Alternatives to Pantry Doors

• Luckily you don't have to live with pantry doors you don't like. Felipe Dupouy/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Having a pantry in any home is definitely a gift. It gives you a small closet or in some cases, a tiny room to store all of your dry goods, something that can save you money and keep your kitchen from getting cluttered. Unfortunately, many pantry doors are eyesores or clunky; they take up space when open and attract attention in a negative manner when shut. Luckily, you don't have to live with pantry doors that you don't like.

Fabric

• Fabric is probably the easiest solution to pantry doors: fabric gives you complete flexibility and a wide array of design possibilities. Simply unscrew the hinges from the doors and install either a curtain rod at the top of the pantry door way, a tension rod or a hospital track. Select any type of fabric that you want to act as your curtain. For example, use clear, diaphanous chiffon for a more transparent look that will give you a heightened sense of space and room. On the other hand, use heavy silver or velvet for a completely different, more regal and private appearance.

Decorative Screen

• An even easier alternative to pantry doors is to remove the doors altogether and leave them off. Position a decorative screen in front of the entry to the pantry. Select a screen made out of wood, fabric, glass, or wrought iron; you have dozens of options. The screen allows you to hide the inside of the pantry while maintaining complete access to it. Keep the screen tightly across the opening of the pantry or leave lots of room for easy access. Fold up the screen for nights when you're entertaining and the kitchen might be crowded with people.

Roller Shade

• A bold alternative to a pantry door is a roller shade, the type that you pull down for windows. Purchase a roller shade for the exact dimensions of your pantry door. Install the roller so that it rests just above the top of the doorway. Pull the roller shade downwards when the pantry is not in use, particularly if you have a messy pantry. If you have wallpaper in the kitchen you can attach matching wallpaper to the roller shade so that you have one uniform look throughout your kitchen when the roller is down.