused by your floor plan. Are the cabinets on both walls set into to walls on your plan? As it appears the pantry is and the tv wall is shown as continuous

  • 4 months ago

    You guys are awesome. I truly appreciate all the time spent trying to help me with this. I have been driving myself crazy trying to work out what to put in this corner that’s functional. Here are some notes/comments from oklouises plan. I hope you can read my handwriting. I’m hoping this will help with some of your questions. I have also attached a picture of the type of look we are trying to achieve just for context not necessarily layout but it’s the coastal look

  • 4 months ago

    And where the wood cupboards are we would have full height cupboards and our kitchen will not have an insert like this it will all be on a straight wall, we are making our current insert a void and putting in a wall

  • 4 months ago

    Agree with Kate, your plans and your photos don’t equal. The kitchen cabinets are built in an alcove. It is not a continuous wall at the same position into tv area. What is the length of the alcove, and what is the length of the wall that the tv is on. Will the kitchen cabinets only be in the existing alcove, or continued along tv wall?? Style of kitchen is not relevant for us.

  • 4 months ago

    .??

  • 4 months ago

    So that is being built out to existing wall so will be level with the tv wall. 4m measurement for kitchen is from back of pantry to halfway between current alcove and the TV

  • 4 months ago

    Okloiuses plan is 4800mm plus the 1500mm tall storage space. So this won’t fit in your 4000mm.

  • 4 months ago

    And with that ready made alcove, you already have an excellent place for a pantry and appliance cupboard. Just remove the cooktop, add some pocket doors, maybe more shelving…..done.

  • 4 months ago

    Remove the corner pantry walls, and straighten the kitchen cabinets, as per the second photo above….

  • 4 months ago

    A pantry needs to be organised. With narrow shelving, so nothing gets hidden at the back. All of your food items in the pantry could easily be organised into two or three shallow long shelves above the appliances.

  • 4 months ago

    if your house has been bought or sold in the last few years there is often a whole house floor plan on the old real estate adds ...Google your address and see if you can find an old floor plan as your best new kitchen will be based on more accurate understanding of the whole existing floor plan as i'm now confused about what you want to have in this room...will the TV and seating have to stay or will it be just for kitchen and dining??

  • 4 months ago

    Great idea! There was this that may help you. It doesn’t have all the measurements though.

  • 4 months ago

    This might answer some of your questions dreamer


  • 4 months ago

    So sorry for all the confusion 😬

  • 4 months ago

    Thanks krystle for the floor plan. Now we can see the true layout of the space.

  • 4 months ago

    Sorry I should have thought of that! It does make it easier when you know the layout. Unfortunately my spatial awareness is not great either or my vocab when it comes to design features but now I know that area where cooktop is an alcove not an insert lol 😆

  • 4 months ago

    I would not close up the alcove, it means that you encroach into the kitchen available space, when removing the bulkhead and using the alcove would be better use of space.

  • 4 months ago

    Dreamer do you think we should make the alcove into the pantry? If so what should we do with current pantry?

  • 4 months ago

    Remove the structure, and make it a straight wall for oven, fridge, sink…etc etc.

  • 4 months ago

    For best use of space in the room I would work with that step out/bulkhead which I think is approx 600 deep.

    Good to see the floorplan which will allow for better ideas

  • 4 months ago

    It’s 450mm deep from back of alcove/step out to the tv wall, 600mm is the benchtop depth.

  • 4 months ago

    Good to know Krystie, base cabinets are 600 deep and wall 300. You need the 600 depth for cooktops, sinks etc.

  • 4 months ago

    Are all wall 300? So if we block that alcove / step out and bring the wall forward to the tv wall we can still only have 300 deep wall cabinets?

  • 4 months ago

    Normal wall units are 300 deep and base units normal is 600, as mentioned above, but I suggest that it is better to use that 450deep space,. 450 is good depth for pantries plus other uses. as I said I would use that space.

    ie: if you fill in the alcove the new base cabinets 600 deep will sit against the new wall

  • 4 months ago

    Thank you siriuskey

  • 4 months ago

    And as I have said before. I would use the alcove space.

