No Pantry? No Problem!

Creative Space Solutions on a Limited Budget

When we moved in, one of the first things I needed to change about the kitchen was to create some sort of pantry space. The previous owners didn't have children living in the house, so their food storage needs were very different than those of ours as a family of six.

Previous Owners Used this Cabinet as an Entertainment Center

The kitchen area is an open-concept kitchen/family-room combo, and this built-in cabinet area served as their entertainment center. I decided to re-purpose it into our pantry and put our TV on a different wall.

We did not have a budget to recreate this space in any major way, so this project is very realistic for the average person. You need basic tools, like a drill and screwdriver, and then if you want to add the front curtains, you'll need either basic sewing or ironing skills (for a no-sew solution).

Retro-Fit Pantry Materials:

ALGOT shelving from Ikea
Curtain Rod Hardware (I used this one from Ikea, but any simple rod set would work!)
Basic Tools (drill, screws, screwdriver)
Fabric (I used an Amy Butler print because I love her designs - just google to find where to buy her fabric if you like it - but you could easily choose something more simple). I also added some trim, which is (obviously) optional.
Paint (this is white dove by Benjamin Moore)
Updated Knobs (totally optional)

Steps for Retro-Fitting Pantry:

Install Shelving Unit: After measuring and deciding on the shelving that works for your space, install it
Paint Cabinets if desired
Make Curtain allowing for hole to slide rod through (or use curtain clips)
Install Curtain Rod and hang curtain

Just like all of my posts, there's nothing perfect about this - and you can see the all the imperfections in the space if you look closely - because, guess what? Humans actually live here, and it's never totally clean! But it serves us well and is a big improvement over the original space.