How to Design a Butler's Pantry
Butler's pantries aren't only for those who have butlers. They have become one of the most sought-after features by home buyers. Before you undertake building one, however, decide how elaborate you want to go. You may have decided to convert a pantry, mudroom, laundry room or closet, or your plans may entail major renovation. How you want to use your butler's pantry will determine how you design it. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Graph paper
- Cabinet/features catalogs
- Construction paper
Instructions
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Measure the space where you will be installing your butler's pantry. In addition to wall length, take floor-to-ceiling measurements and depth measurements---that is, determine how far your shelves can protrude from the walls while still leaving enough room for you to move around.
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2
Draw a scale diagram of your pantry on graph paper (for instance, allow 2 inches to represent 1 foot). Drawing to scale is vital so you don't end up with a design that won't work. Make several copies of the layout.
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3
Make a list of the features you want to include, such as a sink, wine racks, cabinets, drawers, refrigerator or microwave.
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Look through catalogs (or browse on the Internet) for the shelving, cabinetry and other features on your list. Write down the dimensions of each.
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5
Evaluate the existing lighting fixtures in the space. One small overhead bulb that was fine for a closet might be inadequate for a butler's pantry. Configure your design accordingly.
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Draw a simple representation of each feature you wish to include in the pantry to the same scale you used for the area layout on construction paper. Cut out and label each item.
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Place the cutouts on your diagram, and position them in different ways until you find an arrangement that works for you. Trace around the cutouts on the graph paper, and label each feature.
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Repeat the last step using the same cutouts and the extra copies of your diagram to make alternate versions so you can compare different arrangements before making your final decision.
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Tips & Warnings
When first conceptualizing the features you want for your butler's pantry, choose more features rather than less. Shoot for the moon. You can always exclude some when you lay them out on your diagram.
Use different colored construction paper to indicate how important each item is to you (such as green for "got-to-have it," blue for "it would be nice" and yellow for "no big deal"). This helps when evaluating your options.
Other than one or two deep shelves for storing appliances, don't make your shelves too deep. A butler's pantry should look neat and organized, not packed to the brim, and cooking supplies should be easy to find and to access. With deep shelves, items tend to get cluttered and buried behind other things.
