Easy DIY Pantry Makeover For Small Kitchens
Pantry solution for small kitchens with floating shelves, custom cabinetry & organization
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We bought the perfect starter home for ourselves 4 years ago. But after living in any space for so long, you really start to feel the inconveniences of what it lacks… Our house didn’t have a pantry so for years we made do with a little cart and kitchen cabinet space for dry food storage. Over the last month, I DIYed this space into what is now a functional pantry for us to enjoy!
BEFORE
As you can see, we really didn't have a pantry before this project. The area to the left of this, where you can just barely see the stairs, leads into our unfinished basement. There used to be a door that closed this space off from our kitchen. Our house is around 1300sqft and the kitchen and dining room are one room so this was the only extra space we had for a pantry. With limited cabinet space for dishes already, I took the opportunity to turn this space into a pantry. I am extremely happy with the result!
Wall Transformation: Shiplap
The first thing I did was shiplap the walls. I wanted something that would draw the eye from the kitchen, through the doorway, and into the space.
MDF SHIPLAP
Primed Tongue and Groove, 8’
I opted for white primed shiplap. My initial thought was that I could get away without painting it… I ended up painting it. I would advise painting it too. After installation, I could see that it wasn't quite as bright as I wanted it and it had a dull sheen to it. Plus I had to cover up all of the nail holes, sand and the panels accumulated a decent amount of grime from installation. The coat of paint really helped.
This is a fairly small space so I wanted to try different orientations with the shiplap to make the room appear bigger. I did horizontal on both side walls to elongate and, again, draw the eye to the space. I used vertical orientation on the back wall to make the room appear taller and have the eye follow the floating shelves up. I think I accomplished just that!
Tongue and groove shiplap is super easy to install. I will briefly go over it here but if you’re looking for more in depth instruction, you can watch this YouTube video:
Quick Shiplap Installation Instructions:
Measure and cut shiplap to size. You can use a miter saw or circular saw to cut pieces accordingly.
Use stud finder to mark studs. Be watchful of electrical.
Place shiplap against wall and have level handy.
Attach shiplap to studs with nail gun. 1.5-2” trim nails will do just fine.
Continue placing shiplap on top of one another until done. You may need to rip the last piece to size.
Caulk and trim all seams for a flawless finish.
This applies to the vertical shiplap too. Although, you will find installing vertically not every piece will overlap a stud. For all pieces of vertical, I used construction adhesive and nails. I do not recommend using construction adhesive on your walls if you ever plan to take down the shiplap. Construction adhesive will ruin your drywall.
I love how the shiplap transformed this space. It really does help this space appear bigger and it gave the walls the “wow” factor I was looking for!
Custom Cabinetry
To maximize our pantry's functionality, I decided to go all-in with custom cabinetry, using red oak plywood. Yes, I built this floor cabinet myself and it was relatively straightforward. I just followed a couple YT videos and hoped for the best! I am proud of how it turned out!
Building the floor cabinet allowed us to tailor the space to our needs and save money. I literally couldn’t find anything I liked from the box stores that wasn’t insanely expensive. We now have designated areas for everything from small appliances to hideaway trash and recycling. The cabinetry also conceals any clutter, giving our pantry a clean and organized appearance.
If you’re interested in learning how I built this one, you can check out this YouTube video:
This cabinet build is as simple as it gets and it has given us the utility that we need. While I am happy with the result, if I were to build custom cabinets again I would try a more advanced build in order to give me a different aesthetic for the door fronts. This would require me to buy a router or table saw.
Custom Floating Shelves
Next, I tackled building and installing custom floating shelves. I really wanted an open concept (as most pantries are) with a natural wood look. The red oak plywood was perfect for this! It was also a goal of mine to utilize all of the space in height and width. If you remember where we started, much of this space wasn’t being utilized at all.
To build the shelves, I used the same red oak plywood and 2x2 furring strips. I bought a Kreg pocket hole jig to assemble the cabinets and shelves as it was a recommendation in many YT videos I watched. I would suggest doing the same because it really came in handy for assembling. The shelves were also simple to put together once I had a solid plan down. If you want to know how I built these in-depth, you can watch my YT video here:
In short, I took the 2x2 furring strips and made a base to the length and width I wanted. I attached the base directly to the studs and then placed red oak plywood on top to achieve my desired shelf thickness. I used 1/4” plywood on the bottom and red oak plywood trim to case the front. Everything is tied together with trim nails, filled, sanded and polyurethaned.
The floating shelves turned out amazing! They not only complement the shiplap but ensure the durability of our pantry. These shelves provide ample storage while showcasing our favorite kitchen essentials and décor items.
Hideaway Trash and Recycling
One of the most satisfying aspects of this project was installing a hideaway trash and recycling bin. No longer does an unsightly trash can occupy valuable floor space. It's now neatly tucked away, accessible yet discreet. I highly suggest getting yourself a hideaway trashcan.
I’m not going to recommend one because what I will say is it was a little bit of an adjustment for us to go to the smaller trash can. Some of them are really small. I actually ordered one on Amazon initially and they were tiny. So be conscious of checking the dimensions of the receptacle if you do order one. The ones we settled with we got from Menards. They aren’t much smaller than our previous trashcan but they are still smaller… and that means taking the trash out more often. Now that we are used to it, I love it.
Pantry Organization
Finally, we implemented a thoughtful pantry organization system. We invested in containers, baskets, and organizers to keep our dry goods, snacks, and cooking essentials in perfect order. This not only adds to the aesthetics but also makes meal preparation a breeze.
Here are my recommendations for better pantry organization and food storage. The can organizer truly is a game-changer!
conclusion
The journey from a pantry-less kitchen to this well-organized, aesthetically pleasing space was truly a labor of love. It's amazing how a little creativity, some DIY spirit, and quality materials can transform a space and improve daily life. Our new pantry has made our kitchen more functional, organized, and beautiful - and it's all the more satisfying knowing I did it!
AFTER
I hope this pantry transformation inspires you to take on your own home improvement projects and make the most of your space. Remember, with a little vision and a lot of determination, you can turn your house into a home that truly reflects your style and meets your needs - a home come true!
