Are you doing custom (made specifically for you)? Or a factory made cabinetry line (which can have a "custom" line but it's not really custom custom even though they call it that)? If you haven't gotten that far, please be aware that most people find that custom can actually cost significantly less.

The reason I asked is that pantries that deep can be kind of nightmarish, but it would be great to be able to use the depth. If there's a big enough aisle, you can use the kind of pullouts that are attached to the door so that the whole cupboard pulls out (see theanimala's kitchen. Or you can get those cupboards with pivot hinges, that have shelving on the doors. You could even get bookcase fronts that swing open to reveal pantry storage with pull out shelves.

I wouldn't do "a couple of surfaces." Small surfaces tend to be junk magnets. Instead, one goodly surface can be very useful. Not only for the message center, but also as a buffet, or a deep project counter, or for cooling cookies, or laying out slices for dehydrating.

pllllog thanks so much for your suggestions! We are going custom. For the one "goodly surface" what would be a good width, depth? I haven't decided to use the entire 31" depth of the space available though the examples that you provided of how the space can be used are very interesting. I thought I read somewhere that the pullout cabinets are not good, things fall over or shelves aren't adjustable...something like that. Though I know that you seem to be an expert so I will definitely consider/do further research on all of these options you mention. Thanks!

I'm not a big expert on this kind of thing--just seen a lot of possibilities. One of our members did a pivot bookcase in front of his broom closet. If you don't get a lot of response to this topic, try something like "Pull out pantries...things fall off?" That way you'll get plenty of response from people who have them.

My new kitchen, also custom, has a space that was too narrow for anything but a door mounted pullout, and I had them put a tall back on it so things wouldn't fall behind.

Pullout shelves in a pantry are great. At least up to the eye level. When they come to finish my cabinets they're going to put my pullouts in at the levels I decide I need them, in the lower pantries (lower and upper because the doors had to be split). I think they are moveable, but it's a pain, compared to the regular shelves which are easy to move. The uppers are just shelves, because I'm going to need to get up on a ladder for the higher shelves anyway. Mostly, large, lightweight stuff will go up there if I can help it. But mine go up to 9'.

here's a thread that shows lots of different ways to do a pantry!

Here is a link that might be useful: pantries