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Elevate your kitchen with these desirable storage features.
These larder cupboard and pantry ideas are as stylish as they are practical. Providing organised storage for food, a highly desirable pantry or larder will ensure your items are easily accessible and, importantly, keep the kitchen area clutter-free.
'Pantries and larders are beautiful and functional ways of storing essentials, white goods, teas/coffees and even wine,' says William Durrant, owner of Herringbone. 'Both are a great option to hide everything away.'
Whether you're looking to design a walk-in pantry or a small pull-out larder, your kitchen designer can help you decide how to fit out your dedicated floor-to-ceiling space with shelving and cupboards to help you store like with like, and cut down on visual clutter.
Today, the terms 'larder' and 'pantry' are often used interchangeably because, after all, they both store food. But there are some differences that we'll outline below.
A larder cupboard is typically a cupboard or cabinet in the kitchen that's easy to reach and ideal for storing dry goods, long-life food and drink. It's a key consideration when deciding on storage solutions for your kitchen design, which is particularly beneficial for those who have a small kitchen. Larders can also be freestanding, but it's often always contained in one cupboard.
'The larder has become a must-have piece in the kitchen, and it makes perfect sense,' says kitchen designer Leisha Norman. 'The great advantage of a larder and its storage capacity is that a kitchen no longer needs to be full of wall cupboards. It frees up entire walls to either be left free or have an attractive piece of artwork, which in turn helps to make it feel less like a kitchen and instead more of a relaxed environment, perfect for open-plan living areas.'
For centuries, homes have relied on a dedicated kitchen pantry to store dried goods, pots, pans and jars of produce. Pantries are larger, often held in a small or separate room or a closet. Today's walk-in pantry is highly covetable and requires having more space – this dedicated 'room within a room' is perfect if you have a large household.
'The pantry has a rich and varied history in the home, and I am delighted to see it making a comeback with the ability to be personalised to suit the needs of today's busy families,' says Julia Steadman, commercial director at Brandt Design. 'The advantages of having a walk-in pantry include the ability to keep your store cupboard essentials away from the main work area, which frees up more space for dining, relaxing and more appliances to make life easier.'
Additionally, the breakfast pantry (or 'bi-folding pantry', as it is also known) has been a growing trend since 2024. It's typically a built-in cupboard and so much smaller than a walk-in pantry, but the interior space is still expansive, allowing for small appliances like a toaster and kettle, cookbooks, cereal, plus tea and coffee.
From orange to grey and walk-in to curved, browse these versatile larder cupboard and pantry ideas...
Fresh and muted, this sage green kitchen larder draws upon soft, botanical shades found in the natural world. This breakfast cupboard offers ample space for cereal, tea towels, glassware and wine. Also, take note of the bespoke pull-out drawers for optimal storage.
• Sherwood Larder in Sage Green from Benchmarx Kitchens
Fluted glass doors will obscure much of the clutter while also allowing light to flow between your kitchen and larder. If you have enough space to create a large, walk-in larder, they are a great option.
• See more from Harvey Jones
The humble larder cupboard gets an upgrade here. This design from Husk Kitchens, with jade green cupboards and gold handles, is ideal for anyone wanting to make a statement with storage. Every area is utilised, with the wooden racks on the doors offering space for small tins and jars.
• See more from Husk Kitchens
Blue and white are an elegant colour pairing in any kitchen. This beautiful walk-in pantry from Harvey Jones combines classic navy Shaker units with bright white walls.
• See more from Harvey Jones
In this stylist's kitchen in Buckinghamshire, a full-height larder frees up space elsewhere for her decorative trinkets. 'While open shelving is lovely for curating aesthetically pleasing objects, unless you have lots of cupboards and drawers to stash the more unsightly items, it’s not practical,' homeowner Anna tells us.
'Your walk-in pantry should be a natural extension of the kitchen, so when designing it, you should think about its everyday practical requirements, how it will function, and what you will store there,' says Tom Howley, design director of the eponymous kitchen company.
