The Timeless Charm of a Butler’s Pantry
How charming is a butler’s pantry? This blast-from-the-past design element is trending and we couldn’t love them more! Take a look at how pretty (and practical) this space can be.
See more of this French-inspired home here.
I’m a lover of kitchens. No matter how beautiful the home tour, the first room I’m dying to see is the kitchen. The stuff of my dreams? Large kitchens with lots of storage space.
And in my opinion, one of the most charming ways to add extra storage in a kitchen is with a butler’s pantry. Not only are they pretty, but they’re incredibly practical, too!
In love with this space! Design by Hayburn & Co.
What is a Butler’s Pantry?
Historically, the butler’s pantry was a small room between the kitchen and dining room. The purpose of a butler’s pantry was primarily for the storing of the family china, as well as a staging area for serving meals.
Like many things used in the past and since discarded, butler’s pantries fell out of favor for decades and were not commonly included in modern homes. But you know that saying about all trends coming around again? This is one that has seen a resurgence in recent years and I couldn’t be happier!
Via Clark & Co.
Sometimes (and I would argue that this is one of those times), the things from the past are actually better than those found now!
For instance, the first house we owned was built in 1937 and had an ironing board built into the wall in our laundry room – best idea ever! Every time I drag out my ironing board I remember how wonderful it was to just open a door and pull it down!
From blogger Rach Parcell.
With the return to traditional design the last few years, we’ve also seen a return of the classic butler’s pantry. Secondary spaces like butler’s pantries, sculleries, and back kitchens are becoming one of the most requested items in kitchen design.
Why Add a Butler’s Pantry?
For one thing, it provides much needed extra storage. Many people have extra sets of dishes, serving pieces they want to display, and many more collect silver or china. What better way to display them than in a pretty space dedicated to just that?
I love when they have beautiful doors or arches leading to them!
And as I said earlier, it works as a wonderful staging area for meals. You can leave extra serving dishes that don’t fit on the dining table, allowing them to be easily accessed for second helpings without guests going back into the kitchen. It also provides a place to keep extra water, wine or other beverages during meals.
Those doors! Via Anne Williams Design.
You might have heard another classic kitchen term recently, the scullery. Traditionally the difference between a scullery and a butler’s pantry is that the scullery focuses on hiding cleaning and/or cooking, whereas a butler’s pantry focuses on storage and presentation. The scullery is also typically larger.
Love the color of these cabinets! Via Amber Interior Design.
However, today there’s a lot of overlap with the terms. And many butler’s pantries may add a small sink, coffee bar, wine fridge, or wet bar, in addition to cabinets for china storage.
They Add Beauty
Via Kat Lawton Interiors.
They Provide Storage
In addition to the added display storage, there are also cupboards and drawers for hidden storage. And since we all own way more appliances than our ancestors did, a butler’s pantry provides a great place to store those appliances you don’t use every day or even every week.
Think big bread maker, crock pot or slow cooker, waffle maker, extra coffee pots you use when entertaining, etc. All of these I’m forced to crowd into my already small pantry, but they could easily be stored out of sight in the closed cabinets of a butler’s pantry!
A pretty blue pantry via House of Hargrove.
You Can Use Those Dream Finishes
And another benefit to having a butler’s pantry is, unlike a kitchen, they are not used as intensely. And that means you can use gorgeous finishes like marble without worry.
If you’re designing one, use that marble or natural stone that you’re too nervous to use in your kitchen!
Love all this stunning storage! Design by Carolyne Roehm.
Create One from a Small Unused Space
And if you don’t have enough space for a full, walk-in type butler’s pantry, you can often utilize a closet or small snippet of space to create a cute built-in that will stand in as a butler’s pantry.
This one below is a gorgeous example of that!
This was formerly a closet! Via Designthusiasm.
Even this small butler’s pantry by Brooke Giannetti adds so much character to the space!
To me, a butler’s pantry is the ultimate kitchen luxury. It adds character and charm, as well as practical solutions for storage and display.
Via Fraîche Living.
I’m still crossing my fingers that I will eventually get one. Maybe in the next house?!
Sheila
xo
If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out more inspiration in the posts below:
7 Tips for Elevating Your Kitchen
The Timeless Beauty of White Kitchens
How to Decorate Kitchen Counters – Without the Clutter!
