Our Little Pantry Project

For awhile you may have heard us talking about our pantry reveal (especially on twitter and facebook).  We are finally ready to reveal it.

Haven’t seen the before? No worries… we shot a quick video to give you the details… {Warning: It is super cheesy}

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LO2CXLM8Ajg[/youtube] 

 So, as you can see our pantry was lacking both organization and style. Since we usually keep the door open just for ease when cooking and for the pets, we really wanted to create a space that had some design taste and organization inside. There were no plans to go overboard, after all it is a pantry, but a small budget of around $50 sufficed!

Here’s the breakdown & budget…

– New Rug $10.00 from Target (In store Only)

– New Curtain $9.99 from Target

– New (used canisters) $6.00 from Goodwill

– Accessories (we already had) FREE

– New Canvases for DIY Art $6.00

– New Letters $4.00 from Joann Fabrics

– Spray Paint $4.00 (we already owned)

-Wall Paint (we already owned) FREE

– Shelving Labels $4.00 from Joann Fabrics

– Contact Paper $5.00 from Target

Total: $44.99

Here’s a little bit more detail about the little DIY Project…

First, we cleaned out the pantry… fun fun!

We then painted the accent color on the back wall in between the pantry shelves. We really wanted to keep most of the pantry white because it feels more open, crisp and clean that way. Painting the back wall of the shelves really just gives the space a hint of color.

Sometimes a little bit can go a long way. This is true with contact paper, instead of painting the shelves, we decided to just stick the contact paper on each one for extra durability, plus we can always change out the look easily that way. We only bought one roll and it went the distance perfectly!

In the name of organization, a small detail was added to help us keep the clutter out and keep things in its place. We fixed metal labels to each shelf to help us locate a specific item and place it back in the right spot. These labels can be found in an arts & crafts store and range from around $2 to $4 depending on the quantity and size. (I actually had an inspiration for this piece to the pantry puzzle… younghouselove reorganized their cabinets awhile back). We used Gorilla Glue’s Super Glue to hold the labels in place. (They truly have the most amazing glue products… stay tuned for a giveaway).

Dressing up the space was fun and easy! We added the bright aqua rug for comfort and color. Then to eliminate the view to the storage area when guests are over, we picked up this aqua and white shower curtain. It happened to be a little too long so I hemmed it up in a flash and hung it up! We absolutely adore it because it adds more color and is functional for keeping our storage out of sight!

We added a few accessories on the shelving unit for fun… who said a pantry has to be boring! Plus, Kevin is right; I do like to accessorize my accessories! Anyways, I had most of the accessories in my cabinets, except for the aqua and pink canister set, which I happen to be crazy about! For only $6.00 they were a “must have”! In addition to adding personality to the pantry, they are coming out of the closet and onto the counter tops when spring arrives!

Last but not least, the artwork! We decided that we really didn’t want to over accessorize or glamorize this space. It really is all about function and budget and less about over styling. I actually graduated from Ringling College of Art & Design and LOVE TO PAINT! I should make more time for painting, but being an interior designer, blogger and wife keeps me pretty busy. I did take out the old acrylics for this small project though!

Here’s a little tutorial…

I grabbed two canvases (which happen to be on clearance… score), some spray paint, my paint brush and some acrylics and got to work.

First, I created a stencil design on Photoshop, printed it out, cut and taped it together making sure the design would fit the entire canvas. I also cut out utensil stencils (that rhymed) to layer on top.

Next, I spray painted on top of the stencil lightly to make it look a little more eccentric and not so “planned”.

Then I placed the utensil stencils on top of the canvas and spray over the stencil making sure it would be a “clean” design. We just thought utensils would be fitting in the pantry…

 

I love quirky artwork that isn’t so “tight” and shows the overall creativity of the artist. In no way is this “best work” or a showcase of my artistic talents, it’s just fun and lighthearted! I added a pearlescent shadow around each of the utensils and ta dahh…

The artwork brings in color, pattern and fun, while also hiding ugly electrical panels…

The other artwork was the “E-A-T” letters on the back wall. I love all things letters (which you can probably tell from other photos from our house) and thought this would be a fun way to add character to the space. At only $4 total, the letters were totally in the budget! With a little spray paint (same color we used on this chair), we were in business!

With a little bit of time, creativity and $50, we managed to make our pantry organized, clean & stylish!

What do you think? Do you have a large pantry you don’t know what do with? How do you keep your food clutter clean? DO TELL.

Psst… Come over and enter the Gracious Giveaway this week for your chance to win house numbers…

Have a room you need help designing? No Problem… Visit Our Shoppe and take advantage of the Fall Sale and let’s design a new story for your interior!

Have a DIY Project you want to brag about? Show Us! That’s right email us @ Lindsay@adesignstory.com for more information!

Images and Video Courtesy of A Design Story, LLC.

This post has been shared with Blue Cricket Designs, Me and my Bucket, House of Hepworths, Domestically Speaking, Sassy Sites, Beneath my Heart & Thrifty Decor Chic.