A large kitchen is close to the top of many peoples' wish lists when they're working with a home builder to design a custom home. Other than this space feeling roomy, a large kitchen is advantageous because of all the storage space that it provides. While you might wish to talk to your builder about designing a large, open-concept kitchen, a complementary idea to consider is a nearby pantry room. Instead of having a series of shelves in the kitchen that you use as a pantry, consider a walk-in pantry — perhaps similar in size to a walk-in closet in your master bedroom. Here are some design tips for this space.

Sliding Door

When you're thinking about the door that will cover the entrance to your walk-in pantry, you don't want a conventional door that swings. A swinging door can get in the way. If it swings open into the kitchen, it can block peoples' paths as they move through this space. If it opens into the pantry room, it can prevent easy access to your shelving. Instead, consider a pocket door. This style of door, which is designed to slide into the wall where it will be out of sight, will allow easy access between the kitchen and the walk-in pantry.

Counter Space

Storage space is the name of the game in a walk-in pantry, so you'll either want to have your builder install custom shelving on each of the walls or leave the walls bare for you to move shelving units in at a later date. It's also important to evaluate the benefits of a small amount of counter space in this area. If you need to occasionally remove certain items from the shelves to gain access to other items, it's handy to be able to set things on a counter instead of on the floor. One option is to have shelving around the perimeter of the room and a small kitchen-style island in the center, space permitting.

Skylight

If you've chosen a bungalow for your custom home design, think about having your builder add a skylight to the roof directly over the walk-in pantry. There may be other locations that you like skylights, but this fixture can definitely be handy in this space. The skylight's presence will brighten the pantry so that you don't have to always reach for the light switch — something that you may frequently appreciate when your hands are full.

To learn more, contact a home builder.