I hope you had a great weekend and Labor Day! One thing I love about this time of year is getting things in order for the year ahead. Last week, I shared some tips on getting your kiddos and home ready for the BACK to School season and staying organized for the year ahead. If you missed it, you can check it out here. In conjuction with getting organized, I like the idea of planning out my house projects for the year, and back to school season is a great time to begin this process.
In this Tuesday’s Treasure, I am sharing about a new design craze that people are adding to their list of home projects: Dirty Kitchens. That’s right! Your eyes are NOT deceiving you, I am here to talk about Dirty Kitchens. While I am sure many of us can relate to the words, dirty kitchen (especially coupled together), let me clarity that I am not talking about the tidiness and cleanliness of your kitchen. We can all relate to the mess that seems to find its way to kitchen counters, overfull sinks, and ….. That, my friends, is just part of living!
So what do I mean when I say Dirty Kitchens are the latest design craze? Well, let’s begin with defining what is a dirty kitchen. According to a quick Google search, AI defines a dirty kitchen as “a secondary kitchen that’s used for food preparation, cooking, and cleaning, while keeping the main kitchen clean and tidy” (AI Overview, 08/22/2024). This type of space may also be referred to as a back or mess kitchen, a working butler’s pantry (a little different than a butler’s pantry), or even a modern scullery kitchen-not that anything with the word ‘scullery’ in it sounds remotely modern! Ha! But nonetheless, there you have it, dirty kitchens defined!
Examplesof Dirty Kitchens
In my search, I found these three beautiful examples of dirty kitchens, found on House Beautiful’s website. Most noticeably, is the overall design aesthetic, ranging from the bold and rich green to the warm mid-tone taupe to a bright and classic white with striking gold accents. Each has a unique character just like a main kitchen. But upon closer review, each of these kitchens is laid out a little differently, indicating they may function differently. Hmmm…makes me ponder….
You might be thinking, “but I already have a kitchen…why would I need another one?” The answer to this question is maybe not as straightforward as one might think, but simply stated, having a second kitchen takes the stress off of the main kitchen–a room which (in our modern era) has grown to be a function as a cooking space while serving as as a place to gather and entertain! When I consider this, I actually find great value in having a second kitchen (even if just a zone) to help take some of the stress off…become more of a gathering space than
but I already have a kitchen…why would I need another one?
How Can I Add this to My Home?
So for many of us, we may not have the budget to add a whole second kitchen (dirty or otherwise!) into our homes, so what options might we have to help alleviate the pressure we often experience in our main kitchen area? Well, I think the first step to tackling this is to identify what it is…ask ourselves, “what is it the becomes the proverbial cog in the wheel?” Consider evaluating these questions:
Is it dishes being piled in the sink?
Is it because I have too many pots and roasters going at one time and my kitchen can’t accommodate all of that?
Is my challenge that I just simply don’t have enough storage?
Do I need additional counter space for prepping?
Tackling the Issues
Even in the examples above, we can see that our needs vary and therefore, there is no one right way of tackling this issue. Let’s consider ways to tackle the challenges
Too many dishes piled in the sink? Find a spot for an additional dishwasher or another sink to at least take the edge off. This could be in a hallway or pantry area near your kitchen or maybe consider (don’t throw something at me!) removing a section of cabinets and adding in a compact dishwasher (or a full size one). Here are some portable sinks that can be stationed in another location. I like the one on the left because it’s TOTALLY portable. It can accommodate a water tank right below the sink-pretty clever! Or, if you have the capability of connecting to a waterline, the option on the right is a great, practical (and attractive) option.
General storage issues?. Find a nearby wall, potentially only serving as a pass through, and add a supplemental pantry cabinet. This could be next to an eating area that adjoins your kitchen or even a wall that connects the kitchen to the next room-whatever that might be. Here are a couple of options that really look nice!
This cabinet is versatile with drawers (could be used for pots/pans or for trays) and adjustable shelves good for canned goods, appliances, or serving dishes. I wanted to share it with you displayed in a couple of different ways.
Amazon Cabinet Connecting Kitchen to Eating AreaAmazon CabinetAmazon Cabinet Situated by the Adjoining Room
This next cabinet is specifically designed with kitchen storage in mind, so it is not as versatile. But it does come in 2 heights (displayed below) to accommodate your space.
Not Enough Prep Space? The easiest way to tackle this is to add a portable kitchen island to your kitchen or adjoining room. I like the options below because they both have a trash bin (easy pull-out) as part of the design-perfect for scraps! Depending upon your room and layout, this feature is on the side or on the front. I point this out because it is something that should be considered.
1 – Okay, so dirty kitchens are not necessarily essential, but they can be really helpful. If I had space for one, I think I would add one!
2 – Adding a dirty kitchen is not feasible for everyone. The good news is there are ways to add “dirty kitchen functionality” in our homes without putting on an addition (or breaking the bank).
3 – If after reading this and doing your own search (even if just to drool over your dream dirty kitchen-haha!) and you conclude that having a whole separate kitchen in your home IS the right decision, I can help! Maybe you have a spare room near by or you can consider converting your basement or garage. The right design could help lighten your entertaining and cooking load!
Adding Style to Your Kitchen
Below is a design board that I created for a client earlier this year. The design was for my client’s main kitchen, but it could serve to inspire for any kitchen.
I love this design! The soft green and rich, gold accents add an elegant touch to a kitchen. If you would like to have help designing your kitchen, I would love to help you create a space that functions well and is a perfect reflection of you and the home you want! To learn more about design appointments, visit our Interior Design Page.
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