Pros and cons of frosted pantry doors

Considering adding a glass door to your kitchen? Here are some of the pros and cons of frosted pantry doors!

Having a pantry in your kitchen is such a luxury. I love the functionality of a wonderfully organized pantry space, but who’s to say that the pantry can’t also become a visual focal point for your kitchen.

If your pantry has a door, consider selecting a door for the space that is visually interesting.

Right now, we are planning our kitchen makeover for our house. It has sent me down a rabbit hole thinking about the kitchen in our last house.

In that space, we actually found an antique door that had a glass front. I frosted the glass on the door and it became the door to our pantry.

I know that there are a lot of mixed opinions on glass pantry doors so today I wanted to lay out some of the pros and cons if you were deciding if this is the right, look for your kitchen, too.

Frosted Pantry Doors: the Pros and Cons for Your Kitchen Space

Here are some of the factors to take into consideration when choosing the perfect door for your pantry!

Pros of Frosted Pantry Doors

If you have suggested to your partner that you add a frosted door to your pantry and they said “why?!” – here are some reasons to give them!

Aesthetics

The top reason to add a frosted pantry door to the kitchen is just for the look of it. It breaks up the visual look of a big solid slab door and makes it clear that this is not a door to another room or closet.

A special door can also become a focal point for your space, especially if it’s in a corner without any other major focal points.

Finally, a frosted door can be used to add personality to your kitchen. It could be designed in a way that feels very cottage or even farmhouse, to add that personality and unique feel so your kitchen feels less like a generic model home and more personalized.

Lighting

A big benefit of a glass pantry door is that it lets the light shine through from the rest of the kitchen into the pantry.

Usually, pantries will not have windows. While it may have an overhead light, it could be annoying to have to cut the light on every time you wanna grab a single little thing.

Having a glass door allows for the light to shine through.

Obscured Visibility

If your pantry already has a glass door, then choosing to frost the glass is a way to hide the visual clutter of the pantry while still letting light shine through.

It’s easy to frost glass with either a frosting film or paint. I prefer the film as it is super easy to apply and is removable. Check out our tutorial on how to frost a glass door!

Space Perception

Glass doors can effect the perception of space. They can actually make your kitchen feel larger since the space won’t be blocked off with a solid door!

I particularly love glass doors in tighter space because they really help to open it up visually.

Cons of Frosted Pantry Doors

There are definitely some cons to installing a frosted glass door on your pantry.

Cost

Glass doors usually cost more compared to solid doors. So, adding in a glass door would be considered an upgrade.

Additionally, if you already have a perfectly fine door, swapping it out for glass is a totally optional expense.

If you want to save money, check salvage stores like Habitat for Humanity ReStore. That’s where we got our glass pantry door! Just allot your time to shop around and measure carefully before going shopping.

Limited Visibility

When it comes to visibility, you might as well have a solid door as a frosted glass door. You are not going to be able to see through it except for vague blobs of color or light.

So, if the door is closed you cannot stand at the counter and see if you have any canned tomatoes.

This doesn’t bother me but it’s a personal preference.

Maintenance and Cleaning

There is some upkeep for glass surfaces, such as frequent cleaning to prevent smudges or fingerprints. If you have pets or kids, it might get particularly smudgey.

If this is going to drive you nuts, you might want to skip the glass door!

Integration with Overall Kitchen Design

Overall, it’s important that the door to your pantry flow with the overall design of your kitchen.

If some of your cabinets have glass fronts, tying that to a glass pantry door can be a fun call back.

I love glass doors in a darker or smaller space to help it feel more open.

I also love them in spaces with more of a rustic or farmhouse aesthetic. I think it adds a really fun touch!

Variety of Frosted Designs

If you really want to get fancy, you can look into a variety of patterns, styles, and designs for your frosted glass door. This is more of a specific work, but could be a good match for your personal style.

• Pantry door Frosted Half Glass
• Frosted Glass Sliding Barn Door
• Modern paneled frosted glass door

You can’t go wrong with any pantry door – just consider your lifestyles and preferences before committing to a change!