10 Clever Ways to Dress Up Pantry Doors for Stylish Storage

Why settle for boring stock doors for your pantry when you can create an entry that wows? Make the pantry door a memorable design element in your kitchen using one of these 10 unexpected ideas.

1. The simplest upgrade to an existing door is to paint it a fun color. Add an unexpected pop to your kitchen by giving the pantry door a couple of coats of a bright hue. Looking at a bold blue or a sunny yellow door is sure to make you smile every time you make dinner.

2. Take a simple door from blah to beautiful by adding reclaimed wood to one side, or for a thinner and low-maintenance look, try vinyl wood flooring. Transform the look of a new door into something with history and great detail.

3. A glass-pane door adds character to a kitchen. To keep pantry contents hidden, cover the glass squares with translucent contact paper or frosted paint. This allows light to reflect around the room while still providing cover for your messes.

4. Make your pantry door a hardworking feature in the kitchen by covering it with chalkboard and magnetic paint. Use the space as a family messaging center or to keep track of the week's recipes and grocery lists. Add a ledge to store chalk, or wrap a piece of chalk with ribbon and hang it inside the door.

5. Add an element of timeworn elegance to the kitchen by converting a vintage screen door for pantry use. Paint it to match your trim or, better yet, make it stand out by covering it with an unexpected accent color. If the screen is too revealing, remove it and cover the back of the door with a burlap- or wallpaper-covered panel.

6. Lend a rustic feeling to a country or modern kitchen with a sliding barn door. This type of installation looks cool and saves on space. It's a smart choice if a traditional swinging door is always getting in the cook's way.

7. Another good solution for small or awkward spaces is a pocket door. Although easier to install in a new home during construction, pocket doors can potentially be added to any kitchen. They don't open into the room and are a character-building feature that's sure to grab attention.

8. Conceal a pantry and trick guests into thinking your kitchen is larger by using interior doors for the pantry. This chic look creates an illusion of space beyond, even when the doors just open up to shelving.

9. If you already have specialty pantry doors but aren't satisfied with their impact, beef them up with new moldings. Install several rows of crown molding of various thicknesses at the top and tall column pieces to flank the doors on either side. Paint the pieces and the doors the same color for a built-in look.

10. The front of the pantry door isn't the only area suitable for a makeover. Make more of the inside of the door by adding rows of hooks for measuring cups and spoons. Add a conversion chart above for quick reference when cooking. Or use this space to add chalkboard or magnetic paint, either on the door itself or on framed panels mounted to the door.

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