Pantries are the unsung heroes of the kitchen.  They can be a larder or a home for seldom-used appliances.  They can also be a staging area for a dinner party or a quick place to make a drink.  In practice, most pantries are a combination of those things and change depending on the occasion and the season.  Unless you live next to a world-class market, they can also be the difference between being able to cook your favorite dinner and having to make a trek for that special ingredient.