
Big Kitchen Pantry Storage Ideas
What’s the difference between a messy kitchen pantry, prepper pantry, and butler’s pantry?
See how built ins and personal touches make a big difference in these photos filled with kitchen pantry storage ideas. When you choose a custom floor plan with a big pantry, Travars Built Homes can create custom spaces inside, like these.
What is a “messy kitchen” pantry?
A “messy kitchen pantry” is a room that is large enough to act as a secondary kitchen space with separate sink, cabinets, built-ins, specialty storage zones, and other amenities. Here, you can store coffee and tea makers, prep party trays, and get as messy as you like. Just shut the door when guests arrive!
Prepping for meals and special occasions inside a messy kitchen pantry like these is fun and easy:
Messy Kitchen Pantry #1:

Messy Kitchen Pantry #2:

What is a “prepper pantry”?
A prepper pantry is designed to store stockpiles of food staples such as canned foods, dried foods, and other essentials. The purpose of a prepper’s pantry is to store these types of goods for weeks, months, or even years without the need to go to a store.
If you’d like to build your pantry with long-term prep in mind, talk to your custom builder, who can custom-build shelving at different heights for soup cans, pasta boxes, and Costco-sized containers, like this:

What is a “butler’s pantry”?
Typically tucked into a floor plan between the kitchen and dining room, a butler’s pantry is a great place to prep food and drinks. Often, a butler’s pantry will include a wine rack and drink refrigerator, like this:

More Kitchen Pantry Storage Ideas:
- How to get a larger pantry without adding sq ft to your house plan
- See more photos of a “messy kitchen pantry” inside the Saddlebrook, a Chatham County NC custom home built by TBH
- See more photos of a butler’s pantry inside the Victoria, Pittsboro NC custom home built by TBH
Kitchen Pantry Floor Plan Ideas:
Look for floor plans with big pantry spaces, like this – and ask your custom home builder what you can build inside – and around – this kind of space designed to make everything easy to find.



See what customization can look like in your new NC home – and take a tour to get inspired by a project in progress:
This kitchen is nearly completed – you can already feel what it would be like to gather around the island… use that apron sink… put pottery and glassware on those wood shelves…

The custom made glass wrap around for this shower will be in place shortly. Those are tile walls and floor… with a wood look… just to show how custom you can be with REAL upgrades. (You’re going to like what comes standard, too – but it’s always nice to have even more choices in all the special spaces that make you feel even more pampered.)

Travars Built Homes can build on your lot or in neighborhoods throughout the greater Triangle area, across Alamance, Chatham, Durham, Johnson, Orange, Wake and surrounding counties.
Request a tour:

What is Design/Build: Working with a Custom Home Builder
Next month, a panel discussion led by Furniture, Lighting & Decor Editor-in-Chief Diane Falvey brings together four experts to talk about leveraging expertise among architects, builders, and designers when building custom homes.
During the panel, “Common Ground: Finding Synergy Among Architects, Builders and Designers,” Phil Travars and Andrew Travars of Travars Built Homes will be talking about the ins and outs of working with a design/build custom home builder in North Carolina.
“Having a clear understanding of the thought process around building a custom home can help everything go smoothly, from design through construction,” said Phil Travars, Owner and Builder at Travars Built Homes. “It’s a great opportunity to talk directly with experts from across the industry.”
About 75,000 people from across the country and internationally are expected to attend the bi-annual Furniture Mart event represented by more than 100 countries, for architects, designers, furnishings buyers and others looking for the latest information and products for homes.
The Travars brothers were asked to participate in the event to share their thought leadership about home building and designing together with CIRCLE Design Studio, LLC Principal Architect John Dorlini and Principal/Owner Theresa A.C. Dorlini.

Topics about the custom home build process are expected to include:
- How designers and builders work together compose a custom home.
- How creativity can create excitement through different points of view.
- What to look out for when choosing a custom home on a budget.
- What to think about as you integrate designs for furniture, lighting, fixtures and finishes into your new home.
“This is a great opportunity to bounce around ideas for your new home, if you’re considering a custom build,” said Andrew Travars, Builder and Designer at Travars Built Homes. “We put a lot into making each home unique – this panel will help explain what it takes to create through design/build.”

Travars Built Homes builds new custom homes in Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham and the surrounding region. Get information about building a custom home: