The walk-in pantry
The Sunday Age
Sunday March 27, 2011
The preparation room is making a comeback, reports Gina Morris.The inclusion of a walk-in storage/preparation room has become the hottest thing in kitchen design. Cosy, comforting, nostalgic and practical, its addition allows our kitchen spaces to exist chaos and clutter free."It's a growing trend," says Yvonne Abood, general manager of marketing at Metricon Homes.The walk-in pantry is now standard in several Metricon house designs. "In the past it was an optional upgrade. But more and more people are wanting to extend their kitchen design to include either a walk-in pantry or, with larger floorplans, a full butler's pantry," says Ms Abood.The butler's pantry dates back to Victorian times. Traditionally, a walk-through passageway between the kitchen and dining room, it was used for serving and storage. In modern design, a high-end butler's pantry is often a replica kitchen, closeted off from the main kitchen, fully equipped with shelves, cupboards, benchtop, sink and even a wine cooler, dishwasher and fridge.Angelo Papalia, of Red One Constructions, recently completed work on one such pantry. "There was a full-on kitchen out the front that was all for show. If you walked through a sliding door there was another kitchen, complete with every major appliance apart from a stove. The owners could prepare everything in there, bring it out, shut the door and forget about it."The return of the walk-in pantry is, without doubt, affiliated to our predilection for open-plan living. With all the food preparation and dirty plates out of sight, the public face of our entertaining areas can be pristine."It is all about clean lines," says Yvonne Abood. "Kitchens are no longer separate to the dining room. People (want) to keep their surfaces clear." That was the reason Lou Mcintyre specified a large walk-in pantry in her requirements to architect Chris Manton, of Jam Architects. "I am a clean but messy person and we do a lot of entertaining." Designed as a rectangular box jutting out from the side of her kitchen, her pantry is so well organised and accessible (plenty of open drawers and shelving), she claims she can whip up a batch of biscuits in five minutes. Though there are doors that slide shut to hide it away, she rarely uses them. "It's a cosy and friendly space, and I think it looks homely if you can see it," she says. "It keeps my kitchen surfaces clear of mess but my favourite thing about it is, at the end of a dinner party, everyone always ends up in there."According to Peter Tragardh-Daly, of Cantilever, specialists in sustainable cabinetry and furniture design, the open-look pantry unites our desire for clutter-free living with the resurgence of nesting. "There is a lot of warmth coming back into the market," he says. "I think it ties in to the slow-food movement. People are using their kitchens a lot more to actually cook in for family and friends. There's also a move to organic and locally grown produce, and people like to have their nice condiments and fresh food on display." ContactsCantilever 9387 5421 cantileverinteriors.comJam Architects 9429 7744 jamarchitects.com.auMetricon 1300 638 742 metricon.com.auRed One Constructions 0417 354 10910 TIPS FOR A WALK-IN 1. Install plenty of electrical sockets. You can never have too many.2. Divide into distinct zones such as canned goods, dried fruit, etc.3. Use adjustable shelving and adaptable fixtures to ensure versatility.4. Dark and dry pantries preserve the food longer.5. At least one bench-top surface requires a minimum of 450mm to accommodate the appliances.6. Use baskets and glass jars and for instant visibility7. Keep open shelving narrow to avoid losing items at the back.8. Be creative. Make use of all available space with hanging shelves and hooks.9. Store flour, sugar and cereal in air-tight containers to avoid bugs.10. Install bright lighting, preferably on a micro switch.STORAGE SOLUTIONSChef's pull-out pantry. A full-length cabinet that fully extends to allow for easy access to all the contents. Can be right or left-door mounted with an optional soft and silent closing mechanism. Available at Hefele 9212 2000; hafelehome.com.auSpace Corner with Syncromotion.A solution to the problem of corners. The drawer front folds inwards to enable the drawer to be opened without interfering with the adjacent cabinetry. Available at Blum 02 9612 5400; blum.com.au
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