30 Inspiring Butler’s and Kitchen Pantries, Old and New

Hi Everyone, this is part II about butlers and kitchen pantries. If you missed part I, which focused on the Victorian butler’s pantries in the Back Bay section of Boston, please go here.

This post is where I’m sharing some of my favorite butler’s and kitchen pantries from Victorian times to the present day.

Many of today’s butler’s pantries are like mini kitchens. In fact, if they added a range, many of them aren’t significantly different than a galley kitchen. However, a pantry doesn’t need to be a galley or even a walk-in situation.

 

Okay, let’s first look at some beautiful Victorian-era butler’s pantries.

 

While most of these are in the northeast, none are in Boston.

As we discussed in the last post, the butler’s pantries were where the final preparations were made before the meal was served.

After much research of the old 19th and early 20th-century butler’s pantries, I was fascinated to learn that some pantries are not the closets we associate them with. In fact, some are closer in size to a football stadium! Or at least they were in some dwellings.

 

 

Whoa! That’s the butler’s pantry?

 

At the Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island. Ever been there? The Newport mansions are not to be missed. To be fair, this is the mansion of all mansions, but that’s still one massive space.

 

 

Above, another striking and I think even more spectacular, is the butler’s pantry at the Biltmore Estate.

 

Above, Staatsburg House is beautifully preserved as a museum. McKim Mead and White designed it in the early 20th century. They are the iconic Beaux-Artes architectural firm that also designed the exquisite New York Public Library and many other such buildings.

If you’re interested in learning more about this historic estate and maybe going on a tour, please check out their website.

 

The Henry Lippitt House of Providence, Rhode Island

 

As you can see, each of these old butler’s and kitchen pantries are in a richly stained wood.

 

I love the antique walnut finish in an old home–especially a Victorian or Edwardian period home. The accents of wood in white kitchen pantries are handsome too.

 

This reminds me of the Greek Revival home we looked at a few years ago. You can see more of this lovely here. She did a fabulous facelift on her kitchen, but kept the old butler’s pantry. Gorgeous!

 

42 Ledge Rd. in Newport, Rhode Island, is a stunning estate once owned by Edith Wharton.

 

This grand estate sold not too long ago for 8.6 million. Actually, that’s not too bad for this place, in Newport, RI, with spectacular ocean views. Please check it out here.

 

Edith Wharton’s Newport kitchen pantry via Town & Country

 

Above, is another image via The Wall Street Journal.

 

Above is the entire kitchen pantry from the real estate listing.

 

via – Photo Gilles Trillard

Who wouldn’t want this? Actually, I just realized that this is the beautiful kitchen pantry section of the  frequently posted kitchen taken by Bieke Claessens. 

 

I love hidden kitchen pantries, and it seems they’ve become quite trendy. However, it’s a good one because when your guests congregate in the kitchen, you can make a hasty exit, shut the door, lock it and prepare your meal in peace. :] For more hidden rooms, please go here.

 

Southern Living – photo: Laurey W. Glenn

 

It doesn’t get any better than this stunning kitchen.

 

I don’t think it’s actually in a pantry, but it could be. However, it’s possible that once upon a time, there was a wall separating the kitchen pantry section from the rest. Great move!

 

In this kitchen we did several years ago, we also took down the wall because the kitchen felt cramped otherwise. In this case, it suited the house so much more; I think to do without the separate kitchen pantry. However, this side of the room acted as such with beautiful pull-out drawers.

You can see more of this kitchen here.

 

Of course, one of my new favorite kitchen pantries is the one I helped my friend Mary with. She fell in love with the Raphael by Sandburg wallpaper. I think it looks especially nice in this pantry.

 

You can purchase this beautiful paper here.

For the complete source list for Mary’s kitchen, please go here.

 

Hayburn

Yes. It’s one of the most popular pins on Pinterest. But, in case you haven’t seen this spectacular specimen, here it is.

 

This one’s too pretty to have a door on it.

 

Tim Barber

 

Glass-fronted cabinets that end up at the gates of heaven. This is one of the prettiest little kitchen pantries and has inspired me a lot.

 

I adore these English pantry cabinets from Smallbone. They hold a lot in a minimal amount of space. American companies have a version of them too. Although this idea isn’t new, it certainly took a long time to come into being.

There are a lot of great storage solutions here.

 

Cantley and Company

I adore this kitchen pantry. There are many more fantastic kitchens on their website.

 

Below are a trio of gorgeous dark blue kitchen pantries.

 

And I can’t resist sharing  Sue Di Chiara’s perfect dark blue butler’s pantry designed by Muse Interiors. It’s quite gorgeous! For the rest of the home, please click the link.

 

Photo: Emily Followill – Lauren Deloach Interiors and T.S. Adams Studio, architects, via Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. I love that sexy mirrored wall in this dark butler’s pantry.

 

A butler’s or kitchen pantry, like a powder room, is a terrific place to do a deep color or a wallpaper that would be overwhelming in a large room.

 

photo @janetmesicmackie via @jpinteriorschi  on Instagram

 

Oh man, that is some spectacular interior design. It makes me want to see the rest of the home.

 

Elle Decorations SE

Oh, how I wish that I had a collection of vintage china. Remember Nancy Keyes’ beautiful collection? And, don’t you just love that little door? I wonder what it’s for?

 

Pantry_Round_Window- Sacris Design

 

 

Above, is another glorious pantry featuring Raphael Sandberg in the light blue-gray colorway. You can see more of this lovely pantry in this post about French country kitchens.

 

cuisine-alex-macarthur_photo Gilles Trillard via Cote Maison.

This is an excellent example of an old kitchen pantry that looks perfectly at home in the 21st century. I love its handsome sophistication.

 

Every time I see this image, I fall in love with it again. I adore all of Minnie Peter’s work.

 

Above, is another beauty by Jeannette Whitson.

 

via OKL

A small section of Carolyne Roehm’s enormous and gorgeous kitchen pantry. You can see more of it, plus more of her amazing home, in the link above.

 

 

Above, is one of those kitchen pantries that everyone went nuts for several months ago when it made its debut on social media.

 

Fantastic and charming work by Boxwood Interiors. Please follow them on Instagram!

BTW, thank you so much to everyone who’s now following me on Instagram!

 

Via OKL and a fantastic article by Darryl.

Above, Darryl Carter found these gorgeous doors and then had two substantial display cases made to showcase his wares in his shop in Washington, DC. I am gaga over those very shallow drawers that are more like pull-out trays. So cool!

 

I don’t I

I don’t know who took this image, but it’s the best one I could find of the entire cabinet.

 

And one more Darryl beauty I found on his Instagram.

 

And, I’m finishing off with one of the most spectacular kitchen pantries out there by Jean Stoffer.

xo,

 

PS: Please check out the newly updated HOT SALES!

And, for a week’s work of kitchen inspo, please go here.

If you have longer than a week, please go here. ;]