Joanna Gaines Shares How She Crafted the Perfect “Moody” Kitchen In the Waco Castle

The Castle in Waco, Texas may have been Chip and Joanna Gaines’ biggest (and most impressive) undertaking the couple has ever conquered. And although the house needed some major restoration and updating, the charm of the original antique home remains. One example of that charm is the butler’s pantry, which, although not original to the Castle, looks like it’s been a part of the floor plan since the place was built.

“From the beginning, I always felt the castle was made for hosting,” Joanna wrote in the caption of a January 9 Instagram post. “That meant we needed to move the original kitchen from the basement onto the main floor to be in the center of the home.”

She continued, “To provide additional prep space and storage for the kitchen, we converted a former sitting area into this butler’s pantry. The contrast of the dark cabinetry, bright marble countertops, and original windows creates a cozy, moody look that I just love.”

The butler’s pantry is definitely a cozy contrast to the bright white and warm wood kitchen next door. It very much so nods to the traditional lower-level kitchens from the Victorian era without being tucked away in the basement.

Over on the Magnolia blog, it’s further explained that the “moody” paint on the cabinets is Cottage Grove from Magnolia. It’s an earthy, dark blend of navy and green that shifts in tone depending on the lighting, “which makes it both dramatic and cozy all at once,” Gaines writes in the description of the color.

Cottage Grove was created as part of Magnolia’s Castle paint collection, which “honors the history of the castle with rich, unique colors that would complement its grand and traditional aesthetic, while still creating a timeless palette for any style of home,” Gaines writes.

The butler’s pantry may just inspire you to go “moody” with your own kitchen cabinets to get that Castle feel on a smaller scale.