Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Where It's All Stored~The Blessing of a Butlers Pantry

One question that seems to keep repeating itself is, "where do you store all that china?" This makes me grin a bit because I know very well that compared to many, my china collection is small indeed. Not small enough however to not be thankful for my butlers pantry. My butlers pantry is a row of cabinetry that connects my kitchen to my formal dining room. With upper and lower cabinets I am always surprised by how much I can truly fit in there. What is even better is the great amount of extra counter space it has plus an additional sink! When we first looked at this home I remember distinctly blabbing out to our realtor "that sink is a waste it will never be used" haha boy was I wrong. Every party we have ever hosted incorporates that area being used as a bar and yep you guessed it that sink gets plenty of usage at those times. What else do I use this area for? Well it houses some appliances that would otherwise take up ample counter space in my kitchen. My KitchenAid mixer for one. The blender and coffee maker are two more. But before I give you a tour of my Butlers pantry let me show you where I keep my formal goods......they are kept in a buffet/sideboard in my dining room.



All my formal china is kept in there plus a few other things that I don't use every day like gravy boats, cake platters, plates that correspond to certain holidays like thanksgiving for example.










My Thanksgiving turkey transferware plates are stacked with a gravy boat on top, every inch counts!







My grandmothers punch bowl, large crystal bowls and cake platters are also stored in the sideboard.









All my formal silverware. flatware and serving pieces are stores in the drawers of this piece.







Not too neatly I might add!










Here is an overall peek at the butlers pantry. This was taken the day after Christmas so there are still some crystal pieces drying after being washed in that sink I swore I would never use!










The upper cabinets hold my glassware. My formal crystal goblets and wine glasses are placed up high on the top shelves.








With the more casual bar ware down lower and easily accessed. I always keep my every day wine glasses where they can be grabbed at a moments notice!












Here is the view looking towards the dining room. You can catch a glimpse of the infamous sink!















There is a center cabinet with glass front doors. I keep cookbooks, glassware and stone ware pieces that are moved in and out easily as the decor around my home gets moved.














Here is the other side. More formal glasses on the top shelf then margarita and martini glasses are housed here plus some water goblets.
























The butlers pantry also has some nice large drawers. In the center one I keep all my candles and votives.

















The other drawer is my wine station drawer. All my wine openers, wine stoppers, wine charms and drink napkins are kept in that drawer. I failed to get a picture of it though.


















The lower cabinets of the butlers pantry house just about everything! Serving Trays, dinner plates from various sets, salad plates which I love to collect because they are an easy way to get a totally different and new look from your staple dishes.


















I stack all my plates by size. You might find four different sets in one stack!





















Here are some large pieces that needed a home. My large drink holder, some cake stands, a wine bucket, silver dish and bread basket to name a few.






The cabinet under the sink holds all my vases and hurricanes.







What I don't have room for in my butlers pantry or sideboard I store in my kitchen. I have very tall upper cabinets. Even I can't reach the top shelf and I am 6 feet tall! Here I have some more glassware stored.









Place mats piled with some platters.









All my glassware is stored in this corner cabinet which is very deep because it goes back in a pie shape.







My every day dishes which get used all the time for both special occasions and every day. A salad plate on my plain white french plates can make a whole new look come to life! Bowls and more salad plates are stored here as well.






Aren't you sorry you asked? I have had the plans drawn out for my dream home since I was about 12. I guess the design gene had taken hold even then. In these plans I have the ultimate pantry and china pantry. Some day............
Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch by clicking here as she hosts Tablescape Thursday. Although this was not a tablescape today it did show y'all where I keep all that tablescape stuff!

























30 comments:

  1. I love seeing this butler's pantry with all the gorgeous dishes stacked, etc.
    Hugs, Lana Austin

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow everything is so organized and lovely! What wonderful storage you have between the butlers pantry and sideboard. I'm impressed!... Dee Dee

    ReplyDelete
  3. Covet, covet...
    I want a butler's pantry!!!

    What great storage and great storage ideas.