The Brass Hardware Trend in Kitchens
When do we get to see your new house? Does it have a butler’s pantry? I sure hope so 🙂
Oh gosh I’m so sorry Susan, it’s been so hard to find the time for a full photo/edit session! But I’ll get to it! The kitchen will come first as it’s the only truly finished space, with the rest in a couple of months. And yes! I do have a (small!) butler’s pantry! 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Sheila
I always love your posts and this one got me thinking…one of your pictures is using the butlers pantry as a bar, so I’m off to do just that!! We have a large bar and pool room downstairs but always running down there to get a bottle of wine, putting an additional bar between our kitchen and dining room is genius!!! Thank you!!!
Oh that’s so wonderful! I’m so glad this inspired you Marilyn!
Thanks for stopping by!
Sheila
Hi Sheila. I love your butler pantry ideas!! I am wanting to turn a closet off the laundry room, which you come into from the garage, into a mudroom. I would love a place for my husband to store his shoes, jackets, etc. in a more organized way. Do you have any design ideas or resources you might share?
Gratefully yours!
Oh I LOVE mudrooms! How nice that you have the space for one. I would take a peek at Pinterest and Instagram for ideas that you like. Feel free to look at my Pinterest board where I have mudrooms and laundry room ideas here:
https://www.pinterest.com/maisondecinq/laundry-rooms-mud-rooms-potting-sheds/
And good luck to you!
Sheila
What beautiful pantries! Would absolutely love a Butler’s pantry as the one depicted with the library ladder & the french doors. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for this article Shelia! My husband and I are thinking of building and I’ll only look for houseplans with a butler’s pantry. And I only want a one-story house. Not too many plans out there with those requirements! But I would love to be able to get to my Christmas china without having to stand on my head in my little closet under the stairs in the front hallway!!!
Denise
You’re so welcome Denise! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and I don’t blame you for wanting a butler’s pantry! I dream of one in my next home too, where all my china can reside together! 😉
Sheila
We are going to try to recreate the butlers pantry with the half lite door with side lite … can you possibly tell me where you can find that door?
I love Butlers Pantries and walk in regular pantries too!
Aren’t they just beautiful? And yes – I’d take a regular pantry (which I don’t even really have!)
Thank you so much for stopping by and for taking the time to comment, I so appreciate it!
Sheila
I love a butler’s/walk-in pantry. We’re planning on remodeling our ill laid out kitchen and I’m designing it with a walk-in pantry. It won’t be a fancy one…..more along the lines of a working farmhouse style pantry. An extra deep sink, a freezer, storage for oversized pots and occasional use appliances, dry goods and canned goods storage, a counter for the bread machine while it’s baking, ect.
Oh gosh, that sounds divine! Not only do I not have a butler’s pantry, I don’t even have a walk-in one! Either would be an improvement over the cabinet I have now. I think it’s so wonderful that you’re getting a chance to remodel, and to make your home what you want it to be.
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to share. Congrats to you and good luck!
Sheila
I’m just hoping the aforementioned remodel happens before I’m too old and decrepit to enjoy it, lol! Seems like every time we’re ready to think about getting started, some catastrophe pops up that wipes out our remodeling fund. That wouldn’t be so bad except that the kitchen was half way torn apart in anticipation of getting started a few years ago! On the bright side, having to get creative about storage in a half torn apart kitchen has definitely helped me pare down the kitchen clutter and make more informed choices about what I need and want in a butler’s/walk-in pantry!
Sending wishes your way that your next house has the kitchen and pantry of your dreams!
It’s so hard, isn’t it? I’m constantly battling with the priorities, while also having a child starting college in the fall! It’s a bummer that you’ve had to live in half a kitchen for so long, but you’re right, it’s probably really helped you know exactly what you want! I’m glad that you’re able to look at it positively:)
I wish you all the best with your remodel (whenever you’re able to do it!) I know it will be wonderful when you do!
And thank you! I hope I have a bigger kitchen before I”m too old to really enjoy it!!
Sheila
Jinn Esse
A former Navy Wave had her daughter in law design her house. It had a kitchen to die for room to serve a large group and a sweet butlers pantry.