These 35+ Beautiful Butler’s Pantries Make the Perfect Culinary Companions
No Mr. Carson required.
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If you’ve ever thrown a dinner party, you’ll doubtless be familiar with a specific kind of melee that consumes the kitchen—the broken wine glasses that fell victim to an errant elbow, the tower of saucepans growing in the sink, and oh, is that a tier of an overly ambitious layered dessert we spy on the floor? Fortunately, there’s a design solution for controlling the chaos: the butler’s pantry. And, if you’re planning to remodel your home, there’s never been a better time to have one. A butler’s pantry, a passagelike storage and prep space generally tucked between the kitchen and dining room, is an entertainer’s dream, providing an area to store dishware and table linens, put finishing touches on your latest culinary masterpiece, and clean up. It’s like a storage pantry but for those on the go.
The butler’s pantry reached its apex in Victorian England and America, when formal dining, not to mention pomp and circumstance, was de rigueur. “Whether a house had a butler or not, the butler’s pantry—or serving pantry—became a distinctive buffer between the kitchen and the dining room,” writes Catherine Seiberling Pond in her 2007 book, The Pantry: Its History and Modern Uses. “It was a place to serve food and keep it warm, to wash the finest dishes and glassware, and to polish the silver. Symbolically it was a place between servant and sire.”
At the turn of the 20th-century as technological innovations such as refrigeration, efficient all-in-one storage systems, and changing social mores rendered it nearly obsolete, the butler’s pantry fell out of favor. Recently, however, as all-things farmhouse decor rules the roost and as entertaining comes roaring back post-pandemic, it has had a surprising resurgence. “As kitchen design trends evolve, we have seen the pantry undergo a transformation from a simple storage element to a dedicated and functional room,” affirms Michaela Ross from Arclinea, a nearly century-old Italian firm specializing in luxury kitchen design and storage solutions.
While most of us don’t have the luxury of our own personal Mr. Carson, a butler’s pantry is turning out to be the perfect in-between space to tuck away sundries and put the final touches on those canapés for your latest dinner party. And though they’re out of sight, they’re certainly not out of mind for interior design buffs; a butler’s pantry’s petite footprint makes it a prime destination to flaunt your taste, whether you choose a bold wallpaper or paint your kitchen cabinets in a look-at-me shade. For help, we’ve rounded up some of the most stylish butler’s pantry ideas around.
Lacquer-Coated Butler’s Pantry
While this 1846 home in Connecticut didn’t come equipped with a butler’s pantry originally, designer Thom Filicia converted this space—which joins the oldest part of the house with a newer addition—into one. Here, the designer packed in plenty of additional storage and workspace and coated the cabinetry in a pleasing chocolate lacquer. “A key thing people have to understand—especially when they have older homes with a lot of rooms—is that it’s really important to give every room a purpose,” Filicia told us.
Old-World Butler’s Pantry
If you, along with thousands of others, tuned into Chip and Joanna Gaines’s epic renovation of the Castle, you’ll doubtless remember this gorgeous butler’s pantry adjoining the kitchen. “The kitchen is smaller, and I keep thinking the people who are going to buy the castle are going to love to entertain, and they’ll need the extra space,” Jo told us. “So we converted the room next to the kitchen into a butler’s pantry.” We’re especially keen on the rich blue-green color that coats the cabinets.
Crisp White Butler’s Pantry
Butler’s pantries serve to connect the kitchen and dining rooms, so why not link them aesthetically also? Here, in a Palm Beach villa, ELLE DECOR A-List designer Mark D. Sikes skimmed the scullery in the same white hue as the breakfast room, a look that’s as effortless as it is classic.
Skirted Storage Butler’s Pantry
With mixed woods and artful touches, this butler’s pantry, designed by Indianapolis-based interior designer Whittney Parkinson proves that pretty and practical can coexist. The wood counters, from Grothouse “contrast wonderfully against the white cabinetry and textured wall treatment,” adds company president Paul Grothouse. We’re partial to the patterned undercabinet skirt that adds a pop of whimsy to the elegant look.
