I moved recently and suddenly upgraded to a walk-in pantry; something I haven’t had since I was a kid! I’ve been so inspired from pouring my little ingredients into glass containers and thrifted baskets that I couldn’t help but think about the other Human Design Environments in these little food spaces we have in our homes.

To me, having a pantry is a bit of a luxury, so when writing out ideas, I wanted to include simple practical things, while also peppering the luxurious, dreamy, swoon-worthy and dramatic features in too. This article is designed to get you thinking about the spaces around you differently, helping you to see your Environment Variable coming into play everywhere in your life. Calculate your Environment Variable here.

No windows, and ONE door — door mandatory!

There’s nothing like a door for a Caves Person. A door creates privacy and enclosed spaces — the entire concept of the cave! An enclosed pantry that you can step into, dark, no window, is a bit of a dream for a Caves Person. Putting your physical body in the pantry could also become a holy experience.

Task lighting

Task lighting is amazing for Caves People — it fits snugly under cupboards or kick plates, and creates an illuminating glow. You can even set them to recognize movement, coming on when you enter the space so it’s always illuminated when you’re there. Task lighting illuminates all your working areas perfectly, too.

Custom cabinetry

Now THIS is high quality for the Caves Person. Imagine a mason coming into your cave and carving all these custom nooks for your fun little tools and food. Now, carpenters can design and craft custom cabinetry to perfectly fit your space and suit you, bringing quality and design right to you.

Built-in spice racks

It’s giving nooks! The Cave has no wasted space; every nook and cranny is used for something specific or intentional, and built-in spice racks are a great way to make use of spaces that are a funny size.

Stone or marble countertops

Having raw materials around really creates a cave-like atmosphere. There is nothing quite like stone for Caves and Mountains People! If your pantry has the space for a small counter or backsplash, consider using a stone you like to bring in a cavey-element.

Hidden compartments and secret storage

Pantries are often spaces that make use of all the nooks and crannies to maximize what we’re able to do with the space. This makes it a great cave environment because we can tuck in secret storage or even hidden compartments in interesting areas. A good rule of thumb to follow is “everything has a spot”. Consider how you can design built-in nooks for your small appliances or foods.

Space for important small appliances

Whether it’s a breadbox or a secret door for your coffee maker or standing mixer, having a place for everything can apply to anything you keep in your pantry (depending on the space you have access to). If you have an airfryer, vitamix or espresso machine, try giving your tools their own nook to keep the space organized. You could just stack everything on shelves, but when everything has a little home — everything will feel cozier.