Butler’s Pantries Are Getting a Surprising Upgrade — Meet the “Bantry”

I love a hybrid room more than most. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in smallish New York City apartments for over a decade, where square footage was always at a premium and every inch of my home had to work overtime. Because of that, multipurpose furniture, decor, and spaces feel like a prerequisite for me when I’m buying and designing — not just a nice-to-have — even though I now live in a 1,600-square-foot home. That’s why I love when a trend comes along and combines what might otherwise be separate rooms into a single, hardworking area. The latest version of this? The bantry, or bar pantry.

Walk-in pantries have been a dream kitchen design feature for a few years now. But the bantry concept takes what was once purely utilitarian and makes it a little more entertaining-friendly by introducing a bar setup to the mix.…