My home is a brick bungalow built in 1910 and has a good sized pantry in the kitchen, however, with several very deep shelves that go to the 9ft. ceilings, the pantry was not really user friendly. Here is the before picture:

After the remodel, I have two deep shelves left up high for extra kitchen "stuff" and new smaller, narrow shelves in an L-configuration for pantry food storage. The wall on the left has no shelves, but has hooks for hanging the stir-fry pan, sieves, colanders, roasting pans, and aprons. The space is big enough that I can walk *into* the pantry and even turn around if I want!

The shelves were already covered with a white laminate and did not need painting. I did paint the old beadboard wall covering a clean white to brighten up the interior. It took 2 carpenters one day and $300 to re-do the pantry and a few other odd jobs around the house. Best money I have spent in a long time!

Here is the new pantry:

My pantry is 46" across and 34.5" deep, just so you will know what size I'm working with.

Other points:

~ the new shelves are 8.5" wide, but that is because that is the largest size I could make down the right side from the door facing; with an L-shaped shelf arrangement, you probably want to put the shelves down the side with the most room from the door facing - my left side has only 4" of space from the corner to the door facing; I wish I had made the back shelves just a tad bit wider - maybe 10" but no wider than that

~ the lowest shelf is 25" from the floor so I can stack a couple of large stock pots on the floor beneath the shelf; there is also a wood crate on the floor that holds cookie sheets, baking pans, deep dish pizza pan, pizza screens, etc.

~ the hooks on the left side are staggered down the left wall and are placed no higher than I can reach (I'm 5'5" tall) and hold 2 sieves, a breadbasket, the stir fry pan, and a roasting pan; a large hook beside the left door facing (inside the pantry) holds 3-4 full-length aprons

~ I use baskets and colanders to hold onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes as I don't buy a lot of these at one time and they must go in the pantry where it is dark

~ there is a plastic basket to hold dried beans and rice and another smaller basket to hold ranch mix, enchilada sauce mix, taco mix, etc.

~ wherever possible I use decorative tin cans with lids to hold pasta, cocoa, and tea; I also use large glass jars to hold oatmeal, barley, dried potato flakes (for bread) etc.

~the top shelves are the original 16" deep shelves and hold the Fry Daddy, the largest crock pot, 3(?) thermoses, box of canning jars, etc. - the cooking items that are used less frequently. [note: I worked for 10 years in a gourmet cooking store so I have lots and lots of stuff!]

Hope this helps!
Teresa

Chris