Sometimes the little corners of a home turn out to be my favorites. Small spaces are the perfect place to start if you want to switch up the vibe of your home, or tackle a manageable project that doesn’t take over your whole life! If you want an affordable way to freshen up your home’s vibe and decor, find the nooks and crannies that have maybe fallen by the wayside. When I wanted to add a little bit more Parisian charm to our house, the “small” space of our walk-in pantry was the perfect project to take on for a low-effort, big results type of makeover. If you’ve ever wanted to infuse your own kitchen pantry or eat-in space with a bit more Parisian charm, these are my favorite affordable tips to create the pretty pantry of your dreams!
Pantry Before
Before we get into these tips, let’s first take a quick trip down memory lane. This space started as a plain room with no character and makeshift storage solutions. (Is that an ugly garage shelf you spot? Yes, yes it is.)
After our first phase makeover, we DIY’d a much more usable and beautiful space, and I truly loved it! It still felt a little plain and like something was missing, however.
So we added some wallpaper, painted the white cabinets a mushroom color, and added a few things that really brought more character and European charm.
And that leads us to where we are today…
Ta da!
I’m thankful that my pantry space isn’t necessarily small, but if you think you need a large walk-in pantry or closet to achieve European charm, I’m here to show you otherwise. It’s not the size of the space that matters (though it can help), but the thoughtful touches and decor. Let’s get into them!
11 Ways to Give Your Pantry (or Kitchen) a Parisian Touch
1. Pastry Displays
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2Pcs 3 Tier Stainless Steel Cupcake Stand
A walk-in pantry is more than just a storage space – it’s an opportunity to create a small version of your favorite Parisian patisserie. (After all, haven’t many of us dreamed of opening a bakery at some point in our lives?) You can bring all the warmth and charm of a French-style bakery to your own home by taking advantage of every inch of your pantry space.
One way that you can add a bit of the French bakery experience to your own space is by displaying your favorite baked goods like a patisserie would. From glass cake displays to multi-tier cupcake stands, you can get creative with your setup to showcase your pretty pastries like croissants, pain au chocolat, or macarons. If you have a butlers pantry, this is the perfect way to serve your guests as they’re passing through to grab treats and snacks.
2. Cordless Table Lamps
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2 Pack Cordless Table Lamp
Many pantries tend to be pretty dark spaces. Although we are fortunate enough to have natural light in ours, that’s not always the case. Whether you have a window in your space or not, cordless table lamps are an easy solution to provide a little extra lighting. I love the warmth they give our small space, without taking up too much valuable real estate or requiring an outlet.
3. Brass Rod to Hang Things
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Handmade Unlacquered Brass Storage Rail Rack
I love the look of a brass rod in a kitchen or pantry. It’s not only aesthetic, but also offers easy access for all of the kitchen necessities you might be frequently reaching for, like mugs, cutting boards, or measuring cups. The key is to leave enough space between items so it doesn’t get too cluttered.
For that French style vibe, try mixing and matching the types of materials that you’re hanging. A linen apron, a garlic braid, a wooden cheese board… The mix of organic materials looks great when hanging on the metal brass rail rack. Parisians love to mix and match inorganic and organic materials in their home decor for a balanced feel.
4. Toile Fabric or Wallpaper
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Toile Wallpaper Roll
French toile is a classic fabric type that features a repeating pattern in a single color of detailed pastoral, scenic, or mythological artwork. “Toile” is French for “cloth” or “canvas”. This type of fabric originated in 18th-century France, and has historically been associated with elegance and romantic style. Now it’s used in a wide variety of fashion and home decor, from dresses to bags to linens to wallpaper.
Toile is the perfect “ingredient” for a Parisian-inspired pantry! I love the neutral, soothing look that the toile wallpaper offers our space, without making it feel too busy. It’s the ideal pattern for a space like a small pantry, where dark colors or overbearing patterns could make the room feel even smaller.
5. Thrifted or Vintage Glassware
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Fitz and Floyd Trestle Highball Glasses
Thrifting is one of my favorite inexpensive tricks to add character to a room. French interior design often incorporates a lot of antique or thrifted pieces, which give the space a sense of history. And thrifting isn’t only an affordable way to find glassware and other pieces for your space, it’s also the perfect strategy to find unique pieces that not everyone else already owns. A win-win in my book!
6. San Pellegrino Bottles
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San Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water
Some of the best inspirations for a Parisian space might already be in your refrigerator! From fruit to pastries to sparkling San Pellegrino water, these little details aren’t just aesthetic, but also the perfect offerings for any guests that might be coming over.
