The great butler's pantry debate: A massive waste of space or a buyer's delight?

Butler’s pantries caused quite the furore on The Block this week, with the mammoth size of each team’s pantry the subject of criticism in the Domain weekly walk-around.

For the contestants, they were a signifier of supreme luxury. For Shelley Craft, Scott Cam and Domain guest judge Alice Stolz, they were a “massive waste of space”.

And so arises the ultimate butler’s pantry conundrum: Are they actually just a rare and luxurious “waste of space” seen only on television, or is this a feature that buyers are beginning to demand?

According to Janet McNeill from McNeill Real Estate, butler’s pantries aren’t what “an average buyer looks for”, but they are certainly not reserved for overly glamorous reality television homes.

“They are not commonly found in the average home. People would love them, but they add an expense, or the size of the land or building means they have to compromise on another part of the home to fit a pantry in.”

She adds that the need for a butler’s pantry depends on the type of buyer, arguing they are “definitely a waste of space for a family, as the room is better put to a larger living room, laundry or rumpus room”.

Alas, Alice, Shelley and Scott might not be off track: By building a butler’s pantry as a second kitchen, The Block contestants may be limiting their buyer pool.

Related: View the five Gatwick apartments for sale

• Kerrie and Spence: 1/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Hans and Courtney: 2/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Sara and Hayden: 3/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Norm and Jess: 4/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
• Bianca and Carla: 5/34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

For interior designer Camilla Molders, there is definitely still a desire among clients for a butler’s pantry (provided it’s within their budget), but they are no longer seeking a “second kitchen”.

“People do still want them, but they don’t need to be ridiculously large,” she says. “They serve a purpose and that is to keep things out of sight. People want them for equipment and cooking gadgets, so they don’t clutter but can still be accessible.

“Clients aren’t necessarily asking for them, but they are being pre-designed into the space by architects. People are looking for storage solutions, and many do see them as a really functional use of space.”

Cherie Barber, the brains behind Renovating for Profit, argues that in a luxury home, it’s not unusual for this space to operate as an entirely separate kitchen.

“They’re certainly not a necessity and I don’t think they’re popular enough yet that buyers expect them, but if you’re planning a big kitchen from scratch and have the space, then you can probably add a butler’s pantry quite cheaply. Because the inner workings are concealed, you don’t have to spend up big on benchtops or splashbacks, so you can keep it quite simple.”

Professional renovator Sarah Comerford of Home By Belle agrees, arguing The Block contestants aren’t entirely out of touch in creating a butler’s pantry that stands alone as an almost fully operational kitchen.

“Butler’s pantries are constantly on the radar when I’m talking kitchen design with my clients. Depending on space, my clients are happy to investigate possible layout changes in their homes to make room for a second fully equipped kitchen hidden away from their guests while entertaining.”

Of course, in creating outlandish butler’s pantries, The Block’s five teams may have limited their buyer’s pool, but it’s not all doom and gloom.

After all, according to Janet McNeill, those looking for an entertainer’s kitchen and butler’s pantry certainly have money to burn.

“They definitely sell houses,” she says. “In the price bracket of $1 million and above, people like to have the ‘luxury’ factor. Executives and wealthier retirees like to be able to entertain without guests/clients seeing the dirty dishes.”