3 Smart Lessons to Steal from This Pantry Makeover

published Feb 22, 2017
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Designers like to joke that the master bedroom is usually the least loved (or least decorated) room in a house, but I’d like to give that nomination to the pantry. So often, people who are lucky enough to even have a pantry just throw their shelf-stable ingredients (and maybe even some other random stuff) inside and move on to the next grocery bag that needs to be unpacked.

That had been the case for Melissa, the blogger behind Polished Habitat, before she decided to give the space the attention it deserved. It’s insanely cute, and it taught us three good lessons.

(Image credit: Polished Habitat)

1. There are ways to work with what you have.

Although the space looks 100 percent new, Melissa actually worked around the existing cabinets, shelves, and flooring. They were all totally fine and, as these after photos prove, just needed some prettier accents to dress them up. For example, the white penny tile behind the open shelving helps to make it all look a little fancier.

2. Spray paint is your friend.

That pretty gold hardware you’re eyeing? Melissa had found hardware she absolutely loved — but at $150 for 10, she did not love the price. Instead of shelling out the cash, she found something in the same general shape on Amazon for a lot less money and spray painted them herself. (She ended up getting 50 pulls — to be used all around the house — for just under $100!) To tie in the look, she used the same treatment on her fridge: She just unscrewed the handles and gave those a couple of coats, too.

Get the same pulls: Euro Style T Bar Knob, $18 for 10

3. An accent wall is always a good idea.

Melissa wanted a chalkboard wall and asked her husband to handle it. Her exact directions for him: “Can you draw me one of those butcher cow or pig things? Make it big.” What she got was more than she could have imagined. It includes their last name, the year they were married, and the name of their hometown. It really helps to make the space.

Pantries to Pin is a new column on our site! While many of us could only ever dream of having a pantry this nice (or at all!), the column is meant to give you inspiration and fodder for your Pinterest board. You might even get some ideas to steal for your own kitchen.

See more pics: Organized Pantry Reveal at Polished Habitat