Designing the Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen

The Viking Craftsman - Designing the Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen

Designing the Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are becoming more and more of a focal point for all outdoor activities, a focal point which is more equipped than before. What started out as a small, standalone grill on the patio has transformed itself into a complete, built-in outdoor environment with all necessary appliances. With the ultimate outdoor kitchen, you won’t want to go back inside ever again. Layout Consider the layout of your existing space and the safety. If you have children, or will invite many guests with children, you need to make sure that your barbecue does not sit directly in the main foot traffic path. If you are planning on hosting while cooking in your outdoor area, then you will want to situate your barbecue so that you can grill and face your guests.Try looking at it from inside of your home, or from a dissociated vantage point so that you can see how the final layout appears. Remember that when not in use, this space will still remain on display. Appliances The appliances you use should be something suited for your space. You want to aim for self-contained units in your outdoor area. This does not mean that you should only have one physical structure, but you can incorporate multiple structures along the same way such that you can cook, refrigerate, wash, and store all of your outdoor items. Lighting Lighting is one of the keys to designing the ultimate outdoor space. Devote time to the lighting in much the same way as you would an indoor space. You will want more than just the motion-detecting lamp affixed to your backdoor. Consider where most people will congregate while food is being prepared, while they eat, and when they are sitting and relaxing. You want to design lighting for all of these situations. Material If you have an open, modern space, stainless steel might be what you choose. This is one of the best materials on the market for outdoor kitchen products and it can withstand the changing weather. But if you have a larger ranch compound, you might prefer a pavilion design with a steel/timber roof that covers the appliances. You can shield the stainless steel appliances with covers too, such as slatted wood doors that blend the cooking appliances into the rustic décor. You might consider using poured concrete for tabletops or counters in an effort to add an earth-like softness and breakup the teak and metal in your outdoor space.If you are situated someone near the water, invest in water-resistant fabrics for seating and consider marine-grade finishes to protect against the weather. Add a nice rug too, in order to soften the terrace or deck space and add texture and color.