Tag: pantry

Traditionally, a butler’s pantry served an essential function in large, wealthy, European estate homes.  In these homes, the butler’s pantry was the domain of the home’s butler, who used this area as both an office and a place to store and inventory valuable silver and china.  In this space, the butler would keep track of household matters, oversee staff, and carry out his many responsibilities.  In fact, the butler’s pantry was so crucial to the running of the household that the butler often slept there.

A modern butler’s pantry serves a similar purpose, giving the home additional storage space and staging area.  It’s a nice alternative to storing china and serving pieces in a large hutch, allowing you to minimize furniture in the dining room and free up space in the kitchen.  It can act as an extension of the kitchen, providing more counter space for prep and clean up when entertaining.  The butler’s pantry is also a good place for a wine cellar, giving you ease of access whether you choose to install a small wine refrigerator or something more extensive.  When entertaining, it’s nice to not have to go far to select a bottle of wine.

The butler’s pantry doesn’t have to be strictly utilitarian.  You have a great opportunity to create a whimsical, playful space.  Consider taking risks with this smaller, less public part of the kitchen by using different materials.  Elements such as tiles, stone, and colors don’t have to match the rest of the kitchen.  The butler’s pantry can be a jewel box of a room!

Lastly, I’d like to share images of butler’s pantries I’ve designed for my own clients.  There’s something so appealing about taking a traditional, functional space like this and incorporating it into a modern home.  The goal is to keep the feel and usefulness of the room but make it relevant to the homeowner’s lifestyle.

What would your ideal butler’s pantry look like?