Get The Most Out Of Your Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens can be a huge factor in the entertaining potential of your home. But installing one is no small feat. If you decide to create one on your own, here are some tips that will help you to get the most out of your outdoor kitchen design:
Credit: Rolling Stone Landscapes
Design: Harrison’s Landscaping
Credit: Assemblage Studio
Location
Close to the house
Choosing the optimal location for your kitchen space can be complicated and involve other factors you may not initially think of. For example, planning to have a grill or outdoor stove? Unless you’re only using a traditional Barbecue grill, it’s going to involve gas and electric, so you’ll need to be able to access electrical and gas lines. Also, if you are looking to create continuity between interior and exterior spaces, consider placing your outdoor kitchen just outside your interior one. This allows for easy pass-through of essential items and for a natural progression of moving your guests outside.
Photo: Angelita Bonetti
Make it a destination
When considering the location of your outdoor kitchen, another idea is to place it further from the house and make it a destination. The outdoor kitchen can then be integrated with a pool house or additional outdoor living space.
Design: Rolling Stone Landscapes
Decor
Your outdoor room should have just as much personality as your interior space. Decorate your outdoor kitchen much like you would your indoor one interior one, using tile, curtains and upholstery. There are so many options for outdoor fabrics that work beautifully outdoors and allow for expressing your personal style.
Design: Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Design: Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Also, if you plan to use your outdoor kitchen throughout the year, remember that weather is unpredictable. We generally advise clients to include a roof or stylish awning, which allows the outdoor gathering to continue rain or shine.
Design: Patricia Bergantin
Layout
Have you ever noticed that whether intended or not, guests always tends to gather in the kitchen? Just because you’re the cook doesn’t mean you should miss out on the fun! When designing outdoor kitchens, we advise clients to position cooking surfaces so that whoever is cooking can still be part of the conversation. We also recommend including some seating off of or next to the chef, so guests have a comfortable place to relax close by.
Design: Arterra Landscape Architects
Appliances
When deciding which outdoor appliances you need, think about your proximity to the interior kitchen. The closer you are to the house, the more selective you can be about limiting the number of appliances to include. I recommend that clients think about convenience and functionality. If the interior fridge is close by, then it might not be necessary to add a second one outside. On the other hand, if your outdoor kitchen is indeed a destination, you might want to include more appliances. Also, consider other types of cooking possibilities, such as pizza ovens, which can add additional fun to the gathering. And, when considering grills, think about how many guests you plan to entertain vs. how many burgers will fit on the cooking surface at once. Finally, after your appliances are selected, don’t forget to leave plenty of room for prep work, platters and serving trays, and cabinetry space for storage. Also make sure your appliance doors and cabinets open fully without obstructing the use of a nearby element.
Design: Rolling Stones Landscapes
Clever Cover Ups
Some of my clients do not want to see the grill and consider it unsightly in an otherwise serene garden. While it is easy to place the grill out of site, it’s usually not the most functional solution and could leave the cook alienated from the gathering. Using clever cabinetry and sliding doors are great ways to keep the chef at the party and then hide the evidence when the cooking is done!
Photo: Casey Dunn
Design: Mr. Mitchell
Lighting
When lighting your outdoor kitchen, highlight the most heavily used areas, like the dining table, cooking surface, and walking paths. Focus on function and safety when determining placement, but don’t forget about style and impact when choosing your fixtures. And don’t be afraid to make a statement with bold light fixtures. Adding an oversized chandelier will give your outdoor kitchen personality and make the space feel just as comfortable — if not more so — than the one inside!
Design: McAlpine Booth and Ferrier
Design: Artistic Designs for Living by Teneke Triggs
Expanding your living space beyond your four walls is not only a great investment in your home, it’s an investment in your quality of life. Breathe that fresh air and enjoy yourself after all the hard work and planning that goes into making an outdoor space yours!
Do you have an outdoor kitchen or dream of building one? What features are your favorites or ones you’d love to have?