    Enjoyed visiting,
    Laura

    ReplyDelete
  4. I envy your storage! What a way to start the new year~ your tablescape looks fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
  5. GF, you never told me you had a butler's pantry. Well slap me with butter and call me a biscuit! I am sooooo jealous! I would kill...well, maybe not kill, but hurt real bad - someone for one of those. Its gorgiferous. Hope you are feeling better. Thinking of you tomorrow and hope we both get good news at the doctors. Call me.
    Hugs, Barb

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wonderful! I so envy your butler's pantry!!!! We think that our 1880s Victorian house may have had a butler's pantry at one time--between the dining room and kitchen there is a small room that was converted into a bathroom and judging from it's size, shape, location and the fact there are connecting doors, leads us to believe it was probably a butler's pantry once! I so wish it still was!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love it! You have everything so organized and pretty and at your fingertips. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am jealous.. I have stuff in 3 different cabinets.. This year I am working on our laundry room closet.. I dream a lot..

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm going to pretend I didn't see this so I'm not so jealous of your butler's pantry. It's not working... I want one!!!

    :)
    ButterYum

    ReplyDelete
  10. Will you PLEASE come and organize my china, crystal, and linens? Everything looks like it has a place in your home! It is probably good I don't have a butler's pantry--it would just be full of more dishes. --Delores

    ReplyDelete
  11. I would love to have a butler's pantry -- a great way to store all those dishes! Mine are all over the house! I also invest in the salad plates as my "change" on the table.

    ReplyDelete
  12. OMG!!! I so WANT a Butler's Pantry!!!I have tons of china, Crystal, silverware, glassware, dishes of all sorts of types and sizes. Mine is here there and everywhere...would be lovely to have it all in one general area...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Yep! I need me a butler's cabinet for sure! I'm working on hubby for a plan to build me a dish closet :0)
    Enjoy your cabinet!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your butler's pantry is a dream - I so wanted one in my latest house, but it didn't happen. I do have lots of storage though and after seeing your pictures I may just have to tweak it a little.

    Thanks for sharing your ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I thought my grape plates were familiar! I've seen them in blue too. If you ever come to the Bay Area, look me up. We will have a lot to talk about! -Delores

    ReplyDelete
  16. It's official - I have pantry envy!!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. It is nice to see how organized you have everything and I was able to glean some ideas here. Thanks so much. Wonderful collection of dishes and glassware by the way!

    xoxo
    Jane

    ReplyDelete
  18. Oh, am I ever envious of this. My dream house would definitely have a butler's pantry, a large one. You are so fortunate to have it all organized and so close at hand. Thanks for sharing this with us. It is very impressive! ~ Sarah

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a lot of room you have! I would seem to have more storage if I was as organized as you. Looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You sure have lots of storage and are so very organized...I would love a butler's pantry so I don't have to stash dishes in some pretty out of the way places! Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anyone with more dishes than cabinet space would see this as a big blessing! Lovely to look at too... and neat and organized!
    This is a room I would love to have. I have quite a bit of storage in my kitchen, but I am having my husband take one of our foyer closets and turn it into a "dish closet" (his project for the month).Though, seeing your butler pantry makes me want to call the contractor and bump out the dinning room!

    I can't believe I have not followed you until now. Well, I corrected that! I'll visit soon.
    Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  22. The builder I worked for in the Bay Area had a Butler's Pantry in a couple of the model homes. I fell in love then and would love to someday have one in my home. You are very lucky to have such a beautiful, functional space.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am so glad you can't see me because I must be Green with envy. What a great pantry. It is lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Ok pantry envy now going on here sighs....Just wonderful my friend...beats getting under the beds and couch like I do ha ha!! I added you to my list to follow love your wonderful home and blog....Many blessings to you this year....hugs and smiles Gl♥ria

    ReplyDelete
  25. I am jealous!!! My china cabinet and sideboard overflow with dishes. My laudry room cabinets are a jumble of holiday china...I have gotten creative beyond measure in finding places to stack it all! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh wow....to ME you have a LOT of China! :) I LOVE the way you put the harlequin image in your bookshelf (On your header picture!) Very cleaver. Happy New Year from Houston!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I adore a great Bultler's Pantry...your's is wonderful! Thanks for the tour! :-)
    susan

    ReplyDelete

Please leave me a comment. I love hearing what you have to say. I read each and every one of your comments and I try to comment back when I can.