In most modern-day luxury designer kitchens, storage is an important consideration. We lead busy lives so having space to store and neatly organise our foodstuffs, crockery and utensils is key. But before we even look at these superior storage savers, we need to know what we are dealing with. Here we explain the joys and differences of each.
The Pantry
Either a cupboard or closet within a kitchen, or a separate room entirely. Derived from the Anglo-French ‘panetrie’ meaning bread room. This handy space is used for foodstuffs, cook ware and all of those marauding electrical whisks and blenders that none can live without.
A bespoke kitchen designer can make a pantry to function perfectly with your culinary preferences, and then craft it out of materials of your choice, our current favourite is walnut, but whatever takes your fancy. The lower portion usually comprises of a bank of 3 or 6 drawers, however once again these can be as individual as required by personal preferences.
Pantries can be found in most luxury designer kitchens. Either built in to the cabinetry design or as a stand-alone piece. If you are lucky, there is a separate room. This is usually the case when working with period properties, a time when these spaces where once essential within the home.
The Butlers Pantry
Also known as a ‘serving pantry’, this style of cabinet can usually be found in a transitional space between the kitchen and dining room. A place for the formal dining ware and cutlery to be stored and a counter top for service and clearing.
Butlers pantries are particularly useful if the dining room is situated away from the kitchen.
In this case and in larger properties a bespoke kitchen designerwill incorporate a whole wall of floor to ceiling cabinets opening out to reveal a tea station, small fridge and sink. It is not uncommon for these to have pocket doors, meaning the doors open out to 90 degrees, then slide into the fabric of the cabinet allowing full access to the services within.
When considering a luxury designer kitchen, its worth thinking about the flow of furniture into other areas of the home. Having a walnut inner cabinetry in the kitchen and then a piece of stand-alone furniture like a butler’s pantry finished in walnut in another area of the home can add a pleasing touch of elegance.
The Larder
In essence a larder is similar to a pantry. The word ‘larder’ derived from the Anglo-Saxon method of preserving perishable food in lard. These spaces are generally kept cool in order to maximise preservation of foodstuffs. Therefore, it is not uncommon to find a window and cool marble or slate worktop in these areas.
A larder in a separate room, will incorporate a worktop and generally shelving to the lower portion unless there is a requirement for drawers. The upper portion of shelving used for storing tins and jars usually comprises of a series of narrow shelves allowing visibility of what sits upon. A good bespoke kitchen designer will go into detail about how you use the space and will tailor to suit.
