Little China Girl
by habituallychic
03 . 17 . 11
I can’t wait until I can design my own house someday because it’s definitely getting a china closet and butler’s pantry. Right now, I have to pull things out of a cabinet in order to get to something else. I long for the day when everything has a place and is easily accessible. I’ve already been tucking away tear sheets and these are just some spaces that I find inspiring. A few are actually kitchens but can be adapted to any room. Enjoy!
Walk in china closets like this Nymphenburg one are amazing.
I hope Janet de Botton has a good housekeeper to dust all her china.
I think everyone is envious of Bunny Williams’ china closet.
Bunny Williams has another fabulous china closet in her house in the Dominican Republic.
Thanks to all the readers who pointed out that this one belongs to Carolyne Roehm. I love the garden view.
This smaller butler’s pantry at Vizcaya served the Banquet room.
It was hard to photograph but there was a clean up sink on the left side of the room and a shelf outside the room to hold plates and dishes.
I think this room is from Southern Accents.
Kate Spade has a butler’s pantry that leads to the kitchen.
Love this room designed by Suzanne Kasler.
Martha Stewart created this little china closet.
I think Kelly Wearsler‘s china was stored in her kitchen but the dark color is dramatic.
I read that some butler’s pantries were painted white for hygienic reasons so they could make sure they were clean. The light ironware pieces pop against this dark room.
This is a kitchen designed by Miles Redd but the blue color would be beautiful for a butler’s pantry and especially if it complemented your china.
Miles Redd also designed this blue wet bar which is also on my future house wish list.
The silver was locked up in a special room at Vizcaya as it was at the Copshaholm estate in South Bend, Indiana.
This butler’s pantry was designed by McKim, Mead and White in 1896 for Staatsburgh House in New York.
The butler’s pantry at Skylands, Martha Stewart’s house in Maine came with the previous owners china. The previous owners happened to be Mr. and Mrs. Edsel Ford so it was pretty snazzy.
Martha’s butler’s pantry also has a linen press.
Martha’s perfectly pressed napkins.
Tablecloths at Skylands are rolled and hung on the wall so they remain wrinkle free and ready to go. I definitely want this too!
18 Comments
Wow..what a wonderful post…Though china displayed on open shelves looks the best..it sure must be one hell of a task to keep it dust-free…i prefer to have mine in a glass fronted cabinet..the Miles Redd designed kitchen and bar are so striking and glamorous..wonderful post Heather! do drop by my blog to have a look and maybe answer a fun question!! xx meenal
After looking at these wonderful images I must say I adore Bunny William’s the most!
Xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I want Kelly Wearsler’s kitchen please. Great assortment of pantrys but I could never fill them I don’t have that much china.
Wow so many gorgeous ones..hard to choose just one! I love the one from Staatsburgh house…spectacular…love the black and dark wood ones, so rich and old world!
Actually the wonderful Leede family of Midland, Texas purchased Skylands from the Ford family and preserved much of the collection of china, linens etc. They even reupholstered furniture in the same fabrics that the Fords had used and did a beautiful job preserving, maintaining and improving the house and grounds. The Leedes sold the house to Martha Stewart.
What a wonderful group of China closets! Thanks Heather!
I think a butler’s pantry is one of my most favorite rooms in an old house. I love a 1920s butler’s pantry with drawers to the floor, brass pulls, and glass fronted cabinets above … not unlike the one in Vizcaya. Fabulous.
one favorite part of planning my future fantasy house is the butler’s pantry 🙂
I could totally have Bunny Williams, but I love the drama by Kelly Weastler. I think Kelly wins this one for me!! I would design my pantry to look like that.
The view from Bunny Williams’ country house is a closet off her dining room. There is another room with cabinets floor to ceiling stacked absolutely full of antique china! __ The Devoted Classicist
What a great post Heather! It makes me want to organize my cupboards and closets from top to bottom! Always such a great feeling, especially in the Spring.
How gorgeous- that dark painted butler’s pantry with all the white stoneware!
xx
SP
Image number six is from Carolyne Roehm’s CT kitchen I believe.
Lovely. Every single one!
I am so lucky to have a tiny butler’s pantry right off my dining room. I use it mainly to store all the gear to cook the holiday specialty food and for all my patio dish and glassware. Our house is geared for large family get togethers summer or winter.
Oh wow! So beautiful a dream really xox
goodness — what a lovely post! I am delighted by all the options, and envious too. Bunny Williams’ china closet is bright and cheery, and quite divine. A girl can dream. Thanks so much HC!
I’d give up kitchen space for a complete wall of 14″ deep china cabinets. Two great things I’ve seen in “normal” houses: deep cabs on either side of the dining room fireplace that had roll out shelves w/different china sets & linens on each shelf. The other great idea was a storage space for table extensions. Just another of those things we never think about but need a storage space too.
Oh.My.Goodness. All of those closets for china and linen have me weak in the knees. Thanks for the pictorial!
Holy Smokes You rock my world with your great choices. Like book cases these pantries tell a story of their families lives.
I was very intimate with this butler’s pantry.
http://www.saragilbaneinteriors.com/travelfordesign/tag/hopedene/
Just a lovely home.