Transformation Tuesday: From Double Oven to Pantry

It's Transformation Tuesday and this week I have a home renovation project to show.

When we moved in we had a nice looking double oven and brand new stovetop. However, the ovens did not work and could not be fixed economically. Additionally, the oven was not a standard size so a replacement would be very costly. 

So, we decided to take out the stove top, cut the Corian and install a brand new range. That left us with less cabinet space and a cabinet with a gaping hole. 

Well, one year later we have finally filled up that hole and we have a second pantry! It really wasn't that complicated and should have been done a long time ago but let's just say we don't get projects done quickly around here. Plus the kids thought it was a great house. 

How We Did It

We sanded, primed and painted the inside. 

My folks found a door discarded for another home renovation. It was almost the perfect size. Just a little trimming needed.

Then we purchase wire brackets and shelving from Home Depot. We used a zaw saw to cut the long shelf piece into 24 inch wide shelves. 

The Result

This pantry solves a traffic issue in our poorly designed kitchen. The refrigerator and old pantry are in the only walkway though the kitchen to the dining room. With both of these opening several times a day, it is a constant obstacle course. 

The new pantry will be our primary food pantry. A spot for lunch supplies, snacks, canned goods, beans, pasta, spices, breakfast foods. On the bottom, I need to find stacking bins for onions, garlic, potatoes. 

The old pantry will be a spot for baking supplies: flour, sugars, cake decorating, baking sheets, and appliances that are used infrequently.  We are currently painting the shelves and insides of this pantry so I'll show that set up next week.

Pots and pans, Corning ware, Pyrex dishes and bowls and other appliances will be in a nearby cabinet underneath the counters. Storage containers will be in a cabinet near the fridge. 

I am going to label it all using chalkboard contact paper punched in a label design and chalk markers. I'm considering painting the inset of the door with magnetic chalkboard paint but I'm afraid it would end up looking cluttered. 

What do you think? 

I have big plans for a total kitchen redo in the next two years. New flooring, cabinets, counters. The works. In that renovation, I am thinking of building a larger pantry in another area of the kitchen. But for now, this new pantry addition will help cut down on the traffic in the main walkway and give us more overall storage.