It’s a given that the kitchen is where a home’s inhabitants gravitate today.
Islands have popped up or grown in size to accommodate the crowd, along with a slew of upgrades to feed, hydrate, or simply impress guests—from Champagne fridges to Keurig coffee stations to bespoke backsplashes and beyond.
Yet for some homeowners, this gloriously decked-out cook space is just not enough. Instead, they reason, why stop at one kitchen when you can have two?
The two-kitchen trend is everywhere these days. The New York Times called this extra prep area a “kitchen for the kitchen.” Mansion Global called it the “appliance garage” since it’s where (perhaps second) coffeemakers, dishwashers, and other gadgets can be stashed away so that the first alpha kitchen can remain clean and pristine.
Second kitchens go by many names, none all that savory—scullery kitchens, working kitchens, or simply “messy kitchens”—and the reason for their existence is to function as the original kitchen was meant to, but can’t. Why? Because kitchen No. 1 has evolved to such a pinnacle of entertainment perfection that it’s mostly just for show. Kitchen No. 2, hidden behind closed doors, is where all the smoking, steaming, cooking, and cleaning take place.
Two kitchens have also become the norm on home renovation shows, including most recently “Rock the Block,” where one competitor installed a “back-of-the-house kitchen” so that, in their words, “All the dirty dishes just go right back into your second prep kitchen.”
Contestant Page Turner even added a third kitchen to the mix, this time in the basement.
She then counted the kitchens with glee: “Lower-level kitchen: one. Main-level kitchen: two. Prep kitchen: three. Value, value, more value.”
But is a second (or third) kitchen truly the smart value proposition it’s hyped up to be on TV?
The two-kitchen trend: How it all started
Granted, second kitchens are definitely not a new thing, nor are they relegated just to upper-crust luxury homes.
They’ve long existed in kosher Jewish residences, as dietary laws forbid the mixing of meat and dairy. Islamic halal cooking and severe allergies also necessitate separate areas for certain ingredients.
The COVID-19 pandemic fueled a fresh need for a separate spot where we could unload potentially germ-laden groceries and store more quarantine supplies. Even though the panic of those years (wiping our produce with Clorox or stockpiling beans) is largely over, the added storage still definitely comes in handy today. Add a sink or minifridge to that oversized pantry and voila, a second kitchen is born.
Designers also say that second kitchens aren’t just for the uberwealthy. This amenity has trickled down to merely semiwealthy homeowners who are thinking ahead about longer-term houseguests.
“The desire to provide guests with their own kitchen is popular now, so they don’t encroach on the main one,” says Melanie Turner, director of residential design for Pfau Long Architecture, the residential studio of Perkins&Will. “And some clients anticipate the next or previous generation coming to stay.”
As such, Jen Dallas of the eponymous firm thinks second kitchens are less frivolous than they might seem at first glance.
“They really use these other kitchens,” she insists. “In my experience, these rooms are desired because they are quite needed, so why stop at one?”
The hidden downsides of a second kitchen
Honestly, homeowners with the extra space and cash to add a second kitchen are going to do what they want, while the rest of us chumps who make do (or do just fine) with one kitchen shake our heads. Still, it’s not just jealousy that makes us one-kitchen people wonder whether a second kitchen is simply a huge waste of cash, or even a pain in the neck many might regret.
For one, two kitchens means twice the cleanup. Sure, the people who can afford two kitchens will likely have “staff” or a housecleaner who tidies up the mess on most days. But sometimes, the onus will fall on you to wipe the crumbs off two countertops, which is one too many. Plus, two sets of kitchen appliances means double the breakdowns; prepare to cough up plenty in repairs.
And not to get all sappy on you, but having two kitchens might actually undermine the entire purpose of this space.
“I fear this two-kitchen thing could dilute the home’s vibe and the energy that’s created when friends and family are all in the same room where the food is cooking,” says Tony Mariotti, a real estate broker and owner of RubyHome in Los Angeles.
Picture this: The kids are in their kitchen heating up frozen pizzas, while you’re in your kitchen nosing around in the crisper drawer. Where’s the joy in that? Remember, the kitchen is not considered the heart of the home for nothing, and you’re essentially splitting this heart in two.
Plus, there’s the risk that you’ll play favorites. The better blender’s in the other kitchen, so you’ll head there every morning for a smoothie. Pretty soon, no one’s using the main kitchen at all, because you’ve outfitted the second one so nicely. From there, it’s just a matter of time before all of your guests migrate to the second kitchen, too, leaving your “showcase kitchen” unshown, much like the living room you ignore today.
Worried now that the main kitchen you’ve poured so much love and money into will lie fallow if you add a second kitchen to the mix? Here’s one tip: If you absolutely must have that second kitchen, designate it for certain tasks only (extra dishwashing, storing fine china) to keep it from outshining the first.
Or, if you aren’t sure whether a second kitchen is worth the return on investment, Turner suggests asking yourself if there’s any other type of room you might enjoy more—home theater, billiard or game room, sauna, exercise space—than a double of a room you already have.
Put this way, a second kitchen may not seem all that great and may instead be one of those many head-scratching fads destined to slowly fade away. In our minds, good riddance. Because the heart of the home only stays beating when people use it and even, god forbid, leave crumbs on the counter.
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