Butler Pantries

(I'm getting super creative with my titles, aren't I?)

I thought I'd post some photos of my favorite "butler pantries". I feel like the whole idea of a butler pantry is the epitome of livin' the dream in the States. I mean, if you have a butler pantry, you don't have a butler anymore (well... most of us don't) but it means if you did, then you could stash them there. AND if you have one, then you've got space to spare in the house for a hallway between dining and kitchen... i.e., you've finally made it. Well, you know what I mean :)

Traditionally, a butler's pantry is the space between the kitchen and dining room and it was meant for staging and stashing -- dumping plates after being cleared (so as not to get in the way of whoever was making the next course in the kitchen) and having new plates from the kitchen within quick access so there wasn't lag-time between serving guests.

Now, you see a lot of variations on the idea of what that pantry is. In some houses, it's a large second pantry that is accessible to the kitchen and dining, but it's not necessarily a thru-way. Other cases show a large second storage area with additional appliances and counter space. These are great, but for all intents and purposes, it's not a "butler's pantry" as a design professor would allow you to call it.

Regardless, if you have the space to devote to beautiful cabinets and accessory appliances, by all means, have at it.

All images are from my Pinterest