WHY WE INCLUDED A BUTLER'S PANTRY
Apparently, way back when, a butler’s pantry was a separate room where the butler would store and clean the household silverware. It was the butler’s job to keep it locked away and he even used to sleep in that room to protect it, hence the name.
Today a butler’s pantry is a popular addition to a kitchen as a handy extra space for food prep, storage and a great place to hide dirty dishes or mess while entertaining guests. We don’t recommend sleeping in it though!
To butler’s pantry or not to butler’s pantry has always been a hot topic between Reno Schoolers and our Three Birds team alike. Lana opted for a butler’s office (yep, she made that a thing!) in lieu of a butler’s pantry (aka BP) at her place while Bonnie said “yes way, rosé!” to a BP that would increase her kitchen functionality and hide her family’s mess.
When we were designing our Three Birds Dream Home, our overwhelming feeling was that a butler’s pantry is a luxury inclusion that most homeowners would love to have in their kitchen and with the right design, it could set this project home apart from others.
Our Dream Home doesn’t come with a butler #soz but it does come with a butler’s pantry. Here are three good reasons why a BP made the cut in this home:
storage FOR DAYS
“I’ve got too much storage in my kitchen!”
In a family home, storage is always at a premium and so a butler’s pantry is a great way to increase kitchen storage.
For the Three Birds Dream Home, we worked with the legends at Carrerra by Design to design a custom butler’s pantry, jam-packed with as much storage as possible. There are full floor to ceiling cupboards on one wall to store all those big platters and bowls you only pull out for entertaining and shelving on the other wall to display your fancy bits and pieces.
Just because it's a practical space doesn't mean it can't be pretty as a picture! We worked hard with the team at Rawson Homes to make the French window detailing happen for the butler's pantry. It's amazing how the details can make ALL the difference. Those little windows along with the wall sconce and artwork make the space look and feel extra spesh.
HOME FOR appliances
Another reason we love a BP is that it hides so much ‘stuff’ that would otherwise overtake your main kitchen bench. There’s no packing away appliances to free up bench space, you can leave them all out and ready to roll.
We’ve got a full lineup of the toaster, kettle and De’Longhi’s latest and greatest barista-style coffee machine - the La Specialista Arte, ready for tea and toast for brekkie, followed by your morning coffee. Imagine all of that otherwise cluttering the backbench or island of the kitchen!
In this BP there’s also space for a microwave tucked away in the cabinetry and this Electrolux beauty fits perfectly.
entertainER’S BEST FRIEND
If you love to entertain, you’ll love a BP! The extra bench space to prep and plate food is always a bonus because it frees up space on the island bench for drinks to be poured and friends to perch. And it’s a saviour for hiding dirty dishes and mess out of sight!
This BP has (an appropriately named) butler’s sink to wash up when you’re done, with the same beautiful brushed gold tapware as the kitchen, both from Reece.
Just outside the BP, there’s a big Electrolux fridge complete with a dedicated drinks drawer that chills wine and Champagne to the perfect temp. What guest wouldn’t be impressed?!
Are you pro a BP? Tell us below!
