What Is A Dirty Kitchen And Who Is It Most Useful For?

If you hear the term "dirty kitchen" and your first thought is that you're going to have to spend a few hours figuring out how to deep clean your kitchen, you can put away the mop and bucket. This term has another meaning. In this case, a dirty kitchen is a separate area from the main kitchen where you can prepare ingredients and cook out of sight and without having to worry about making a mess. The second space can serve as a cleanup area where you collect used dishes during a dinner or function, too. It often includes the primary appliances you'd need for convenience, such as a refrigerator, oven, sink, and dishwasher. In terms of how you'd use it, the dirty kitchen would be the area where the work occurs and the mess is hidden away. Meanwhile, you and your family or guests get to enjoy the clean, beautiful primary kitchen space.

This concept is similar to having a scullery in a home. But do you actually need this option? People who enjoy hosting dinner parties or other gatherings will be the biggest beneficiaries of adding a dirty kitchen. They can keep the main area spotless and enjoy themselves more during the event. Additionally, since most people end up gathering in kitchens during parties for socializing, they can spend time here and not worry about being in the way of food preparation or cleanup. Because of this added convenience, this design trend is one of the top requests from people building new homes or renovating kitchens.

Certain kinds of people will appreciate the benefits of the dirty kitchen add-on trend. People who regularly host gatherings and events can hide the mess of food preparation in a separate room that's away from the main event. If you're someone who simply cannot relax if anything is out of place, the second food prep area can hold the mess, letting your main kitchen look sharp in case unexpected guests show up. If your primary kitchen's design is missing a few key items you want, but you don't want the hassle of remodeling it, adding them in the second kitchen may be the right option for you. You can bring in extra pantry space as part of the design. Perhaps you want to keep a rarely used wine fridge or a paneled freezer in this space.

For some people, though, it's better to avoid the luxury two-kitchen trend. The expense — and, eventually, the need to repair — two sets of appliances might not be worth it for some people. Although adding a dirty kitchen to your home can boost its value, it has a return on investment (ROI) of 80% or less. It's not unusual to spend $30,000 to $75,000 or more for adding this extra space. However, since you almost certainly won't receive a full dollar-for-dollar return on your spending, you shouldn't add the scullery just to try to sell your home for more money. It's also a poor investment in a small house, possibly stealing space from the main kitchen area.

One of the biggest benefits of adding a dirty kitchen occurs when you have an open-concept or open-plan home. You won't have to worry about the mess in the main kitchen space being visible from other rooms when you're entertaining. Even when you aren't having a party in your open-concept house, it keeps the day-to-day mess of food prep out of sight when you don't feel like cleaning up just yet. If you and your family often eat at the island, you could create a more relaxing meal time by having the odors from food preparation hidden away in the dirty kitchen. If you used delicate materials or vintage appliances when remodeling your main kitchen space, you could protect the materials by doing a lot of your cooking and food preparation in the dirty kitchen. You can extend the lifespan of your cabinets and countertops by sharing the load with the second space for extra storage and food prep.

However, adding a scullery means that you'll have to clean two different kitchen areas, which can quickly become the messiest areas of the home. Sure, you can hide the mess in the scullery for a while, but you'll eventually have to clean it just like you clean the main kitchen area. Some people believe adding a second food prep area can sap the energy of the house. Many families gather in the kitchen to discuss their days while doing homework and preparing a meal. By adding a dirty kitchen, the family may split up in separate rooms.