The design world is buzzing about sculleries. Is it a longing to emulate grand houses of yore? A rebellion against open plan design? The understandable desire to hide our mess? Whatever the reason, a scullery is increasingly popular in both new home designs and kitchen remodels.

WHAT IS A SCULLERY, ANYWAY?

Image: The Funky Kitchen

Once upon a time, aristocrats (think Bridgerton or Downton Abbey) had a) big houses and b) lots of staff. Their kitchens were used for actual cooking, while prep work and cleanup happened in another room called the ‘scullery.’ Nowadays, a scullery is an extra space, often right off the kitchen, that serves much the same purpose. It’s what your granny might have called a “back kitchen.” They can be anywhere from enormous to pint-sized, but a proper scullery always includes these three things…

ESSENTIAL ELEMENT #1: STORAGE

Image: Verve Magazine

You might think of a scullery as a pantry but not for food. Instead, it’s a place to store things like small kitchen appliances, extra plates/serving dishes, specialty pans/utensils (like that paella pan you just had to have but only used once), and the like. Bonus: The extra storage allows any open shelves in the “public” kitchen to concentrate on looking pretty while the actual work goes on backstage.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENT #2: COUNTERTOPS

Image: Pinterest

“That’s too much counter space” said no one ever. You can use it to hide that showstopper dessert until you’re ready to wow your guests or as a place to keep/use kitchen workhorses like stand mixers. Bottom line, you need a place to set things down. Otherwise, you’ll just have to turn around and take them back to the kitchen, which defeats the purpose of having a scullery in the first place.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENT #3: SINK

Image: Unique Design

That sexy farmhouse sink in the main kitchen doesn’t look nearly as Insta-worthy when it’s piled with dirty pots and pans. The scullery sink—or the optional-but-useful scullery dishwasher—is the perfect place to hide the mess, so it doesn’t distract from your dinner party. Or your evening of binge-watching. Or whatever it is that you’d rather do than the dishes.

REMEMBER: PRACTICAL CAN BE PRETTY

Image: Apartment Therapy

A scullery is useful, yes, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be beautiful—luxurious, even. Since modern-day sculleries don’t, alas, come with a scullery maid, you should make it a space you enjoy being in. This could be the perfect place for that bold color you love but didn’t want in a bigger space. Since it’s smaller than the main kitchen, it’s more cost-effective to add a higher-end backsplash or countertop here. Even a little bit of bling can make cleanup feel less like drudgery and more like TLC for your things.

So, what do you think? Is a scullery in your future?