There’s something so pleasing about a good pantry. Maybe it’s the organisation of everything; the slew of compact, (at times!) precisely labelled jars or the fact that it’s a world unto itself, siphoned from the bustle of the kitchen. A good pantry comes into its own at Christmas: a place for the ham to rest, or to stack the Christmas puddings that are just waiting to be devoured. These special spaces below are worthy pantry ideas we love. 

Main image: Meryl Streep in the 2009 film, Julie & Julia, about the life of Julia Child.

British designer Matilda Goad‘s pantry is a stand-out one. The red grout on the tiles really pops and the fabric curtain is a clever and inexpensive way to finish a space – particularly, if you’ve blown the cabinetry budget in the kitchen! 

There’s a lot to love about this little nook: the buttercup cupboards, the exposed jars, the plaster-pink walls. It’s one for the Pinterest board. 

Okay, so a drinks cupboard is not exactly a pantry (depending on what kind of house you live in) but there’s something fabulously festive about this glitzy nook. Time to make a Campari. 

We love gingham, and there’s certainly no better home for it than a pantry. Just like a downstairs bathroom, the fact that the space is tucked away from the rest of the house gives you licence to go a little wild. Experiment with paint colours, textures and bold fabrics in a pantry – it’s the perfect opportunity.

The author Joan Didion’s Malibu kitchen, photographed in 1972, is perennial pantry goals. (Plus, a nod to Marie Kondo levels of organisation long before they were celebrated in Netflix specials.) We love how the space feels loved and – most importantly of all – lived in.