Larders, pantries and boot rooms
A well planned larder takes the pressure off every other cupboard, and a good boot room keeps the mud by the back door. Ideas and practical details from our designers.
Pantry or larder?
The words get used for the same thing, but there is a useful difference. A larder cupboard is a tall unit in the kitchen, fitted out with shelves, drawers and racks. A pantry, or walk-in larder, is a small room or deep alcove you step into.
Which suits you depends on the space, how you shop and how much you like to see at a glance. A larder cupboard fits into almost any kitchen. A walk-in needs a spare corner, the space under the stairs or part of a utility room, but holds far more.
- Larder cupboard
- A tall unit, usually 500 to 1200mm wide, within the kitchen run
- Walk-in larder
- A small room or alcove with shelves on two or three sides
- Boot room
- Coats, boots, bags and the dog, by the back door
Larder cupboard ideas
These are all from the Caledonia ranges we design with, made to order in a choice of painted colours. See our Classic, In-Frame and Handleless ranges, or call in to see the open larder in our showroom.
Double door larder
Racks on the doors and wide shelves behind, so everything is in view the moment you open it.
Larder dresser
An oak interior with drawers below and shelves above, made to look like a piece of furniture.
Lit larder with drawers
Lights that come on as the doors open, and oak drawers for bread, vegetables and packets.
Pull-out larder
Tall baskets that bring the back of the cupboard to you. Ideal for a narrow gap beside the oven.
Pull-out shelves
Shallow shelves that slide out behind the doors, so nothing gets lost at the back.
Breakfast cupboard
Sockets inside for the toaster and coffee machine, with doors that close on the clutter.
Walk-in larders
If you have the space, a walk-in larder is hard to beat. A few details make all the difference.
- Shallow shelves, 250 to 300mm deep, at eye level for jars and tins, with deeper ones low down for crates, baskets and the bread maker.
- A stone or quartz shelf, which stays cool for butter, cheese and baking.
- A light on a door switch or sensor, so you are never hunting in the dark.
- Some ventilation, from a window, an air brick or a vented door.
- A door that matches the kitchen, so the larder feels part of it.
No room for a walk-in? An oak lined double larder can hold almost as much, like the one we fitted in a two tone kitchen in West Chiltington.
Good to know, whatever the size
- Put the larder close to the fridge and the main worktop, so you are not carrying things across the room.
- Check the door can open fully. A tall door hinged against a wall needs a little space to swing past it.
- Pull-out frames have weight limits, so heavy tins and bottles are better on fixed shelves.
- Plan sockets and lighting before the electrician starts, especially for a breakfast cupboard.
- We draw your larder in 3D and VR with the rest of the kitchen, so you can see how it opens and what it holds.
Boot rooms
A boot room is the buffer between the garden and the house. It does not need to be big. A wall by the back door can do most of the job.
- A bench with drawers or a lift-up seat underneath for boots and shoes.
- Hooks at adult and child heights, with an open shelf above for hats and gloves.
- A tall cupboard for the vacuum, mop and ironing board.
- A hard wearing floor and a practical worktop, such as laminate or quartz.
- A deep sink or a dog wash, and somewhere for the dog bed.
- Some airflow, so wet coats dry out.
Utility rooms
Stacking the washing machine and dryer in a tall housing puts them at a comfortable height and frees up worktop. Add a run of worktop for folding, pull-out baskets for laundry, and a sink for the muddy jobs. Our sinks and taps include deep ceramic and stainless options that suit a utility well.
Often the utility and boot room share one space, and planning them together makes the most of it.
Larder and boot room questions
How wide should a larder cupboard be?
Single larders usually come in 500 or 600mm widths, and double larders around 1000 to 1200mm. We plan the width around your space and what you want to store when we come out to measure.
Is a pull-out larder better than shelves?
Pull-outs make narrow spaces easy to use because everything comes out to you. Wider larders often work better with fixed shelves, door racks and internal drawers, which hold more and are easier to rearrange.
Can you build a walk-in larder under the stairs?
Often, yes. The space under the stairs makes a good larder, with shelves fitted to the slope and a light inside. We look at it when we come out to measure.
What makes a good boot room floor and worktop?
Something that copes with water and grit. Porcelain or stone tiles on the floor, and laminate or quartz on the worktop, are practical choices.
Plan the larder with the kitchen
Book a design consultation and we will come out, measure up and design the larder, utility or boot room alongside the rest. Walk in Monday to Friday. Saturday and evening appointments by arrangement.