Have You Heard of a Bantry? It’s the New Must-Have Kitchen Trend That’s Luxurious but Practical

A space-saving solution that combines the practicality of a pantry and the playfulness of a home bar, all hail the newest kitchen trend, the bantry.

While home bars come in many forms (from a kitchen cabinet stocked with your barware collection to an entire room designed for hosting), the bar meets pantry is a happy medium between the two, perfect if you're looking to make the most out of your space but still have a dedicated 'room' for all things cocktail-related.

From galley-style bantries to home bars attached to kitchens, the beauty of the bantry is that it ticks every box. 'Sure, you can always create a functional space, but can you achieve both that “magical bar experience” with the function?' says designer Katy Anderson.

Kitchen trends can feel a little fleeting, but these three projects prove the bantry is here to stay.

Transforming a pantry nestled off the dining room into a moody, sophisticated home bar, interior designer Jessica Helgerson isn't a lover of fleeting pantry trends, but admits that the 'bantry' combines two important principles.

'I really hesitate to use the word ‘trend’ for architectural elements of houses,' explains Jessica, 'as it suggests that it will soon fall out of fashion and need to be ripped out again. Following trends, particularly for everything that is permanent and built into the house, is never our goal.'

'That said,' adds Jessica, 'this little room does function as both a bar and a butler’s pantry, and I hope that dual use will always feel worthwhile. The butler’s pantry, historically, is a small room that separates the dining room from the kitchen and is where china, glassware, and silverware were stored. That is the case in this butler’s pantry, but it is also used to store cocktail fixings. It is located both off the dining room and the cozy library/den where the family spends much of its time, and so it serves that dual purpose especially well.'

Despite being a small home bar, this pass-through space designed by Haldon House couldn't be more special. Designed to aid hosting whilst accommodating the busy flow of family life, it's the perfect blend of style and socialness.

'A full bar felt like the wrong gesture for how this family actually lives,' explains Autumn Oser, co-founder of Haldon House. 'The space sits just off the kitchen, so it's really in the flow of everyday life – the glass of wine you pour while something's cooking, the bottle you grab on the way to the table. Making it a walk-through lets it earn its keep every day rather than waiting on a big dinner party. It's generous without being grand.'

'We wanted this to feel like a moment you'd stumble into in an old European townhouse – something with real soul,' says Autumn. 'Walnut was the obvious choice; it brings depth and warmth that only deepens with age, and the grain does most of the heavy lifting. Treating it all as built-ins lets the whole wall read as one considered architectural gesture rather than a collection of furniture, and the cremone bolts give it that old-world feel we keep coming back to. There's a romance to hardware that can really set the tone.'

'This space was designed with the intention of combining a little storage, prep and entertaining into one beautiful space,' says Katy. 'We wanted a stylish bar for dinner parties AND a space that could act as a connector between the dining room, the food pantry, and the kitchen.'

'We love this “bantry” because it is a highly practical space that’s used frequently instead of occasionally,' explains Katy. 'Everyone (truly – guests on special occasions and family members every day) can grab a drink or prep cocktails without disrupting the main kitchen workflow. Everything is accessible but slightly tucked away, making it just a little bit special every time you walk into this lovely little jewel box.'

'What I believe sets this space apart is the great attention to the design element, as the functional element is already a fixed element. Sure, you can always create a functional space, but can you achieve both that “magical bar experience” with the function? Yes, with a superior intention to connect marble, wallpapers, textiles, textured glass, glossy colors, and layers from the dining room to the kitchen.'

Shop Timeless 'Bantry' Essentials

While committing to an entire room based on a design trend might feel a little bold, the bantry trend combines style and substance in the best possible way, making it a trend (we hope) that is here to stay.

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