Friday 9 January 2015

The Popularity of The Butlers Pantry


If I could possibly squeeze a butlers pantry into my home or I was building from scratch, this is a space I would definitely be making room for. Most new homes feature this 'must have' space, so I went on a mission to find some traditional style butlers pantries to inspire you.

I was recently reading an article about a new build, the owners had installed a large butlers pantry, after they moved in they realised that it was too large and they were spending too much time hidden away with their appliances. This in turn cut them off from socialising in their open plan kitchen/living area. On 'The Block' NZ recently, one of the contestants decided to place their oven in the butlers pantry, this actually didn't go down well with the judges for several reasons, so make sure when your planning this space that you spend time to think about exactly what you will be using your pantry for.


As for location the original butlers pantries used to be a short hallway between a kitchen and dining space. However, these days they are more likely to be a room off the kitchen. I have a laundry off my kitchen and if I decide to add on to the cottage, I intend to make every effort to utilise this space as a small butlers pantry/laundry.


A butlers pantry should include storage in the form of cabinetry or open shelving, or a combination of both. If you choose cabinets, personally I feel it is a good idea to have glass fronts so you can quickly find what you require. A sink to me is a must and of course a work/prep area. The bench tops do not need to be as wide as a conventional kitchen top if you are especially tight on space. You will need room for your daily appliances, for example a juicer, blender, toaster but keep your electric kettle in the kitchen or you will forever be going back and forth.


As far as a sink is concerned, I don't feel a butlers pantry is complete without one but not everyone has the space. If you have the room then it is better to have a large sink rather than a small one, so you can fit a large baking dish in without having to clutter up the kitchen, especially if you have an open plan kitchen diner and you want to keep your dishes out of sight while entertaining. 


I have a penchant for traditional style so have been browsing some examples of butlers pantries that work. Some of these are small and without sinks, however they make up for it with clever appliances such as a wine cooler which can be seen in a few of the smaller pantries below...



Some of these examples prove that you don't have to have a large space and if you don't have room for a sink then why not utilise some under bench space and put in a wine cooler. I love all of these examples but my favourite ones would have to be No. 5 and also No. 8 for a great small space.


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