Elements of Surprise – Hidden Pantries

The Added Bonus You’ve Been Wondering About

by Annie Allard

Elements of surprise in our homes speak to the desire for our spaces to be both practical and delightful. Whether it be a hidden wine room under the stairs or a game room tucked behind a bookcase.

Utilizing areas in unexpected ways has Interior Designers reaching even deeper into their Design Books to create these unique rooms for their clients, which offer more organization and streamlined living.

A scullery or butler’s pantry is a second small kitchen where staff would prepare food or whisk away used dishes after the meal. A hidden space so the host and guests wouldn’t see dirty dishware.

The kitchen is the center of the home, and the open concept kitchen puts all the activities within sight – at all times. A scullery or hidden pantry is a place to store dishes and dried goods or even have a smaller fridge for drinks and wine.

Cleverly hiding a secret pantry behind a faux-cabinet wall is whimsical and pragmatic. Renovating your kitchen to include one of these sublime spaces has been trending since the pandemic. Not only are they logical by adding valuable space to your home but they’re also coveted as secret pantries differentiate your home from others.

Roberta Wilson of Design Matters was the Lead Designer for this Modern Craftsman Hidden Pantry.

This pantry incorporated an outside window, bringing in natural light for food prep and making it feel larger while offering a view of the neighborhood from this cozy corner of the kitchen.