Butler’s Pantry: Is It The New Kitchen Necessity?

29 Oct

Who needs a butler’s pantry? What is the use of another (very tiny) kitchen right next to a perfectly functional larger one?

It seems that everyone desires a butler’s pantry these days. What is the appeal? Do they really perform a function that is impossible in the main kitchen?

Clients with a variety of budgets request them. They are as sought after in new homes now as frameless shower screens became ten years ago and alfresco dining areas in years before that. These days both are expected as a matter of course, not just as luxury inclusions. In years to come, will home buyers believe butler’s pantries are similarly indispensable?

Definition – Butler’s pantry: a service room between kitchen and dining room with preparation space, sink and storage for fine china and silver.

While this definition was an accurate description for the large homes of yesteryear, today they go further.

The (not so) surprising utility of a butler’s pantry

With the rise in popularity of open plan kitchen/living areas, many have realised that while it is wonderful to feel a part of the action, the mess in the kitchen is not a feature they need to be on constant display. Others have lamented the loss of the big reveal during a dinner party – with open plan kitchen/dining rooms, the magic is extinguished when guests can see your prep. For some families with teenagers and a Costco membership, the additional storage is indispensable.

So, how do you make the best use of a butler’s pantry?

It is not as mystifying when you ponder the pale substitutes that have been made over the years. Consider the chest freezer in the garage, the few shelves set aside in the laundry for non-perishables and the large serving platters under the bed in the spare room. The butler’s pantry brings all of these items together in one more effective, efficient and accessible purpose-built location.

A wine cooler, filtered cold/boiling water tap, oodles of storage, power points and window as the splashback.

This tactile recycled crate door leads into a well-designed butler’s pantry.

Small sinks can fit in the shallow benches often gracing pantries. Adjustable shelves allow tailoring as storage needs change.

Top reasons people love their butler’s pantry:

Keeps the mess out of sight
Enables a better design for a kitchen with fewer corner cabinets, which are tricky to access.
Allows storage in bulk (thanks Costco) without impeding access to everyday items.
Tucks small appliances away but ready for use – plugged in ready to go on a bench out of sight.

Your kitchen footprint does not have to be huge to accommodate a functional and effective butler’s pantry, you just need to be smart about how you incorporate it.