I love the look of the San Pellegrino bottles and the pop of color and nod to Europe that they give to my neutral pantry space. Plus, they’re always a hit with friends and family who are visiting, who might want something besides regular water. (In fact, my mom always leaves with a bottle or two to take home.) Displaying drinks and food items isn’t just practical, but can help to transform the look of your space with both function and beauty.
7. Collections
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Small Wicker Basket with Handle
A well-organized pantry is the perfect place to sort and display your collections of kitchen items. From wicker baskets to spices to glassware, you can create a French vibe with the groupings that you choose to hang on your brass bars or arrange on your open shelves. You can create thoughtful groupings by getting creative in how you stack, hang, or display your collections, and keeping them to designated areas. This will make sure your space looks neat and orderly. (And many of my baskets are thrift store finds, too!)
8. Brass or Copper Accents and Hardware
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Center to Center Cup Pull Multipack (Set of 6)
Whether in fashion or home, I’m a neutral girl at heart. Neutrals are soothing, and when it comes to your home – especially choices like wallpaper or cabinet paint – they can also make your space feel larger. With a bright, neutral foundation, you have the perfect opportunity to incorporate brass or copper accents against the light-colored cabinetry.
Not only do brass and copper accents give a space a classic, timeless look, but Parisians love the natural patina that these materials can develop over time. The corrosion resistance is also high in these materials, which means they hold up well in high-moisture environments like kitchens and bathrooms. I used unlacquered brass in our kitchen, and I love how it’s been looking over time!
9. Open Shelving
BALLARD DESIGNS
Marloe Shelf
Open shelving can be a controversial topic, but I love it for the fact that it allows me to easily see all my treasures (plus, it forces me to frequently declutter my space). This isn’t the first home I’ve embraced open shelving, and I’ve learned it’s the perfect solution when used in conjunction with closed cabinetry, as you get the best of both worlds. The open shelving can be utilized to display your most-used and aesthetic pieces like glassware, cups, tableware, etc., while the closed cabinet storage and drawers can house all of your other food goods that might not look quite as pretty sitting on an open shelf.
Beyond function, open shelves create the illusion of more open space. The tall open shelves draw the eye upward and make our pantry (or any room, really) seem larger than it actually is. Glass and gold shelves were also a strategic choice. They allow light to pass through the rest of the space while giving that Parisian bistro charm.
10. Natural Materials
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Cotton Stripe Jacquard Kitchen Towel Linen Set (Set of 12)
I’ve already touched on this a little bit, but natural materials are the perfect way to give your space a grounded, organic feel. The French love to use this strategy throughout their homes, and the pantry is no exception!
When it comes to natural elements in our pantry, I went with a wooden butcher block, marble backsplash, and linen fabrics. I make it a point to pick up linen towels when traveling throughout Europe. It’s the perfect souvenir because I get to enjoy them at home too.
Fruit, vegetables, wicker baskets, etc., also complement the effect of our design choices!
11. Gilded Touches
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Vintage Small Picture Frame
Another accessory that can make a big impact in a small space? Gilded touches. Parisian apartments might be known for their giant gilded mirrors, but you can get that same look in a small or large pantry with gilded frames. I love using these frames to display still lifes of fruit and vegetables, or French landscapes. It’s a small way to bring a little bit of French art or culture to your space, without overdoing it (or going over budget).
If you want to print your own art to fill the frames, try visiting the online site for the National Gallery of Art. They have thousands of free pieces that you can download and print yourself. And if you want to give them that oil painting effect after you print them, just stipple on some Mod Podge! It’s a clever way to make your art look original and antique.
Create the Pretty Pantry of Your Dreams
Whether you have a butler’s pantry, traditional pantry closet, or a small nook in your kitchen that needs a refresh, these types of spaces are all the perfect place to receive a Parisian-inspired makeover. Pretty pantry ideas don’t have to be expensive or time-consuming, but they’ll give your home a fresh French look that makes you smile whenever you see it. If you’re limited on time and/or budget, just try incorporating some of these 11 tips to give your home the Parisian facelift it deserves!
Want to keep the Parisian chic aesthetic going throughout the rest of your home? Up Next: Chic Design Tips to Style a Parisian Apartment
If you want to give your kitchen or pantry a Parisian touch – shrink it.
The thing that surprises most non-French people is the relatively SMALL size of French kitchens, normal for town- and city- dwellers. A galley kitchen (often very narrow) is considered the norm. Very often the kitchen where the cooking happens is … here ….and the pantry for stores and supplies is ….somewhere else.
I have a question: why this obsession with Paris and all things supposedly Parisian? Less than 20% of the population of France lives in the capital. Maybe learn a bit more about the rest of us?
Focusing on Parisian style is really just a personal preference. It doesn’t mean I don’t know about other parts of the world. We all naturally gravitate toward what inspires us most.