Prep Kitchen or Butlers Pantry Useful?
Rick M
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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JJ
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Does this butler pantry addition add or detract from my kitchen?
Comments (21)dang, 10 yrs empty! I hope you got a very good deal on it! My place was empty for 4 yrs in the desert and was filthy. Anyway, I do think I was looking at the architect's 'future to be maybe' drawings... ha! Going on your drawing of 'as it is now' - I can see the 'appl wall' now (wondered where an oven would be). If no bp now behind that wall, I'd see what space is usable once you line up the appl wall (if that's what you want to do). That and island placement. Having it as a place to stash extra drinks and pizza boxes (party time) would be a good thing. I did think of the bp for the birds too (cages, dishes etc). Don't think I posted that - I just left it at 'plants'. My oldest son had a bird for a few yrs and I didn't like him using the kitchen sink (we didn't have that much space and only the 1 sink). I thought I might just be weird about that. It would be a handy space to have - and keep that stuff out of your kitchen sinks. If there'd be enough space, you could have a back wall of shallow cabinets. pantries don't need to be that deep. If bigger things they could store under the cabinet run w/the sink in there. I'm posting that 'cause I have no clue how much space would be usable after you line things up (and I know that's important to you). And you need a wide enough walk area behind it from lower outside door up thru to the casual room. I'd probably want the whole one side as just counter and sink (no full height cabs). Space to work in. If you decide against a bp, it looks like you have some usable space in the laundry for a few cabinets for food supplies. And a sink in there for the dishes and cages. but if you have the space (and budget) I'd probably want to keep those things separate. I can fill up a laundry room so fast with other things myself - laundry baskets, sewing machine, ironing board... Also, if you get those things done that you want to do, I agree with maybe just getting the tile and then taking some time off from remodeling / construction to enjoy yourself and new (beautiful) home, gardens and views!! No reason not to even wait to get tile. The stores will still be out there ready to take you money in the future....See More1920s Inspired Blue and white Kitchen/Butler's Pantry Finished!
Comments (48)Late to this thread but your BPantry shares a lot in common with what we're contemplating. Can you share dimensions of: 1. width of floor 2. width (i.e., depth) of each countertops 3. width (ie, depth) of cabinets? And do you recommend any changes to those for a de novo project? We're considering: 40-42" for the floor width - do not want it too wide or there is lost efficiency of movement; but of course do not want to be confined when a drawer is opened; 18" deep countertops - this is, after all not the kitchen, but is a clean-up and storage area. But if we do not place the d/w at the nether dead-end of this long room (we may or may not), then at least one counter will of course need be the requisite 24 for the d/w 15" & 18" deep cabinets. Thanks for your and any others' advice...perhaps we will begin a thread of its own....See MoreLarge kitchen with separate Butler's Pantry & 2nd Kitchen....help!
Comments (11)Thank you all SO very much for your thoughtful comments and time. I will post some layout pictures here (just met with our Kitchen Designer yesterday again.) We are going on Year 5 of living here this fall, and I have given constant thought as to the space & use since we have moved it. We have had a project going 100% of the time since we moved in due to the original state of the house. Now it's time to upgrade vs "fix". We are overdue! I've toyed around with ALL ideas (removing walls, extending the bar/not pictured-discussed, etc). For the most part, we like the layout and decided the pantry/2nd Kitchen are functional as is, although I love ideas, thank you all for your thoughtfulness. To answer other comments, I don't need 2 Kitchens + Butler Pantry. But that is the existing layout and it's easier to leave as-is than remove any of these large walls or areas, and I do use the space. I don't need 10K sq ft of house either, but it's what we have. (FYI it was a foreclosure we got for $360K on 25 Acres in Rural Indiana; about $100K put in initially to make liveable, and now we are just slowly chipping away at projects). I am going to reuse a lot of these cabinets in a basement storage room & garage. I hate to get rid of them! The Corian should hold up well in the transition too I think. Here is a picture from standing at the Main Island, looking OUT to the rest of the eat-in kitchen. We'll be adding a furniture-style cabinet piece where the