Butlers pantry should match kitchen cabs, right?

jgirl_2007

18 years ago

In every home I've been in or seen with a butler's pantry, the cabinetry/counter matches the kitchen. However, my cabinet maker, in his pricing, did not do this. The kitchen cabs are going to the 10' ceiling with stacked glass cabs. The butler's pantry shows cabinets to 8' only. Of course I don't know why he did it this way and he wants $1k to take the cabs to the ceiling for the 5' butlers.

If you have both, do yours match or not match. And if not, was it your choice?

Featured Answer

lascatx

18 years ago

Not around much anymore, but I saw a matching question and had to look. LOL

I should start by telling you that I have 3 cabinet finishes in my kitchen. I don't have a butler's pantry, but I do have a breakfast bar in my breakfast area that is the same finish as my island. All my kitchen cabinets go to the 10 foot ceilings, but eh breakfast bar is closer to 8 feet. Even though it is recessed intothewall, I wanted it to be more of a furniture look like the island and 8 ft seemed about as far as that could go.

If the butler's pantry is open to and seems more like part of the kitchen, then I would either make it the same or decidedly different. If it is just near the kitchen, then you have a lot of options. Exactly the same, same cabinetry treated a little differently (like the height), something similar (same finish with a different door style) or something totally different. If you go totally different, I would expect the other details to tie the two together.

If the only difference you are talking about is the height, do whatever you want. Does it make sense to have the added storage if they are taller? Would it look right in a smaller space to go that high? Or is the space all contiguous and you'd feel it too odd to be different? Would it be wasted space you pay more for and never use? Do you love the look and not care? There is no right or wrong -- just figure out what you feel most comfortable with or what makes sense to you.

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Comments (7)

kateskouros
18 years ago
when you said "match" i thought you meant the door style or color. i don't think they need to be the same height at all. it's strictly up to you but there are no rules. i don't even think they need to "match" in color. i guess it depends on your budget and needs. if you need some add'l storage and your budget is in tact then it would be a great way to gain some space. it's just a choice. no right or wrong answer here.
rhome410
18 years ago
I have seen very few butler's pantries in person (1?), and the cabinets were a whole different color and a bit different style than the kitchen...The same is true of some I've seen in books and magazines. Saw one recently with apple green cabinets in BP. Neither of these I particularly mentioned really showed from the kitchen, so that might make the difference.

I have kind of a walk-through pantry cove, where the door to the small walk in pantry is across from an all-fridge and all-freezer set. We actually dropped the ceiling a bit in there for a way to separate the area from the main kitchen...So the cabinets over and around the fridge will be up to the 8 ft soffit, while going to 9 ft in the rest. I like the variation.
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rhome410
18 years ago
I should have also said that what others, including me, have done doesn't matter if it isn't what you want for your house. Kateskouros is right...There's no right or wrong answer, except the one that's based on what you want, need, and can afford.
minnt
18 years ago
My butler's pantry has shorter cabinets than my kitchen. I love it that way and I am excited about being able to put something on top of them, for decoration. The cabinets in my kitchen have a top cabinet that is glass and I will use them for display.
cody07
18 years ago
I am so glad you asked this question. I am wondering the same thing and it just came up this weekend. I have a butler's pantry as a walk through between kitchen and dining room. On one wall I will have storage and wine fridge under the counter with cabinets to the 9' ceiling (same as my kitchen) for glass storage. The opposite wall will have floor to ceiling pantry storage with french doors covered in fabric.
My thought was to tie the kitchen together by using the island finish(chocolate cherry) but transition into the formal space. My dh thought I was going to use the perimeter cabinet finish(cream with chocolate glaze.) I really don't want it to look "kitcheny"
I haven't seen many photos that can give me a feel for what I would like. The other issue I have is that from the front door you can see through the dining room into the butler's pantry so hubby thinks it should match the kitchen. We have a center hall so you also can see the kitchen from the hallway as well.
not sure what makes sense.
I just keep obsessing about every detail.
froggie49
18 years ago
My butler's pantry is original to the 1929 house and has white painted cabinets. It relates more to the diningroom, which has white painted wainscotting, than the kitchen, which has oak cabinets. In my neighborhood, outside Boston, this is typical of the victorians, older colonials, and tudors. I think this looks right -- otherwise it might seem too "matchy-matchy."