Home styles and trends are constantly changing. Over the last few years, minimalist colors and styles, such as white cabinets and sparsely-decorated spaces, have slowly made their exit stage left. Now, more complex setups and bolder colors are coming back into play, and as a result, so are sculleries — those tiny rooms off the kitchen that are sometimes known as “overflow kitchens.”
A scullery is a room just off the kitchen where things can be stored and cleaned. It houses anything from pots and pans to flatware, and it often has a sink for rinsing the dishes. There are plenty of kitchen elements that were popular years ago, and these rooms are just one. Sculleries became big during the Victorian era because the kitchen wasn’t the gathering spot it is now. Rather, it was a place where people didn’t want to be seen because it was associated with housework. As a result, the staff in these larger homes were hidden from plain sight in sculleries, where they would clean dishes and do other housework, such as laundry.
Now, sculleries are starting to reawaken in home remodels because of their function and practicality. And if it makes sense for your space and budget, you might want to consider incorporating one into your home.
Why sculleries are growing in popularity
These days, sculleries don’t hold quite the same status they once did. Instead, they’re more or less just a way to get more kitchen space. They’re also a great place to store those older or clunkier plates and trays that aren’t as pretty to look at. With the rise of replacing kitchen cabinets with upper-level shelving, storage for those less aesthetically-pleasing pieces is necessary. Sculleries are making a comeback because of the interest right now in having an older, more traditional-looking kitchen versus that ultra-modern look that existed a few years ago. “For us today, a scullery has a nostalgic ring to it and hence it has become a desirable feature to have in your home,” Helen Parker, creative director at deVOL Kitchens, told Homes & Gardens.
If it makes sense to include a scullery in your kitchen plans, you should do it, because it offers a more shielded kitchen space. These days, parties often gather in the kitchen, and having a scullery means you can set out the food and drink while welcoming friends into the kitchen, but head out of sight to soak the pot that just cooked your delicious meal.