additional cabinets are on the left. This bulkhead we may remove. They are big aren't they..? I have no clue what the $-tag would be to remove all of them (this one cheap likely.) I'll get a quote out of curiosity. My gut feeling just says it will be $$..... Just through that hallway to the left is where the 2nd Kitchen & Butlers Pantry are. I can't wait to get rid of this ugly dark red color. Existing Kitchen. Proposed is moving the Fridge from where it is now (right picture, where proposed Wall Oven & MW are - across to other side). Adding 36" rangetop. I can't go much bigger given the space there and existing gas line. We'll be moving our existing GE Induction, Wall Oven, MW to the 2nd Kitchen so did decide to just do 1 Wall Oven + MW in the Main Kitchen. Thanks for your comments on that! You're all right - as we grow/change, we will need that in the kitchen for sure. I was torn on leaving the 48" Fridge in the Main Kitchen, but it helps me avoid re-doing cabinets in the next picture..... as I have a 48" slot with non-working Fridge. Having a 42" and 48" seems to be plenty, vs adding two 48"s. See below. Here is the before of 2nd Kitchen (Please Excuse the Mess - this was previously a child craft room/nanny area). We would paint these cabs and re-do the ugly hood. Existing Wall Oven + old MW would go in here too on the far left replacing that cabinet. And the other side. Little pocket glass door to the bar. Non working 48" SubZero. 2nd Dishwasher, 2nd Trash Compactor, and Sink. Everything in the existing MAIN kitchen will come into here which is nice. No appliance worked when we moved in but I wasn't ready for a full remodel then. But glad to not be wasteful with those purchases. I have always loved the cabinets/style despite being so wood-heavy, so we are just going to paint these to match the main kitchen, new countertops, new backsplash. PROPOSED: And the Butler/WD/Toilet Room. This is on the other side of the Main Kitchen (behind Range/Wall Oven Area). There is a single toilet behind that far wall. And the other side. Here I don't need a 3rd Dishwasher but am struggling to figure out what to do with that space. I could add another Wine Cooler but seems odd to have in the Laundry/Butler area when we have a Bar. Trash Compactor will become pull-out Trash Bin. Ideas for filling the DW space? Again this will be all painted cabs, countertops, backsplash. But see the big bulkhead in here too? I don't want to take that out. We have 6 Bathrooms to remodel in the near(ish) future. I have to be frugal in some areas if I want other areas to pop more. Layout for these 2 pictures: Comments/ideas/suggestions are all ultra welcome. I will put a separate post about some of our semi-final decisions to our next steps in the remodel and would love your criticism....See MoreHelp with Kitchen and Butler Pantry floor plan
Comments (43)The “Butler’s pantry” has to be between the food production area and serving area to actually get used. This phrase has been popping up -- incorrectly -- on this website lately; people are using it to mean "large pantry" or "walk in pantry". A real butler's pantry, as you say, is located between the kitchen and the dining room, and it's a "staging area". It's a place where a server can stash the extra bread basket or the dessert, and it's usually a storage area for good dishes. Since pretty much no one actually has servers in a private home, people today tend to use butler's pantries as a place to set out drinks or dessert. You have what I’d call a scullery. I have one and I love it. Yes, scullery is a better word choice. I've also heard such spots called "dirty kitchens" or "spice kitchens" or "canning kitchens" ... while the outer portion is called the "pretty kitchen". I don't really like the concept. Seems like what you want -- your favorite knife, your measuring spoons, whatever -- would always be in the wrong spot. Seems like a lot of daily hassle for an occasional benefit. Agreed. Adding more places to mess up is never the solution for a messy partner. That’s fantasy that he will confine his messes to just where you want them to be confined. Eh, I halfway agree. My husband is a terrible slob, and over 28 years I've created this-and-that method to try to get him to keep things cleaner. Some he embraces (like a place for car keys and the folders for receipts we need to keep for taxes), others he promises to use, then ignores (like all trash cans at all times and junk mail). I think the key is to think though exactly what YOU want to happen, then consider HIS habits, and think about how you can make things work better ... without expecting miracles. CPArtist gave some good examples above....See MoreLori East
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3 years agoRick M
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3 years agoZalco/bring back Sophie!
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