'You should also draw up a list of elements that you may need in the future, ensuring your walk-in pantry has longevity. You might involve more drawers or put an emphasis on shelving, all orderly contained behind doors.'
• See more from Tom Howley
A larder cupboard is a highly covetable design feature, particularly for storage seekers. This design from Wren Kitchens has seven shelves, giving you enough space to squeeze in all the essentials and keep it hidden behind closed doors.
• See more from Wren Kitchens
Pink certainly has a way to make a space feel full of personality. Kitchens can often be a neutral affair in our homes, but this pink pantry from Tom Howley is a lesson in how to do colour well. There are three tall cupboards and drawers above, and the super smart wine rack, which can be seen through the glass door, is a lovely design detail.
• See more from Tom Howley
These vegetable-themed window films from Purlfrost are perfect for a kitchen and can be ordered transparent within a frosted background, or in a colour of your choice.
• See more from Purlfrost
A pantry can provide the answer to all your storage woes, but not everything has to be behind closed doors. Where shelves are on display, think about the best way to group or corral vegetables, cereals and spices.
• See more from B&M
This red pantry from Herringbone will tempt you to ditch conventional coloured cabinetry. Offering a grown-up approach to kitchen design, it has been complemented by brass handles and marvellous marble worktops.
• See more from Herringbone
We love this utility/larder design, which is perfect for storing cleaning supplies and drying laundry. Make room for a washing machine and tumble dryer to free up your busy kitchen.
• See more from Harvey Jones
This design has all the makings of a breakfast pantry, where you can store your coffee machine, tea bags, and mugs and bowls.
'Consider bifold doors so when the unit is in use and the family are in and out during the time of use, the doors are half the size and can sit nicely over the worktop in front,' suggests William Durrant from Herringbone.
• See more from Searle & Taylor
'To retain cohesion, paint your pantry in the same colour as your existing cabinets, or to create more of a contrast, add a pop of colour,' says Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr. 'Painting your pantry in a different shade will act as a focal point whilst adding depth and interest to the space.'
• See more from Olive & Barr
Beautiful to look at and practical to use, elevate your kitchen space with this colourful, tall larder cupboard. Opt for zesty orange to brighten a neutral space.
Each shelf has a purpose here and spice racks are attached to the doors to maximise space. 'A well-organised kitchen pantry is not only pleasing on the eye, but will allow you to shop smarter and prevent unnecessary rummaging in an attempt to reach the long-lost herbs stuck at the back of the cupboard,' say interior designers Jenna and Mariana from Interior Fox.
• See more from Harvey Jones
The benefit of a built-in larder cupboard is definitely its sleek, stylish appeal.
'Ideal for filling an awkward space, these tall units are perfect for smaller kitchens as they use all of the available wall space while enhancing storage,' explains Al. 'A pantry can remove the need for upper cabinetry, allowing the light to flow through the space, opening up the possibility of open shelving instead.'
• See more from Olive & Barr
Lucky enough to have your very own walk-in pantry? We love how this small room makes a big design statement thanks to the blue and white tiles which start on the floor and work all the way up the wall. The combination of shelves, drawers and work surface creates all the functionality you'd need.
• See more from Wood Works Brighton
This stylish kitchen larder is ideal for displaying jars, tins and small kitchen appliances. It's important to highlight the use of lighting here. The LED strips hidden under the shelves offer better visibility, and can be purchased and installed very affordably.
• See more from Brayer Design
This pantry/home bar is a real showstopper. It's the perfect solution for keeping bottles, glasses and barware tidy, and the mirrored interior makes it feel like a luxe hotel bar.
• See more from Davonport
This striking walk-in pantry has sleek grey cabinets and wooden shelves, providing plenty of storage space. The highlight here is the glass door with black frames, which helps to zone and divide the pantry from the kitchen.
• See more from Kin by Mowlem
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