Remodeling our Pantry and Root Cellar

A couple of years ago, we remodeled our kitchen here at the lodge. It was a dramatic improvement both in efficiency and style. Since then, we have wanted to remodel our pantry and a back room area to make them more organized and useful. The pantry is a big room, with shelves, cabinets, an extra refrigerator and cooler, 2 freezers and utility sink. Our two problems with this room was that it was cluttered and gets hot in the summer. We want the appliances moved out and new shelves built to hold all of our canned goods and supplies.

Canning supplies and food sitting everywhere.

Extra appliances

The back room area has the laundry area, a utility room with sink and shelves for the cleaning supplies, a bathroom, and a hallway. We hate all of the little rooms and crowded space and want to open it up to make one large room. Since it is below ground level and stays below 50 degrees, even in the summer, I plan to make this our root cellar.

Crowded hallway with limited shelving for canned goods.

Cramped utility room. This is a real pain when the four of us are trying to get cleaning supplies from here after a group has checked out of the lodge.

Bathroom with 2 toilets!?

Unused shower, just wasted space that could be utilized better.

Other view of cramped hallway.

Stairs leading down to the rooms. The cramped utility room is ahead and the washer and two dryers are underneath the stairs.

Our goals for the root cellar are:

• open it and make it less crowded
  
• move the extra appliances back here since it is cooler
• create room for storing vegetables in the winter

We're very excited about this remodel. I already started knocking down the wall in the hallway and the shower. I'll post more photos as the remodel progresses.