Sorry, open shelving, but this is the beautiful and practical storage trend taking over kitchens in 2025

Space for a separate walk-in pantry is one of those things that sits optimistically on the dream home wish list, along with a walk-in wardrobe. However, the freestanding pantry trend has finally made adding your dream pantry ideas to your kitchen a little more accessible for smaller homes.

‘A freestanding larder unit is one of those pieces that feels like a little luxury but brings so much everyday functionality,’ says Vicky Ashton, Designer at Willis & Stone. A bank of wall cabinets can look dark and dated, open shelves just get dusty and rummaging around to find the flour at the back of a deep, cavernous base cabinet is never easy.

‘The biggest advantage it brings is that it enables you to have all of your dry food in one dedicated space. This means everything from spices to cereals are easy to find, easy to reach and neatly organised,' Vicky explains about the emerging kitchen storage trend.

They aren’t new; pre fridges, a larder or pantry was a cool storage area for perishable meats, cheese and milk, but pantries have evolved over time and today offer flexible, versatile kitchen storage ideas designed to keep all your dry goods, family snacks and cooking spices organised together with any small appliances you want out of the way.

How to choose and style a freestanding pantry

Typically a tall unit featuring double doors that can be opened wide to reveal a mix of shelves, handy pull out drawers, baskets and racks for smaller items, the bonus of including a freestanding pantry in your kitchen design is that it gives you a huge amount of easy to use storage while taking up a relatively small amount of floor space as well as creating the current on trend ‘unfitted kitchen’ look.

1. Choose your perfect style

If you’re thinking ‘they’re just for big country kitchens’, think again, as Claire Garner, Director of Claire Garner Design Studio explains. 'The beauty of a freestanding larder is that it can be tailored to suit your kitchen’s style and size.’

The classic shaker style kitchen larder, whether it’s painted in a chalky white or soft grey finish, or simply crafted in beautiful natural wood, is the perfect addition in a traditional, timeless kitchen, however, as Claire goes on to say ‘If you prefer a more contemporary feel, opting for a sleek, handleless design in a matt finish can create a modern, understated look.’

Colour is another great way to make a statement, ‘painting your larder in a contrasting shade to your main cabinetry can add depth and interest, choose on-trend deep greens and rich earthy tones to create warmth and sophistication,’ suggests Claire. ‘Alternatively, keeping it the same colour ensures a more seamless, integrated feel.’

Consider the materials you choose, adding elements like glass-fronted doors gives a lighter, more open look or adding brushed metal handles adds an understated elegance.

2. Get the right fit

Whether you’re planning a new kitchen from scratch or adding a freestanding pantry to an existing layout, choosing the right size for you and the space is vital.

First, look at where you want it to sit; Claire Garner says ‘it’s important to consider both function and flow; positioning the larder near your main prep or cooking area ensures easy access to ingredients, while placing it slightly apart from the busiest zones helps create a dedicated storage space.’

Measure the height, width and depth of the space, do you have room for a luxurious triple door style, such as the Chester Triple Larder from The Cotswold Company, which will give you maximum storage for everything from tins, jars and family sized boxes of cereal through to small appliances and fresh vegetables in the crates below. Alternatively if space is tight, keep the footprint small and make the most of the floor to ceiling height by choosing a tall, but narrow, single door freestanding pantry such as Next’s Malvern single larder, which as well as internal shelves, includes a deep rack on the inside of the door, making it perfect for adding additional storage to smaller kitchens.

Another consideration when choosing a freestanding pantry when space is tight is to go for a design with a sliding rather than hinged door, so you don’t have to leave so much free space around it.

3. Choose a good quality material

As your primary piece of kitchen storage a freestanding pantry needs to be super durable and hard wearing, it will be in constant use by all the family all day, from grabbing the marmite at breakfast time right through to sneaking those late night snacks (make sure those door hinges are oiled to avoid any giveaway squeaks!). ‘It’s definitely worth investing in quality materials for your larder,’ says Vicky Ashton, Designer at Willow & Stone. 'This ensures you're not just getting something that looks good, you're getting a piece that will last for years and stand up to everyday use. Think solid timber, dovetail joints and strong shelving - this quality will also help to elevate the overall look and feel of your kitchen.’

Buying long-lasting wood also means that you can sand and repaint your freestanding pantry whenever you feel like a kitchen refresh. For a more affordable freestanding pantry look for painted particle board or mdf as with everything in your kitchen where you’re storing food, check that all the surfaces are easy to clean.

4. It’s what’s in the inside that counts

A freestanding pantry is a brilliant way of adding extra kitchen storage where it’s most needed, or where the current storage isn’t easy for everyone to access, but as Sian Pelleschi founder of Sorted and president of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers warns ‘a large store like this can easily get a little chaotic if not organised in a way that makes it easy for you and the rest of the family to find and put things away.’

Sian suggests that before you do anything, 'decide what your pantry’s main function will be; is it just a store for all your dry and canned cooking ingredients or will it be a multi-purpose space, doubling up as breakfast station with all your cereals, bread and spread, or a coffee bar?’

Whatever you decide, Sian explains that ‘storing like with like makes everything easy to find and means there’s less chance of you buying excess because you know how many of anything you have.’

Make use of baskets and containers as a way of keeping items contained and easy to access. Sian advises using clear ones, ‘as it’s easy to see what’s inside.’ She also suggests using labels; ‘labelling means you instantly know what goes where, it also makes it easy for the rest of the family, so hopefully things will end up back in their rightful places!’

Make your freestanding pantry work hard, choosing a design with adjustable shelves means you can customise it to perfectly fit what you need to store, making space for larger cereal boxes or jars and gadgets such as slow cookers and blenders, leaving your countertops clutter-free. And don’t forget the doors; easy-to-view spice racks will make finding the oregano and thyme so much quicker.

5. Make it a focal point

It’s not just about adding the extra storage, including a freestanding pantry in your kitchen layout will create that relaxed, unfitted look that is so on trend at the moment, emphasising individuality and personality, and as Vicky Ashton from Willis & Stone explains ‘they also offer a style opportunity as they are perfect for adding a splash of colour or texture, or even showcasing a contrasting traditional or vintage look alongside more modern cabinetry.’

Choosing or painting a freestanding pantry in a bold lush green or zesty tangerine creates real wow factor in a neutral or dark kitchen colour scheme, however if you are wary of going bold on the outside of such a large piece consider painting the interior of your pantry in a strong shade, that way every time you open the door you will get a joyful pop of colour.

Where to buy a freestanding pantry

So if you’re looking for additional, user friendly storage as well as incorporating that on trend, relaxed, unfitted kitchen vibe a freestanding pantry is your answer.