Open concept kitchens are popular in modern homes, but all that beautiful design comes at a price – constant clutter from meal prep and dirty dishes on display. We have an elegant solution to keep your main living areas picture-perfect while still meeting all your kitchen needs – add a secondary prep kitchen space. This versatile layout allows you to neatly tuck away functional elements like storage and appliances while maintaining an uncluttered aesthetic flow in adjoining rooms. Read on to explore the benefits of incorporating a prep kitchen into your home plans.
What is a Prep Kitchen?
A prep kitchen is essentially a secondary, smaller kitchen space used for the nitty-gritty work of cooking and storage. This layout is sometimes called a “back kitchen” and serves as an extension of your main kitchen area.
Unlike your primary cooking hub which may focus more on beauty and presentation with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, a prep kitchen prioritizes function over form. The goal is to neatly conceal mess, from piles of pots and pans to seldom-used gadgets and extras. Storage, workspace and efficiency take center stage so your main kitchen can shine.
Differences From a Main Kitchen
So how exactly does a prep kitchen differ from the typical kitchen setup? Here are some of the defining contrasts:
- Smaller overall size and footprint
- Emphasizes storage solutions over aesthetic appeal
- Often located separately from main living spaces
- Contains more cabinets and pantries; fewer high-end finishes
- Focused on functionality rather than entertaining
Benefits of Adding a Prep Kitchen
Why should you consider adding the extra square footage for a prep kitchen? Here are some of the best reasons to incorporate this layout into your home.
More Storage Space
Lacking adequate space to organize cooking tools, appliances and pantry items is a common kitchen design dilemma. Kitchens have the challenging task of merging form and function. An attached but separated prep kitchen allows you to neatly tuck these necessary items out of sight.
Extra cabinets, shelves, oversized fridges and deep pantries provide ample room to arrange cooking necessities without crowding the main space. It also prevents that dreaded “junk drawer” effect so prevalent in many kitchens. A place for everything and everything in its place!
Added Functionality
Besides storage, a prep kitchen opens up design possibilities to maximize functionality. Add another sink for multi-tasking needs or quick cleanups after prepping meats and veggies. Install an extra convection oven, toaster oven or warming drawer to keep dishes at serving temp. Set up a coffee station to handle early morning caffeine needs without cluttering prime real estate in the main kitchen.
With extra countertops and dedicated spaces, you can tidy up chopped ingredients or stage assembled casseroles. A prep kitchen lets you multi-task and streamline cooking steps without chaos.
Clutter-Free Main Living Space
For open floor plan designs, a prep kitchen is a life saver. Removing visible storage spaces from the main kitchen helps preserve its beauty and clean sight lines. When entertaining guests, you don’t have to worry about them seeing dirty dishes, overflowing trash cans or messy counters.
Closed off prep kitchens can also contain cooking smells. No more bacon and burnt toast odors wafting through the whole first floor! Keep pots, appliances and non-perishables out of sight to maintain a tidy, guest-ready main kitchen 24/7.
Prep Kitchen Layout and Design Ideas
What does a prep kitchen actually look like? The configurations are incredibly versatile to suit your home’s current layout and size limitations.
Potential Locations and Layouts
Prep kitchens can take many forms throughout the house:
- Incorporate at the end of a large walk-in pantry
- Build an addition to attach directly to the main kitchen
- Convert a mudroom, laundry room or coat closet
- Repurpose a basement, garage or outdoor space
- Create as a standalone room adjacent to kitchen
Appliances and Features
Prep kitchens can range from simple storage pantries to nearly fully-functioning secondary kitchens. Consider including features like:
- Extra refrigeration
- Microwave
- Sink
- Dishwasher
- Cabinets and shelving
- Countertops
- Toasters, coffee makers and mixers
- Warming drawers or cooktops
Design Considerations
Keep these prep kitchen design factors in mind:
- Workflow: Place appliances in convenient relation to doorway access and main kitchen.
- Splashes: Choose durable and washable surfaces since messes happen!
- Lighting: Incorporate task lighting for food prep visibility.
- Ventilation: Include range hoods and exterior ventilation as needed.
- Flooring: Pick easily cleaned and slip-resistant floors that can handle spills.
Integrating a Prep Kitchen Into Your Floorplan
Seamlessly weaving a prep kitchen into your overall home layout and flow takes forethought. But the benefits for functionality and organization are immense.
Location Considerations
When deciding where to add your prep kitchen, consider:
- Convenience of access from main kitchen
- Traffic patterns through home to optimize usable space
- Plumbing and ventilation needs
- View lines to allow visual connection to main living areas
Size Recommendations
In terms of size, prep kitchens can be as small as a mini corner pantry or as large as 10 x 12 feet. Take into account your:
- Quantity of appliances needing homes
- Cabinetry and shelving storage needs
- Countertop and floorspace requirements
Even a small prep kitchen squeezes in tremendous organizational benefits compared to jam-packed main kitchen cabinets!
Connections to Main Kitchen
Linking the two kitchen zones helps continue sightlines and flow. Connections could include:
- Interior doors
- Open arched walkways
- Hallways
- Countertop pass-throughs
- Serving windows
Getting Started With Your Own Prep Kitchen
Sold on the idea of adding this savvy home design trick but aren’t sure how to start? Use this guide to plan your perfect prep kitchen addition.
Assess Your Needs
First, analyze how your family currently uses the kitchen. What issues want to be solved? Typical needs include:
- More storage for small appliances
- Additional pantry space
- Extra seating away from main traffic
- Another sink for tasks like produce washing
- Hiding day-to-day mess from guests
Hire a Designer
An architect or kitchen designer helps you optimize placement and layout. Describe your wishlist and they can create plans to integrate a prep kitchen with your existing home flow. They can catch small but important details you might miss trying to DIY.
Add Later as a Remodel
For homeowners with an already-finished house, a prep kitchen can still be added seamlessly. Typical remodel options include:
- Standalone addition off house exterior
- Bump-out extension off existing kitchen
- Basement or garage conversions
The right contractor can work magic retrofitting a prep kitchen without major home disruption.
Lifestyle Changes With a Prep Kitchen
Adding an extra functional kitchen zone impacts how your household operates daily. Discover just a few ways this versatile layout enhances home life.
More Organized Cooking
De-clutter your main chef zone and enjoy more efficient meal prep. Find ingredients easily, progress smoothly between steps, and have a place to neatly stage dishes ready to serve.
Limit Clutter in Main Living Spaces
Never panic about unexpected guests again! Keep the public kitchen looking photo-ready while hiding gadgets, shelf-stable ingredients and small appliances conveniently in your prep kitchen.
Customized Storage Solutions
Maximize every inch to suit how your family cooks. Incorporate specialty pull-outs for baking sheets, custom shelving sized for oversized stock pots, or under-cabinet cookie sheet holders. Tailor to your unique needs.
As you can see, adding a prep kitchen or secondary kitchen space adds tremendous functionality and organization with minimal sacrifices to your main living zone beauty. Tuck mess out of sight, streamline cooking tasks, and enjoy more efficiency through customized storage solutions.
Achieve coveted open concept living without the constant clutter. This savvy home design trick lets you have your cake and eat it too – beautiful spaces and supreme practicality.
