Today’s kitchens are not just the heart of the home; they must be versatile spaces, capable of hosting social gatherings, serving as homework stations, and inspiring great meals for food lovers and aspiring home chefs alike. Coupled with the need for streamlined functionality, maximum storage, and cohesive aesthetics, the demands on today’s kitchen are immense.
Remodeling kitchens in 2026 is just as much about what’s trending as it is about designing timeless spaces that truly work for homeowners, from maximizing storage in smaller kitchens to creating multipurpose focal points in large, airy kitchens. Regardless of your kitchen’s size, JM Construction’s design-build experts can help optimize your culinary space with a variety of pantry and kitchen layouts.
Let’s examine some of the trending pantry and kitchen storage spaces, from scullery kitchens to keep the messy tasks away from entertaining spaces, to the latest trend of the kitchen “bantry,” which blurs the line between a pantry and a bar.
The Evolving World of Kitchen Pantries
Today’s pantries are far more than just storage; they are multi-functional hubs designed to match the rhythm of modern life. As open-concept layouts and bespoke cabinetry take center stage, these spaces have evolved from simple cupboards into diverse architectural features, ranging from discreet pull-outs and minimalist open shelving to expansive, fully equipped butler’s pantries.
Cleanliness & Historical Charm: Scullery Kitchens
Scullery kitchens are found throughout history, including Victorian Era homes in Europe and the American South. This design model, where there is a secondary kitchen just off the main kitchen (sometimes called a back kitchen), is meant to hide the dirty parts of the kitchen, including the sink and cooking areas, while keeping the entertaining areas free of the unsightly parts of meal preparation. Sculleries are great places to house coffee makers, stand mixers, toasters and other countertop appliances. In short, a scullery kitchen takes the messy part of kitchen work out of view.
One of our recent farmhouse remodels in Sherborn, Massachusetts, used this design concept to remove an underutilized pantry to create a reimagined working back kitchen or scullery. The “working kitchen” was hidden, while the entertaining kitchen was the focal point, featuring a large island with ample seating, along with custom cabinetry that houses a beverage fridge, an ice maker, and integrated storage.
Staging & Food Prep: The Butler’s Pantry
Not many of us utilize butlers anymore, but many have a small functional space between the kitchen and the dining area where food is prepped and items such as china and glassware are stored, called The Butler’s Pantry.
This type of pantry features essential elements like countertops, cabinets, and sometimes sinks or wine fridges. A modern butler’s pantry serves as a convenient, behind-the-scenes space dedicated to entertaining, drink preparation, and containing the overflow of kitchen activity.
Blending Storage & Spirits: The Kitchen “Bantry”
Most of us have heard of traditional kitchen pantries, such as a walk-in pantry, where a dedicated closet or small storage area provides space for storing bulk items and non-perishable items; slide-out pantries, which are part of the kitchen’s custom cabinetry and easy to access; or a butler’s pantry, a transition space located between the kitchen and dining room used for storage, staging, or food prep. To address deep corner cabinets in some kitchens, designers create corner pantries from the underutilized, often lost space, using specialized shelving or devices like Lazy Susans.
Trends in entertaining have led kitchen designers to yet another type of pantry that combines the best of both worlds: a pantry and a bar – a bantry! This hybrid pantry is a top 2026 kitchen trend designed to hide the clutter of a bar and all the bottles, mixers and cocktail prep tools needed in a fully stocked bar behind the easily closed doors of a pantry. Bantries make it easy to enjoy all the fun of hosting a cocktail party without the clutter.
Ready To Transform Your Kitchen?
From scullery kitchens that hide the mess to modern bantries that blend storage and spirits, dedicated prep spaces are no longer a luxury; they are essential for meeting the high demands of the contemporary kitchen. These specialized areas ensure that your main kitchen remains a clean, cohesive, and beautiful space for daily life and entertaining at a moment’s notice. Whether you need to maximize storage in a small footprint or design a hidden working kitchen for high-level functionality, the design-build experts at JM Construction can help you explore all your storage, entertaining, and cooking options.
Ready to transform your culinary space into a seamless, clutter-free hub? Contact us today to discuss your vision, and be sure to view some of our recent work creating storage spaces, kitchen areas, and pantries of all sorts.
