If groceries feel more expensive every month and your counters are buried in snacks and appliances, your kitchen does not have a storage problem. It has a pantry problem.

In Toronto, many older homes and condos were never designed for the way we shop now. Families bulk buy, cook more at home, and need spots for small appliances, lunch prep, and pet food. A well-planned pantry can make the same square footage feel calmer, more functional, and easier to clean.

This guide walks through practical pantry options that work in real Toronto kitchens, from tall cabinet pantries in small condos to walk-in storage in larger homes, plus when you might need permits or professional help.

Start With How You Actually Use Your Kitchen

Before picking a Pinterest-perfect pantry, think about how your household really lives. Good storage starts with honest habits.

Ask yourself:

• How often do you shop for groceries in a typical week?
• Do you buy in bulk from Costco or stick to shorter trips?
• How many people use the kitchen daily, including kids?
• Do you store small appliances like air fryers or stand mixers in the kitchen or elsewhere?
• Do you need space for pet food, lunch containers, or back stock of paper towels and cleaning supplies?

Once you know what needs a home, it becomes much easier to choose the right pantry type, depth, and location instead of just “adding more shelves.”

Types of Pantries That Work In Toronto Homes

Different house types call for different pantry solutions. A narrow Beaches semi needs a different approach than a detached North York home with a big addition.

1. Tall Cabinet Pantries For Condos And Small Kitchens

If you are working with a condo or a tight galley kitchen, a full walk-in pantry is usually off the table. Tall pantry cabinets do a lot of heavy lifting without eating up precious floor area.

Well-designed tall pantries usually include:

• 24-inch deep lower pull-out drawers for heavier items
• 12 to 16-inch deep upper shelves, so nothing gets lost behind
• Full-height doors that match the rest of your kitchen fronts
• Roll out trays at mid-height so you are not bending every time you grab cereal

In many Toronto condos, we pair a tall pantry with a counter-depth fridge wall so everything lines up cleanly.

2. Reach-In Or Walk-In Pantries In Larger Homes

If you have a detached or semi-detached house, a reach-in or small walk-in pantry can usually be carved out near the kitchen, sometimes borrowing space from a closet or an old chimney chase.

A good reach in the pantry often has:

• 12-inch deep shelves on three sides, so everything is visible
• 10 to 14 inch vertical spacing for cans and jars, with one or two taller shelves for small appliances
• A door that swings out or a pocket door, so you are not trapped inside with the door in your way

For walk-in pantries, we try to maintain at least 36 inches of clear floor space so two people can pass each other and doors do not bang into shelving.

3. Pantry Walls Around The Fridge

Many Toronto kitchens have an awkward fridge jammed in the corner, with dead space above and beside it. Converting that wall into a full pantry zone makes a huge difference without moving plumbing.

Common upgrades include:

• Cabinetry that wraps the fridge with a full-height pantry on one or both sides
• Deep overhead cabinets for rarely used holiday serving pieces
• A narrow pull-out “spice and oil” pantry next to the range for everyday cooking

This type of pantry works particularly well when you are already replacing or refacing your cabinets, since you can handle fridge openings, panels, and trim at the same time.

4. Hidden Pantries And Under-Stair Storage

If your kitchen opens to a hallway, stairwell, or mudroom, we sometimes tuck pantry storage into spots you might not expect:

• Under-stair pull-outs for canned goods, snacks, or pet supplies
• Shallow pantry cabinets built into former wall niches
• A “hidden” pantry door that looks like paneling but opens into a small storage room

These solutions work best when planned as part of a larger kitchen or main floor renovation, so we can coordinate framing, drywall, and trim.

Layout And Clearances So Your Pantry Does Not Feel Like A Closet

Pantry storage should feel like part of the kitchen, not a dark closet you avoid.

A few layout rules of thumb:

• Keep at least 36 inches of walking space in front of pantry doors or pull-outs.
• If a swing door blocks a major walkway, consider a pocket door or a pair of narrower doors instead.
• Use shallower shelves (10 to 12 inches) for food and reserve deeper cabinets for appliances and bulk items.
• Avoid putting fridges or tall pantries directly across from each other in a narrow hallway. Somebody will always be stuck.

