How to choose a spice rack: Smart storage ideas for an organised kitchen
Spices may be small but keeping them under control can be surprisingly challenging. Jars and packets have a habit of migrating across cupboards, disappearing behind tins and multiplying unnoticed until you somehow own three pots of ground coriander! In fact, spice storage is one of those deceptively small details that often sparks surprisingly detailed conversations during Roundhouse design consultations. The goal isn’t simply to keep them in one place; it’s to make them easy to see, easy to reach and easy to replenish when stocks start running low.
The question of how to choose a spice rack really begins with how you cook. For some, spice racks are about speed and visibility. For others,spice storageis about preserving a calm, streamlined kitchen where everything has its place. The answer to what is the best spice rack will be different in every home, which is why considered planning at the earliest opportunity and properly integrated bespoke kitchen storage, makes such a difference.
Align spice storage with your cooking habits
Before deciding where spices should live, it’s important to be honest about how you cook. A traditional British cook may only reach regularly for a handful of staples such as black pepper, paprika, cinnamon and mixed herbs, whereas someone whose bookshelves are dominated by Ottolenghi cookbooks is likely to need space for everything from za’atar and sumac to shichimi togarashi and Aleppo pepper. Your spice collection should dictate the storage, not the other way around.
Keen cooks who reach for the same jars daily may want them close to the hob or prep zone. If maintaining a streamlined aesthetic is the priority, pantry cupboards and lardersoffer a practical way to store larger spice collections out of sight but still within easy reach. Then there is the question of decanting. Matching glass jars look beautiful, but only if you are genuinely prepared to keep on top of refilling and relabelling them. If not, there is no shame in designing storage around supermarket jars and packets. Above all, well organised spice racks should improve your life, not create extra housework.
Types of spice rack to consider
Drawer spice organisers are ideal for visibility, especially when positioned near the cooking area. A shallow, wide drawer with angled inserts allows labels to be read at a glance and works particularly well as part of internal drawer organisation.
Tall pull-out spice racks make excellent use of slim spaces, particularly beside a larder or pantry unit. Positioning spices alongside oils, condiments and dry goods means everything needed for cooking is gathered in one place, reducing unnecessary trips across the kitchen. They keep jars upright and accessible, but thoughtful internal detailing is required to ensure spice jars and bottles don’t rattle, fall over or disappear behind one another.
Pantry spice storage suits larger kitchens and serious cooks. Integrated within pantry cupboards or walk-in larder storage, spices can sit alongside oils, dry goods and baking ingredients, again creating one central cooking store.
Door-mounted spice racks remain an absolute favourite, making intelligent use of the inside face of cabinet doors. When thoughtfully integrated into pantry cupboards or larders, they keep spices clearly visible and instantly accessible, while leaving shelves and drawers free for other essentials. However, they do require careful planning. The depth of the racks, the size of the jars they will hold, and the position of internal drawers and shelves all need to be considered together to ensure doors close comfortably and internal storage remains fully accessible.
Open shelving can look lovely lined up with beautiful jars, ceramics and oils, but spices should not be exposed to heat from the hob or direct sunlight. Opt for spice jars made from ceramic, metal or any other opaque material, paired with airtight rubber-sealed lids to preserve freshness. If you cook often, open shelves are better reserved for a tight edit of frequently used ingredients.
How to maintain order
Even the best spice rack ideas need a system behind them. Once you’ve settled on the perfect spice storage solution, the next question is how to arrange your spices within it, and the answer tends to be personal. Alphabetising is perhaps the most logical option and can work really well for larger collections, while arranging by cuisine or frequency of use can feel more intuitive, especially if you favour a small cluster of ingredients.
Organising spices by jar size can create a particularly ordered appearance, but the ingredients themselves should always determine the container. Whole spices, vanilla pods and dried chillies require taller jars, while smaller containers are often better suited to finer and less frequently used spices, helping to maintain freshness and reduce waste.
When considering how to store spices, visibility matters as much as capacity, size or position. If you cannot see what you own, you will buy duplicates. Choose a layout that lets every jar be seen and reached easily, with enough room for the collection to grow a little.
Why bespoke storage makes a difference
Off-the-shelf spice racks can solve a short-term problem, but bespoke kitchen storage allows every detail to be considered from the outset. Internal racks can be sized around existing spice collections, favourite olive oil brands or specific storage containers, while pull-out caddies, door-mounted shelves and dedicated pantry zones can be positioned precisely where they will be used. Details such as noise-dampening mats, wipe-clean surfaces, automatic illumination and carefully considered shelf heights may seem small, but they have a significant impact on the day-to-day experience of cooking.
Perhaps most importantly, bespoke storage gives you complete control over the aesthetic. Materials can match surrounding cabinetry for a seamless look or introduce contrasting timber, metal or colour accents within the interior. Ultimately, you end up with a storage solution that works harder, looks better and feels genuinely tailored to the way you live.
To discover which spice storage solution best suits the way you cook, visit a Roundhouse showroom and explore the possibilities in person, from beautifully detailed pantry interiors to bespoke drawer and pull-out storage.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: SPICE RACKS
The best spice rack depends on the size of your collection and how you cook. Drawer organisers are ideal for visibility, pull-out racks make excellent use of narrow spaces, while door-mounted racks and pantry storage can accommodate larger collections. The most successful solution keeps spices easy to see, easy to reach and close to where they are used.
Both can work well. Drawer storage makes labels easy to read at a glance and allows spices to be organised neatly in a single layer. Cupboards, larders and pantry units offer greater capacity. Whichever you choose, it’s essential to keep spices protected from direct light, heat and moisture, all of which can affect flavour over time.
That depends entirely on your cooking habits. A traditional cook may only need storage for a dozen or so everyday herbs and spices, while keen cooks with a love of global flavours can easily accumulate 50 or more jars. A slim pull-out, shallow drawer or dedicated section within a pantry cupboard is often sufficient for most households.
Professional chefs typically organise spices by frequency of use, cuisine or cooking station rather than alphabetically. The aim is to minimise movement and make ingredients easy to locate during cooking. The same principle works well at home: keep everyday favourites within easy reach and less frequently used spices elsewhere.
Spices last longest when stored in airtight containers away from heat, sunlight and moisture. Dedicated spice drawers, pantry cupboards and larder storage are often preferable to open shelving beside the hob. Choosing appropriately sized containers can also help reduce air exposure and preserve flavour for longer.
