Why You Might Want To Avoid The Luxury Two Kitchen Trend

Having two kitchens in a home can be beneficial for their convenience, versatility, and potential for multifunctional use. They allow for meal preparation and cooking to happen in designated spaces so homeowners can have privacy when entertaining. A home with two kitchens also has the potential to have a higher resale value as buyers might be attracted to the unique feature. You might want to avoid this trend, however, as the investments needed might not be worth it.

The luxury of having two kitchens in the home requires a significant amount of labor, time, and money. It takes up a lot of space and requires double the amount of everything, from the construction to the maintenance. It also means higher energy consumption and heftier utility bills. If there isn't a specific reason to have two or one kitchen ends up being ignored, it will take up all these resources unnecessarily. Only considering this for the sake of reselling? Adding modern fixtures and appliances, new cabinets, and lighter colors to your single kitchen might be all you need to get a high return rate.

Having two kitchens has gained popularity because of the appeal of multifunctional spaces and the growing desire for at-home entertaining. Homeowners now want a primary kitchen that they can use to host, which is why islands, dedicated seating areas, and home bars have become more common to see. As more people seek to create spaces to foster connection and host, they're finding the need for a separate place to do the bulk of the kitchen work.

The two-kitchen trend has been adopted more by wealthy homeowners who can afford to create for themselves a "chef's kitchen" and a "social kitchen" to create a clear distinction between where the food is made and where it is served and enjoyed. The second kitchen can also be called a "spice kitchen," which is typically designated to cook meals with strong scents or for specific diets where certain foods shouldn't be mixed. Some other needs are for guests who could benefit from having their own space, like family members staying long-term.

Conversely, some people are taking a more cost-effective approach to separating the kitchen from the entertainment area. It is now trendy for homeowners to remodel their homes to close off the kitchen, which is a shift away from the previous open layout trend where the kitchen was connected to the dining and/or living room for easy flow between the rooms. If you really want to make a distinction between the food prep area and the eating area, this concept of a closed kitchen might be better for your home.

You can also consider a scullery, which is an extension of the kitchen for storing away anything you want to keep out of sight. Instead of outfitting a whole separate kitchen, sculleries can meet whatever specific needs you have, whether you just want an alternate sink for dirty dishes or even another dishwasher and fridge. An outdoor kitchen can be another alternative. While it still involves two kitchens, it provides something the main kitchen can't — the ability to prepare, serve, and enjoy food in the good weather outside.