I love how butler’s pantries, rooms that originated in homes from years gone by, are now being reimagined, reinterpreted and included in new homes but in a modern, relevant way for how we live today.
For this week’s post I’m doing a Q&A about butler’s pantries. sharing a design guide, the design drawings for the butler’s pantry design at the Melodic Landing Project, (a 1930’s whole-house remodel and addition, located in Northern California), as well as some favorite butler’s pantry inspiration photos.
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Question:
What’s the difference between a pantry and a butler’s pantry?
Answer:
Pantries are closets or cabinets with open shelves that provide a consolidated place to store food items and dishes. Whereas a butler’s pantry is an actual room and is differentiated from a regular pantry by the inclusion of cabinets, counters and generally a sink and at least one appliance.
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Question:
What is the purpose of a butler’s pantry?
Answer:
In days gone by the butler’s pantry was a room located between the kitchen and formal dining room, and where the silver, china and crystal where stored, and even watched over by the butler of the household. The butler’s pantry was also used as a place to transfer meals from the kitchen to serve those waiting in the dining room. Once the meal was over, the household help, used the pantry space to clear dishes form the table before moving them into the kitchen.
Today’s butler’s pantries are high functioning, extensions of our kitchens. As an outgrowth of open floor plans, a need developed for a visual buffer between the mess of food prep and the visual connection between our kitchens, great rooms and dining areas.
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Question:
Are there other names for a butler’s pantry?
Answer:
Depending on what part of the country you’re in, butler’s pantries are sometimes referred to as messy kitchens, or dirty kitchens. The inference being that the main kitchen is able to be neater and cleaner by sharing the workload with the butler’s pantry.
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Question:
What should a butler’s pantry include?
Answer:
This is where the design of the space get’s particularly interesting. Butler’s pantries are unlike kitchens that already have prescribed components that need to be included to make it a functioning kitchen. Besides having cabinets and a counter tops, the parts and pieces of a butler’s pantry can vary greatly from project, to project depending on what the clients’ needs are.
Some of the butler’s pantries we’ve designed are essentially scaled down kitchens. They have everything a typical kitchen has, just smaller. While others have only cabinets, prep sinks and a simple appliance, like a microwave, or coffee maker.
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Question:
How big should a butler’s pantry be?
Answer:
It all depends on what your needs are, and how the space is going to be used; what task you plan to perform in the space and how much storage you need.
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Question:
Where should a butler’s pantry be located?
Answer:
That’s an easy, cut-and-dried answer. A butler’s pantry should be located adjacent or next to the kitchen.
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Question:
Are butler’s pantries worth including?
Answer:
If the budget allows, and there is room within the square footage requirements, absolutely a butler’s pantry is well worth the investment. If well thought-out and designed, it will be one of the most used spaces in the house.
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Question:
Does a butler’s pantry need to match the finishes in the kitchen?
Answer:
This is another question that doesn’t have any absolutes when it comes to finishes, materials and colors, other than the butler’s pantry needing to compliment the kitchen. It can completely contrast the kitchen colors and finishes, match the kitchen, or be a mix of both.
When planning the design of a butler’s pantry, start by noting how you want the space to function and then make a list of the things that you want to include, from storage needs, to appliances, and so on.
Here’s a list to get you started. There may be things on the list that you never thought of including and a thing or two that you’ll want to add.
COMPONENTS
Now for the fun part. Below I’m sharing the butler’s pantry design plans from the Melodic Landing Project. You’ll see that though it’s a relatively small room, it’s been designed both practically and interestingly. Included with in the design are the following components:
Counters
Base cabinets with uppers
Open shelves
Full cabinets (floor to ceiling) equipped with outlets
Prep sink
Microwave drawer
Dishwasher drawer
*Go here to see the before floor plan of the kitchen and butler’s pantry and how we perfected it.
COLORS, FIXTURES + FINISH SELECTIONS
Besides adding function and practicality to food prep and storage, the design of butler’s pantries provide a wonderful opportunity to add interest and depth to home design. Because of their size, they are the perfect place to add drama with colors and materials that might not be suited for other spaces in the home.
For the Melodic Landing Project you’ll see that in the design plans below, that we designed the space by including the same counter top material as what’s shown in the kitchen. We used the same cabinet design, but changed from painted white to dark green, and then transitioned the wood kitchen flooring to tile starting at the doorway of the mudroom hall and then continuing into the pantry.
GOOD FIT?
Due to our comprehensive approach to design we invest a lot of time, energy, and even a lot of love into each of our projects. If you think we would be a good fit for your project and you are hoping to work together, feel free to reach out via the contact page on my website, and answer all the questions as thoroughly as you can. Once received, I’ll review and get back with you.
Don’t need full service design but you have a new custom home project in the works where you are feeling unsure about the floor plan? You can get spatial guidance and direction with your your floor plan through my new, Floor Plan Review and Consultation. This service is intended for those needing an extra layer of expertise with their floor plans before they are finalized. Schedule your FLOOR PLAN REVIEW AND CONSULTATION here.
I have been soaking up all the incredibly helpful info on Tami's page ever since I found her Instagram account and debated booking a floor plan consultation. I thought maybe I had seen enough of her work that I could figure it out by myself but I had some concerns that I couldn't quite find solutions to so I did schedule a consultation, and I’m so happy I did! She confirmed the problem areas were actually problems and advised me to advocate for my gut feelings with the design of our custom home. She also pointed out so many other details that would have turned into problems that I had totally missed! I would absolutely recommend working with Tami! - Pauline, Texas
Let’s work together to make your home the best it can be.
Cheers!
Tami
