One Of The Most Popular Kitchen Trends In Recent Years Dates Back To The Victorian Era
Many Colorado homeowners are giving their modern kitchens an old-fashioned make-over with the addition of a butler's pantry. In Colonial America and Victorian England, the purpose of the butler's pantry was to provide a space for food preparation and storage away from the central kitchen, making it easier for the butler and other staff to serve meals and drinks to guests.
In the modern age, a butler's pantry takes the idea of a traditional pantry and gives it a significant glow-up. Are you considering incorporating this space into your kitchen remodel? Here is everything you need to know.
What is a Butler's Pantry?
A butler's pantry is a room in a home typically located adjacent to the kitchen and can have a variety of purposes, and often serves as a replacement for a traditional pantry.
While a traditional pantry's use is for storing dry food items and sundries, the modern butler's pantry typically contains cabinets, shelves, drawers, a sink, and countertops (as well as other commodities you can read more about below). Sometimes called a "hidden kitchen," this space is perfect for food prep and drinks, storing dishes, glasses, and small kitchen appliances that take up valuable counter space in your full kitchen.
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What are the Advantages of Including a Butler's Pantry in my Kitchen Design?
A butler's pantry is an excellent addition to any home, providing extra storage and convenience for all of your food-related needs.
Specifically, this space provides three significant benefits for Colorado homeowners:
Additional Storage Space
Most homeowners decide to include a butler's pantry in their kitchen design for additional storage and convenience. This space is excellent for storing small kitchen appliances like stand-mixers, blenders, juicers, Instapots and slow cookers. Do you have platters or other rarely used crockery that takes up valuable space in your kitchen cabinets? Open shelving in the 'hidden kitchen' might be the answer.
A Place to Prep Food and Drinks
Having an additional place to prep food and drinks can be invaluable when you have guests over and are short on time. Cutting vegetables, rolling-out dough, or carving meats in a separate area will keep your main kitchen clutter free and clean and reduce foot traffic while adding finishing touches to your dishes.
Many parents also enjoy the additional space to prep snacks and lunches for the next day. Keeping everything you need within arm's reach can reduce time and make it easier to include your kids in the process.
Related: Tips for Designing the Perfect Kitchen for Entertaining
Hiding the Mess of Cooking
While out of sight, out of mind might be a stretch, many parents find that not seeing the after-dinner clean-up can make dinner as a family much more enjoyable.
And if you like to entertain, having the mess hidden away can give you a greater opportunity to enjoy your guest's company rather than obsessing over how much you have to do when they leave.
Bonus Benefit
As an additional advantage, should you sell your home in the future, upgrading your kitchen to include this feature can increase the value of your home.
Essential Features to Include in Your Design
Designing a butler's pantry can be a fun and rewarding project. To ensure you have the essentials, consider including the following:
- Sink
- Cutting boards
- Knife block
- Food prep utensils
- Small appliances
- Food storage containers
- Open shelving for large or bulky items
- Pantry staples and spice rack
- Table linens
- Cleaning supplies, including a trash can
If you have room, consider adding a beverage center, wet bar or wine fridge to make entertaining even easier. You may even want to include a small profile dishwasher to make clean-up a breeze.
Do I Have Room in My Kitchen Remodel?
A typical butler's pantry is usually between 50 and 75 square feet but can be as small as a closet or as large as a room, depending on the house's size and the homeowner's preferences.
Because of the design versatility, most Colorado homeowners can find room for some form of this hidden kitchen in their remodel designs.
Of course, the best way to determine what you can include in your kitchen remodel is to meet with the Certified Kitchen Designers at Designer Kitchens. We are Southern Colorado's leader in custom kitchen designs and remodels, specializing in giving homeowners the kitchen they dream about.
Are you ready to start your kitchen design? Then please get in touch with us to schedule your in-home consultation or stop by our showroom on 8th Street and Cimarron in Colorado Springs today.