Once considered something only your grandmother used to have, today the kitchen larder is very much on trend and a must-have for keen cooks or for busy households. Whether referred to as a larder or pantry, they come in all shapes and sizes and can be found in both traditional and more contemporary kitchens. If you have a large kitchen and are looking for a walk-in one or have a smaller kitchen and are looking for a pull-out unit to help maximise storage, there are many practical and stylish options available.
The key to a successful larder is choosing the right one for your needs. Make it work for you – after all, space is a priority in most kitchens and a kitchen larder enables you to create this. Larders are very practical as they allow you to keep everything accessible in the one place. For examples, herbs and packets often get lost at the back of cupboards and are forgotten about. A larder can prevent this. With handy racks on the back of the doors and deep shelves, a larder makes it easy to see instantly what you have.
Built-in v freestanding larders
A kitchen larder can be either built-in or freestanding. Built-in larders are better for smaller kitchens. If you want your larder to fully integrate with your kitchen, then a built-in one will fit in seamlessly with your cabinets for a sleek and minimalistic look. A classic freestanding larder can become a feature in itself; with a broader design using freestanding furniture to complement its presence.
With a variety of different materials available and different combinations of drawers, shelves and compartments; you can pretty much design the inside of your larder to suit your needs – consider deep drawers, well-spaced shelves, removable trays, wine racks as well as doors with racks on the inside for spices and jars.
Larder usage
The larder can be used for purposes other than food storage – how about storing all the crockery in one handy place? If located between a cooking and dining area, then deep drawers and shelves are perfect for linen, china, cutlery and crockery when laying the table.
Most recently, kitchen larders are also being used as breakfast dressers, designed to hold everything for breakfast including dried foods such as bread, cereals, preserves, tea and coffee. Why not add plug points and workstations to hold your electrical breakfast items such as kettle and toaster - extremely handy for busy families keeping mess and clutter to a minimum.
Larder style
Larders can be integrated into almost any space and built to any size. They can be designed with single, double, sliding or bi-fold-style doors, be slimline or double width in size and have endless options in terms of interior storage designs.
Whether freestanding or integrated, there are plenty of exterior finishes available. With an extensive choice of colours, shades and finishes; your larder can easily become a key feature in your kitchen. Bright and bold colours are becoming increasingly popular in modern kitchens, nevertheless, in more traditional kitchens, larders look great in natural wood such as oak and walnut. Subtle colours can also give you more of a classic feel such as cream or soft grey.
Practical, beautiful and a storage heaven, larders are the perfect addition to any kitchen.
23rd Mar 2020