Shelving vs a pantry "system" addresses accessing the contents in your pantry. However, the storage containers used to hold your food may or may not maximise the best usage of the space in your pantry. This last aspect deserves careful consideration if you are designing a pantry space. I moved house a few months ago and am still tweaking my pantry, which consists of shelves (deeper on the bottom half and narrower at the top half). One of the best investments I've made over the years are Tupperware Modular Mates storage containers. The containers can be labelled, contents seen and are stackable. I can stack them to maximise the full height of shelves and sometimes have stacks in front of other stacks for items used less often. I also have many open plastic containers for food packets, bottled items, very large spice containers, etc. These containers prevent packages, which don't stack easily, from falling everywhere and can be easily pulled out to access the item of interest. I bought some tall containers at Howard's Storage World and some large Sistema containers at Target and Woolworths (during their 1/2 price sales). Sistema containers are stackable, too. Smaller spice containers (stackable Tupperware Modular Mates again) have been placed on a round wooden carousel in one corner of the pantry.

Hi charlie_com: would love to see more as your house plans develop. We bought a house in The Gap last year. So hi, neighbour! We are currently working on plans for short term and long term renovations. I came across your post when searching for advice about whether it would be a big issue if laundry doesn't have direct external access. I agree with others who have mentioned the condenser dryer: our laundry is currently not internal and concealed, but we bought one soon after we moved in (a Bosch heat pump/condenser dryer) and are really happy with the investment as it reduces moisture in the laundry area and is much more energy efficient. I must admit to using it a lot now, because of the energy efficiency, and it being so much easier to stay on top of the laundry. The Styling Edge's photo of concealed laundry set up reminded me of a house where I first saw this set up being sold in Ashgrove several years ago. It was very nicely renovated, and part of the fairly open plan living, dining and kitchen zone, leading to the back deck and then back yard. I remember thinking it would be handy to have a laundry that was so close to living areas and bedrooms and not be separated from the main living. The house had no trouble selling, so it certainly didn't seem to be a deal breaker for buyers. I think it could be more problematic if there was a long, windy route through or around the house, to get to a clothes line. And by the way, I did check out your other posts to see if there was more progress on your house, and spotted the mention of not having a rug for 10 years due to inability to decide, and had a bit of a chuckle: that sounds so much like me.

My concern would be having to go through the kitchen to get to the laundry, when inside the home. I understand the ease of access when arriving home with groceries or from sports games/work straight into laundry. But I'm thinking of ease of access when at home for dirty laundry. It makes the kitchen a thoroughfare.

Your choice of pendants are gorgeous but would keep as a cluster at end of bench doorway side, strip lighting could look fabulous or even one beautiful pendant would look stunning.