Gallery-Worthy Butler’s Pantry
Art isn’t just for your living room! In this traditional butler’s pantry, designed by Stephanie Sabbe, a small painting behind the faucet creates the perfect focal point to gaze at while clearing up the dishes. Wood surfaces, also from, Grothouse, in addition to injecting the space with country charm, “prevent chipping, cracking, and breakage” of all your best dinnerware, company president Paul Grothouse points out.
Turquoise Butler’s Pantry
Like its privy counterpart the powder room, a butler’s pantry is a prime opportunity to embrace a bold decor scheme. In an apartment in an Art Deco Chicago building, designer Steven Gambrel went all-out glam in the butler’s pantry, with Indigo Green marble and a custom lacquer in Pantone’s Mallard Green.
White and Warm Butler’s Pantry
Fine china takes center stage in this clean-lined, modern butler’s pantry by Mendelson Group.
Light-Filled Glamour
The lacquered blue ceiling, whimsically patterned wallpaper, and luxurious chandelier are grounded with a simple white butler’s pantry by Amy Kartheiser. All-white ceramics are on display for an organized elegance.
Whimsical Yet Refined Butler’s Pantry
Rich brown cabinetry grounds this pattern-filled butler’s pantry by Margery Wedderburn Interiors, complete with a wine cooler and vertically aligned glass showcase.
Open Shelving
Opt for easy-access to kitchenware with open shelving, as seen in this contemporary and compact butler’s pantry by Jeff King & Company.
Contemporary Rustic Butler’s Pantry
Floating wooden shelves are consistent with the clean lines and minimalist style in this Colorado butler’s pantry by BK Interior Design.
Crisp Cottage-Style Butler’s Pantry
This bright and airy cottage-style butler’s pantry by CK Interior Design features simple floating shelves that serve both form and function. In a minimalist, uncluttered kitchen, shelving can be elevated with decorative touches like plants or cookbooks.
Double-Decker Butler’s Pantry
Take your butler’s pantry to new heights with a rolling ladder, so you can make use of all those hard-to-reach places, like Wade Weissmann Architecture did here.
Compact and Simple Butler’s Pantry
Bigger is not always better! Sometimes a smaller, functional pantry that still features a lot of storage is all you need, as Alan Design Studio proves here.
Sleek and Lacquered Butler’s Pantry
If you’re not one to display your fine china, opt for opaque cabinets that lend a minimalistic aesthetic, like this butler’s pantry, also by as Alan Design Studio.
Vintage Wallpaper-Covered Butler’s Pantry
Add a mirror and statement wallpaper rather than a backsplash for a modern take on an old-fashioned design, like Alisberg Parker Architects did here.
Dark Wood and Etched Glass Butler’s Pantry
A wine cooler, loads of shelving, and sprawling counter space—what more could you ask for in a 21st-century butler's pantry? Designer Amy Kartheiser shows us how to nail the look.
Country Blue Butler’s Pantry
Add a vibrant pop of color to your home like this Munsell blue pantry. Pair it with stark white countertops for a clean finish, as Amy Kartheiser demonstrates here.
Neutral and Natural Butler’s Pantry
A master in elegant and organic interior joinery, particularly bespoke kitchens, Artichoke Interiors makes a strong case for a light and airy butler’s pantry.
All White Everything
If you have all white kitchen accessories, make sure to match your pantry with a white finish, as designer Amy Kartheiser did here. It’s monochromatic decor at its sleekest.
Anna Fixsen, Deputy Digital Editor at ELLE DECOR, focuses on how to share the best of the design world through in-depth reportage and online storytelling. Prior to joining the staff, she has held positions at Architectural Digest, Metropolis, and Architectural Record magazines. elledecor.com
Lucia Tonelli is an Assistant Editor at Town & Country, where she writes about the royal family, culture, real estate, design, and more.
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