  • 4 months ago

    Never thought of using. I’m know staring at the space trying to visualise it. Lots of recommendations to keep it. Really appreciate your feedback. Thank you

  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    wall cabinets are usually 30cm deep so you don't bang your head on doors and 30cms is deep enough to store the usual plates cups bowls etc but there is no reason why the alcove can't have deeper cabinets eg if the alcove is now 450 deep then the new cabinets in the alcove could be 600 to 750 with a deep counter and deep wall cabinets with a 450 deep pantry covering most of the TV wall (allowing space for the TV) and this leaves enough walking space between counter and island without stealing space needed for the dining and sitting area...the existing base cabinet already projects out from the TV wall and my suggestion makes the base and wall cabinets deeper or can use standard base and wall cabinets with a deeper counter built in front of a partial void without losing all the space in the alcove but i would keep all cabinets around the corner low to allow for a generous corner counter area for a preparation area and for using appliances and keep tall storage around the TV ....the problem with making cabinets much deeper than normal is that it can be hard to reach into deep wall cabinets unless you are especially tall but i find my own 750 deep base cabinets and 400 deep wall cabinets very comfortable to use and the bigger corner base cabinet with wider bifold doors has enough easy access space for all my big appliances but, seeing items stored on top of your wall cabinets, you may also like to have extra storage in wall cabinets to the ceiling plus extra storage for dinnerware at the back of the island


  • 4 months ago

    I have used the new dimensions for two layouts, Using the step out in the kitchen and using standard 600 base and 300 wall units, these cabinets are configured to allow visual access to working on the benchtop. And as OKL rightly suggests you can change these but they will be more expensive, it all comes back to budget.


    I have used 600 & 300 cabinets in both kitchens, the "L" shaped would have a bulk head above the fridge wall to match the current one but would be deeper to give a built in appearance.

    The second thought was to move the kitchen along the TV wall closer to the alfresco .

    Both are basic layouts



  • 4 months ago

    Krystle, have a look at the post just added to Houzz from PMG Design. It’s a great example of making both walls straight, and getting rid of the corner storage. Keep it straight.

  • 4 months ago

    .

  • 4 months ago

    and a very poor 3D view of my latest suggestions


  • 4 months ago

    That’s great oklouise thank you for the 3D that really helps me picturing it. I’m just not sure I want the cabinetry taking up the whole wall but I see what you mean it creates a lot more storage

  • 4 months ago

    Siriuskey I really appreciate your plans too. I could move the kitchen down to the very back of the house, I just don’t think we could have the second lounge room because it’s right next to the other lounge room and the space seems a little awkward, maybe we could do a home office which we are in desperate need of but I will sit and digest that a bit. It makes planning easier with no bulkhead or corner pantries to deal with 😆

  • 4 months ago

    dreamer I really like the pmgdesign too. I’m assuming there is a reason why but I don’t really like how they left the soft corner in, albeit it’s not as noticeable as a full pantry

  • 4 months ago

    Not as good as OKL Render, this 3D apart from 1997 fixtures shows that the family TV space could be used as a study/office and could be reconfigured., the bulkhead above the kitchen would be one continual piece not having a join as shown


  • 4 months ago

    Krystle, The PMG Design probably has a angled brick wall at the back wall of pantry. They dealt with that in the best way they could. Yours does not, and therefore enables your walls to be straight into the corner.

  • PRO
    4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    as per dreamer's earlier comment, I reckon building out the back wall to line up with existing is a waste of valuable space. You could really utilise it by integrating a decent size hidden pantry/appliance centre / scullery into this with your initial concept - rough idea attached. You'll have to be careful with the width across so island bench and dining table needs to be relatively narrow/scaled to the room dimension otherwise it will feel squeezed with chairs sitting around the table


  • 4 months ago
    last modified: 4 months ago

    Agree….reposting photos of my original post from 4 feb. This is the built example aligned with Paul Di Stefano design, ideas in above post. You have so many options available to you. You have to work out which is the most practical for how you live and prepare meals.




  • 4 months ago

    Given it is a 4 bed house I would keep a second living space. Your current layout does maximise storage. You may want some extra storage on tv wall but it could be added later.

  • PRO
    4 months ago

    The overal design, layout and zoning of the house is really quite good - a separate master zone looking onto a pool and a secondary bedroom zone with a decent entry - however the kitchen scale & amenity is arguably the weak point & undersized for what people want/need these days....as Kate mentioned I'd consider a 2nd living area really practical in growing family situations but i'd also see there are options of how to potentially achieve here not being in with the kitchen/dining say by utilising the outdoor living area (with blinds?) or even look at the garage as a proper rumpus/mpr space if that was needed....comes down to balancing personal priorities/needs etc..

  • 4 months ago

    I get what you mean about corner pantries—mine always felt like a black hole for stuff I forgot I had. When I remodeled, I went with a sharp-edged walk-in style with deep shelves and a small counter for appliances, and it made a huge difference. If space allows, maybe do a recessed pantry with a sliding or bifold door instead of a swing-out? That way, you keep everything accessible without dealing with wasted space or awkward angles.