Red Tin Inn: Pantry Update: More purposeful kitchen storage.

Our pantry is a very busy location. It was a multipurpose space that I was asking too much of for its small size. Originally the pantry area was the location for the washer and dryer at the back door. Luckily that phase of our home is over. Like all projects, here, they take time. We do (or Mr. RTI ) all of the install and design around work and LIFE.

The starting point was to literally define "pantry".

Googles Definition:

a small room or closet in which food, dishes, and utensils are kept.

A great starting point. Everything that did not match the definition was removed with one exception of: A Bissell Bolt pet stick vac. I use this thing everyday especially at the end of the day in the kitchen. This also serves as a central medicine cabinet.

The bulk of my pantry stayed packed up in a corner of our bedroom for a few weeks.

The multicolored walls..

The large utility sink ...

The different boards used for shelving and flooring were about to change.

I found a sink with built-in drainboard at Ikea. Not only was it the right size with a drainboard, it was also cheaper than buying it off the shelf at a home improvement store.

We elected to cover the walls with bead board. We used it in the kitchen as back splash and took it to the ceiling. The less painting the better. Once the bead board was installed we concentrated on the flooring. The largest home improvement purchase we have made. I will post on that later.

We choose smartcore waterproof flooring in Shady Pine and it is installed in every room in the house except the bathrooms. (Bathroom remodels are in the future).

Hubby also installed a counter top to hold the sink.

This sink was a big wish list for this room. We have a kitchen garden just out side the back door. This sink is used to wash up garden veggies. The drain board gives me a place to set them to drain and dry.

And some days we are truly blessed with abundance!

I found a exterior side door panel for 10 bucks at my favorite thrift store and it paired with some brackets makes a great end cap for the shelving edge.

From this...

To this..

I know that breaker box is ugly. I have a plan to make a cover for it using magnets that will be a different post.

The storage is not matchy matchy however I try to stay consistent with clear containers that seal well.

The coffee maker and instapots are on a low shelf. I never dreamed that I would use those pots as much as I do. Storing them in here eases up storage in the main kitchen. The upper bins hold seasonal items that I do not use that often. The stool is a 7 dollar thrift find it is also a step stool. To cover it was super easy. The lighting was also replaced with a low profile ceiling light .

This update was planned for a while. I will admit that I kept that side panel in my shop for months and the sink was stored for a few months as well. This did not happen over night. There are perks to taking a little time to finish projects. The main one is time to think about what you like about your space. When you take your time to complete projects there is time for creative changes. Also with my pantry being predominantly in storage I figured out what I could live without.

No my pantry is not showroom ready all the time but it is easy to find and store kitchen goods.

Because this although still functional was a lot more difficult to get motivated to clean compared to...