Kenyan Homeowners Turn to Secondary Wet Kitchens as Open-Plan Designs Lose Appeal

A substantial number of Kenyan homes priced above Sh45 million now feature open-plan kitchens. The design concept was borrowed from Western interiors and increasingly used by developers targeting discerning, well-travelled buyers while maximising space.

By removing walls between the kitchen, dining, and living rooms, even townhouses on small plots are made to feel significantly bigger. The concept quickly gained popularity and became a key selling point.

Developers were looking for unique selling points. They saw what was happening in more developed markets and brought those ideas here. It worked for quite some time because it was something different.

But now an open-plan kitchen is no longer as appealing to many homeowners, especially those with big families. Some homeowners are now converting external laundry spaces into secondary kitchens, often referred to as “wet kitchens”.

Wet kitchens are typically used for heavy cooking, meal prep, and odour-heavy food preparation. They are kept separate from the main open-plan kitchen.

Open-plan kitchens were a trend. Trends come, they catch on, and eventually they fizzle out. The market has now realised that the concept does not necessarily accommodate African or Kenyan culture.

Some buyers, especially those who bought off-plan units, have come to realise that what looked appealing on a floor plan does not suit daily routines.

We grew up with closed kitchens. In many ways, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Integrating it directly into the living room is not something we were traditionally accustomed to.

The market is correcting itself. People know what works for them and what doesn’t.

Amina Omar, 34, is among homeowners building a second kitchen. She bought her house in Nairobi for about Sh38 million and began by closing off the open kitchen.

She built a glass wall to deter her two children from crawling in, but also ensure privacy while cooking. A few months later, she realised that the wall was inadequate.

The preparation turns my kitchen into chaos. It became so hard for my husband to enjoy watching football in the living room. The smell of food was also irritating.

She repurposed her laundry area into a wet kitchen. The space has been fitted with waterproof cabinets, a double sink, and a sunproof glass roof. It cost about Sh1 million.

Kelvin Bwamu, an architect at Architecture by Cedar, agrees that open kitchens were shaped by global influences. People have travelled, watched American shows and seen these contemporary designs.

A kitchen is a service room. For example, when you go to a hotel, kitchens are usually positioned out of sight because they can be messy. There are smells, cleaning agents, food preparation and all sorts of activities that people may not necessarily want spilling into the rest of the house.

This has become one of the biggest drawbacks of open-plan living. As a result, an increasing number of clients are requesting enclosed kitchens.

More and more of my clients are saying, ‘No, let’s go back to enclosed kitchens.’ Even in new developments, people are opting for closed kitchens once again.

The shift extends beyond kitchens and shows a wider reassessment of housing priorities. People are slowly moving back toward more functional homes.

For standalone homes, wet kitchens are becoming a must-have. The trend is evident among buyers seeking homes for owner occupation rather than investment purposes.