How to Design a Butler’s Pantry - A Comprehensive Design Guide for your Dream Home

Why a Butler's Pantry is the secret to a functional kitchen 

Having a little help behind the scenes is the secret to a pristine kitchen - enter the latest home must-have, a butler's pantry. 

Whether you're working with a small room or have ample space to include a walk-in pantry, this addition is more than just a trend, it's a game changer for anyone who loves to cook up a storm, entertain, or use their kitchen as a gathering space for friends and family – or all three!  

A butler's pantry is effectively a second kitchen, and the perfect hiding place for all the functional elements of your kitchen including additional storage space for food prep and small appliances like a toaster or mixer - that's away from the main kitchen. If you want to include a sink in your butler's pantry for managing dirty dishes or additional convenience, this is also possible. 

Adding a butler's pantry to an existing kitchen footprint if building, can be challenging, as it often requires reworking the available space or compromising on other areas within the home. However, with a new build, it’s much easier to include a butler’s pantry right from the planning stage. At Carlisle, we integrate butler’s pantries seamlessly into our home designs, offering them as a standard feature in our Affinity Collection or as an optional upgrade in several Inspire homes, ensuring you can create a functional, stylish addition without the constraints of retrofitting when you're renovating. 

Create a stylish and functional butler's pantry design with Spectra

At our Spectra Showroom, you’ll find endless ways to customise your butler's pantry, making it what you need in your new kitchen. From kitchen cabinets to stunning finishes, the layout of your pantry is key. You can decide whether you want open shelves or completely hidden butler's pantry - we can help you design the perfect butler's pantry for your floor plan. 

As a general rule of thumb, the walkway should be at least 1000mm and you’ll also need about 600mm for benchtops. An L-shaped design can provide a functional layout, and if you want to include your fridge in your butler’s pantry, make sure you allow enough space.

Natural light can make a significant difference in small butler's pantry. Consider adding a glass door or window to brighten up the space. For larger pantries, consider carrying through your splashback tiles and cabinet finishes - which  is an easy way to elevate the interior design of your home. 

How to optimise functionality in your new butler pantry 

When you design a butler's pantry, it's best to start by deciding how much space in the kitchen and budget you have to dedicate to this feature. Whether you're upgrading your home or your budget and kitchen footprint is limited, you can still create a highly efficient pantry with the right design. 

Key components to consider in your new butler's pantry:

• Include glass jars or stackable square containers with locking lids for storing dry goods and food.
• Wire baskets are good for under-bench storage and tricky corners can be utilised with pull-out cupboard systems.
• Ensure you've got enough cupboard space to high away mess and organise contents by frequency of use. Items at the back tend to get forgotten so labels and bigger tubs where you can group items together make everyday cooking and preparation easier. 
• For an extra layer of convenience, consider installing LED task lighting strips under your cabinetry to keep your spice rack well-lit and easy to navigate.

You’ll find plenty of stylish and affordable pantry storage ideas and container options at stores such as IKEA, Kmart and Target, and a quick scroll through Instagram or TikTok will give you loads of ideas for how to arrange and label them nicely. 

Read on for more of the best butler's pantry ideas.

Make room for multi-purpose use 

How our customers use their butler's pantry can vary greatly, however installing a butler's pantry is one of the easiest ways to double the space you have to work with in your new kitchen. 

We love a bit of kitchen organisation, and we find that a great idea is to group like items into categories, such as baking goods, cans and jars, spices, cereals, and the kids’ snacks. This way, you’ll find everything you need in the one spot when you need it. If you're using storage baskets or boxes, give each category its own basket or box, well-labelled for easy identification. Locking lids are ideal for controlling food and minimising leaks. 

Another approach is to store items according to how often you use them. So, those items you use daily, such as olive oil and cereal, would be stored on shelves between eye and knee height for easy access, while those you use less frequently, like flour and baking soda, would be stored on the upper and lower levels.

Top tip: Keep a small step ladder or stool nearby for when you need to access infrequent items stored on higher shelves. Stackable containers with locking lids are also a great way to save space while keeping items fresh and protected.

Include linen storage for added convenience 

Setting aside some shelf space in your butler’s pantry for your kitchen and dining linens, such as tablecloths, runners and tea towels, makes life infinitely easier, whether you’re setting up to host a crowd or simply getting the weekly dinner on the table.

And don’t forget about your aprons! Add a couple of wooden pegs or ornate hooks for aprons on the wall of your butler’s pantry or the back of the door, in a style that matches your cabinetry hardware for a cohesive look. You’ll find these hooks make a handy spot to keep your reusable shopping bags too. Including a hidden cupboard for larger items like ironing boards or step ladders can also keep your pantry tidy and functional.  

Is a butler's pantry worth it? 

A butler’s pantry is a valuable addition to any home, especially for modern households. It’s ideal for large families, frequent entertainers, or those who love hosting guests, offering extra room for food preparation, storage, and keeping mess out of sight. Beyond its practicality, a butler’s pantry enhances your home’s organisation, streamlines kitchen activities, and maintains a clutter-free main kitchen.

As a sought-after feature in contemporary home design, a well-designed butler’s pantry can also add significant resale value, appealing to buyers who prioritise functionality and style.

If you're considering including a butler's pantry in your home, explore our recent blog - 7 steps to a supremely organised pantry - or visit one (or more!) of our beautiful home designs on display in the best new land estates throughout Melbourne and Geelong.