During design, we model full door swings and pull-outs so you can see where people will stand and how doors will behave in daily life.

Shelves, Drawers, And Hardware That Stay Organized

The fastest way to end up with a messy pantry is to rely on one deep fixed shelf after another. You get a neat photo on day one and a jumble by the end of the month.

For most Toronto families, we recommend a mix of:

• Full extension drawers and roll-outs so you can see everything at the back
• Adjustable shelves that can shift as your habits change
• Shallow upper shelves for jars, cans, and baking supplies
• Labeled bins or baskets for snacks, lunch prep, and kid-friendly zones
• Door-mounted racks for spices, oils, and small bottles, if the door is strong enough

If you are already updating cabinets, we often tie pantry storage into a broader cabinet plan that includes deep drawers for pots, pans, and dishes, so the whole kitchen works together.

Lighting, Ventilation, And Toronto Specific Details

Pantries are often tucked in interior corners or former closets that do not get much light or air movement. A few small upgrades make them feel much better to use.

Lighting

• Add a ceiling light or LED strip lighting under each shelf for deeper pantries.
• Use a door-activated switch or motion sensor so the light is automatic.
• If your cabinets already have under-cabinet lighting, we can often match the colour temperature so everything feels cohesive.

Ventilation and comfort

• Avoid running shelving tight to cold exterior walls in older Toronto homes where insulation may be thin.
• Leave a small air gap behind shelving so air can move and condensation is less likely.
• Store very heat-sensitive items away from ovens, radiators, or sunny windows.

Pests and cleanliness

• Choose easy-to-wipe finishes and avoid rough, splintery shelves.
• Use sealed containers for flours, rice, and pet food, especially in older homes.

These details keep your pantry comfortable year-round, including during Toronto’s humid summers and dry winters.

When Does A Pantry Need Permits Or Professional Help?

If you are simply adding organizers or adjusting shelves inside an existing closet, you usually do not need a building permit. Once you start moving walls, electrical, or plumbing, it is a different story.

You will likely need professional help or permits if:

• You are removing or moving walls to create a walk-in pantry.
• You want outlets inside the pantry for appliances or charging stations.
• You are combining a pantry with a larger kitchen remodel or addition.
• Your new pantry lives under stairs, near the furnace room, or in other areas with specific safety rules.

Toronto’s renovation rules and permit requirements can be confusing, and the right path depends on your house type, age, and what you are changing. A licensed contractor can flag when drawings, engineering, or a formal permit application make sense before you start opening walls.

How JG Contracting Designs Pantries For Toronto Homes

When we design a kitchen or main floor renovation, we treat the pantry as a core part of the plan, not an afterthought. A typical pantry design process with JG Contracting includes:

1. Walking through your existing kitchen and noting where clutter collects.
2. Reviewing grocery habits, appliances, and family routines.
3. Testing different layouts, cabinet depths, and door options on a scaled floor plan.
4. Coordinating pantry storage with lighting, flooring, and nearby spaces like mudrooms or dining rooms.
5. Handling permit requirements when the pantry is part of a larger renovation or wall change.

The result is a pantry that feels simple to use, looks clean, and actually matches real life in a Toronto home.

Helpful companion reads on our site

• Toronto Kitchen Cabinets 2025: Refacing vs Replacing vs Custom Millwork
• Kitchen Remodel Layouts, Storage & Materials That Last (Toronto Kitchen Remodel Playbook 2025)
• Juliana Court, Toronto – Full Home Renovation
• Logan Avenue, Toronto Transformation – Main Floor Makeover

Ready to design a pantry that actually works?

We can help you rework your kitchen layout, design practical pantry storage, and complete the renovation cleanly so you can enjoy a calmer, more organized home. Contact us today to book a consultation

📞 Call us at: 437-259-9632

✉️ Email us at: jgcontractingyyz@gmail.com

🌐 Website: https://jgcontractingyyz.com