Room We Love

ROOM WE LOVE ‘A Standalone Showpiece’

A butler’s pantry provides extra storage and a stylish beverage center

LAUREN CLEMENT, owner of Lauren Nicole Designs, designed her clients’ butler’s pantry as part of a six-month renovation of their Carmel Estates home. “It was built in the mid-’80s, and everything was original,” she says. “They’re a family with young kids, so they wanted to open it up and create more storage.” Contractor Andrew Roby knocked down walls to recon gure a new layout that would accommodate a mudroom, chef’s kitchen, and a butler’s pantry that doubles as a co ee station, a wine hutch, and a beverage center for the kids. —Taylor Bowler

A BONUS BEVERAGE CENTER

The homeowners are big coffee drinkers, so they wanted a designated place for a coffee station, a place to serve when they entertain, and a secondary refrigerator. Clement chose the quartzite countertop and a bar sink faucet from Kohler Artifacts to complement the kitchen and installed a ceramic subway tile backsplash in a herringbone pattern for a touch of playfulness. Beneath the counter, a built-in fridge holds juice boxes and water bottles for the kids. ARTFUL STORAGE

Clement worked X patterns into the custom cabinets’ glass uppers. “When you have glass, you have to have nice things behind it,” Clement says. “But with a patterned mullion, it can help mask any clutter because it’s something else to look at. That cabinet door becomes like a piece of art.” She also added drawers on the bottom to hold linens, placemats, seasonal items, and additional flatware. A DECORATIVE NOOK

A butler’s pantry may look pristine, but it’s not too precious for everyday use. “It’s like a little gift of extra storage wrapped up in a pretty bow,” Clement says. “It doesn’t require a lot of one material, so you can splurge on countertops or accent tile and make it a standalone showpiece.” And when you create a space that has such a pretty backdrop, it will still look nice even when it’s messy.