The concept of a butler’s pantry is becoming increasingly embraced in Australia. With the popularity of open-plan living, we’ve seen the kitchen harmoniously merge into living areas with more and more people opting for a butler’s pantry with their kitchen renovation. For people who like to entertain or simply like to have their kitchen looking pristine at all times, a butler’s pantry is extremely useful and practical. Especially at times where guests are invited to sit around your main kitchen benchtop area for a pre dinner drink.
What is a butler’s pantry?
A butler’s pantry is a working kitchen usually adjoining the major kitchen space. It can be closed off from the view of guests and allow you to leave your unwashed dishes, as well as the mess and clutter usually associated with meal preparation, hidden from view until all guests have departed. It should be large enough to comfortably work in. Similar in concept to a walk in pantry, except a little bigger. Think of it as the ideal extension of your kitchen.
What to include
The addition of a butler’s pantry is a great way to add value to your home, and with the right inclusions, will make your home more favourable to those who love to entertain. The following should be included for a useful butler’s pantry.
Benchtop space
No kitchen set up works well without benchtops. Ensure you install benchtops that are going to be functional and leave enough room for food preparation. The benchtops don’t have to be as large as what you have in the main kitchen. Consider reducing them by 100-200mm to maximise floor space but still give you enough room to prep and store small appliances such as a coffee machine.
It’s also not necessary to use the same benchtop as the main kitchen. As it’s your private area, you can choose inexpensive materials that may be more durable and functional, but still match the main kitchen.
Lots of storage space
To keep your main kitchen free from clutter, storage space is going to be essential. Keep the design open plan so all of your items are easily accessible. Consider having storage available from floor to ceiling. Take drawers all the way to the floor, and shelves all the way to the ceiling. You can store items on the top shelf that you don’t use as often such as expensive glassware.
- Drawers
To assist with storage, include plenty of drawers in the design. The drawers can sit underneath your benchtop space and can be used to store those big, clunky items such as woks, large bowls and baking dishes. - Shelves
Items such as dry foods, cooking oils and tea and coffee can all be stored on your shelves. As you’ll most likely use these often, storing them on a shelf makes them easy to grab and see at a glance. You could also consider vertical shelves to store items such as serving platters and chopping boards.
A door
One of the key advantages to a butler’s kitchen is privacy – so having a door to hide from view is advantageous. Sliding or bi-fold doors don’t take up a lot of room and are perfect for this purpose. They also won’t prevent any cupboard doors or drawers from opening and give you the option of keeping the space open or closed.
Don’t forget the sink!
One non-negotiable item in the butler’s pantry is a sink. This gives you the convenience of washing up and wiping down without having to visit the main kitchen to access water. Similarly it helps greatly with food preparation.
A dishwasher
Having a separate dishwasher to the main kitchen makes a butler’s pantry more practical. Not only is it beneficial to have two when entertaining, but it also means you won’t have to carry items out to the main kitchen.
Excellent lighting
Having many different lighting options in your butler’s pantry is going to be very useful. Having the option to dim the brightness will be great for late night pantry visits, whereas LED light strips will help illuminate areas underneath shelves.
Power points
Your benchtops will probably act as the new home for many of your small appliances such as slow cookers, blenders and toasters, which means you’ll need power points – and lots of them! Determine how many you’ll need (and add a few more!) Also, think about whether USB chargers will be valuable to you. A lot of people use their iPads and phones for viewing recipes these days so it can be a useful option for those times when your battery is low.
Fridge
Running out of room in the fridge is common in many households, especially when you’re entertaining or at Christmas time. Having a second fridge is a great inclusion in your butler’s pantry if you have the budget for it. If you’re low on space, opt for a mini fridge.
Incorporating a butler’s pantry into an existing home
If you’re thinking about incorporating a butler’s pantry into your existing home, think about how you use the kitchen and how you can best utilise the space available. You could build a small room off to one side of the kitchen, or alternatively you could arrange for it to be placed between the kitchen and the dining room and call it a preparation space.
If you have a large kitchen area you could consider moving your main kitchen forward and hide the butlers pantry behind it. There are numerous possibilities for creating a workable option in your home.
It’s important to remember that functionality is the key to a butler’s pantry. The pantry should make life easier for you and have all of the features that work for you and your families needs. If you are considering adding a butler’s pantry to your existing kitchen, or are planning a kitchen renovation, contact JEDI Plumbing on 0411 774 381 for all of your plumbing requirements.
