Can there be anything better than firing up the grill in your own outdoor kitchen? You’re surrounded by friends and family, the steak is sizzling on the grill and the summer sunshine is beaming down onto you. You crack open a cool beer, bring the frosty can to your lips and take a sip.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the life.
Constructing an outdoor kitchen is high on the list of home improvement plans of many Americans today. If you too are dreaming of extending your living space out into the yard however, then there a few design considerations you should make before breaking ground on your dream project.
The first real consideration is with the space you have to work with, and where you intend to construct your kitchen. If you have a large, open space you may be intending to make your kitchen the true center point of your yard design.
If on the other hand your yard is smaller, you may want a kitchen that is more designed to blend into the rest of the yard. A smaller space after all is more prone to being overwhelmed by a large or dominating new feature like a kitchen which can make your design look cluttered and messy.
The next step after you worked out the location and how much room you have to play with is to figure out what equipment you are going to install in your kitchen. Naturally, some items are a given – it wouldn’t be much of an outdoor kitchen without a grill for example.
But beyond that, you are free to choose to have as much or as little furniture and equipment as you want and can afford. A refrigerator of some sort is generally going to be considered one of the essentials of an outdoor kitchen – and it will also save you time traipsing back and forth from your indoor kitchen. Countertops will provide the cook with welcome workspace, as well as an area for guests to congregate. In the end though, the decision is completely yours.
The photo above is courtesy of Paul Karrer found on his company’s website featuring an outdoor kitchen and living space made with pavers.
It’s also a good idea at this stage to consider how the outdoor kitchen space is mostly going to be used. For example, if is mainly for entertaining, you may wish to cut back on some of the food prep equipment and space in favor of additional refrigerators for keeping drinks and snack cool.
On the other hand if you intend to do a lot of cooking you can use more of the space for cooking appliances. The space that you may give over to seating or an extra large table could instead be utilized for a pizza oven or a wood fired smoker, if that’s what you prefer.
One final consideration for you at this early planning stage is going to be the decision on the type of fuel for the grill. Assuming you are going for gas, then there are of course two options here – natural and propane. Both have advantages and disadvantages over the other.
Natural gas can be piped to the kitchen from the domestic supply in your house – though this will involve digging up the yard and laying piping. Propane will be delivered via a large tank – easier to install during construction but then you have the longer-term hassle of regular refills from your propane gas company. Read a more detailed comparison here.
An outdoor kitchen truly is an excellent investment both in terms of adding value to your house, and adding an exceptionally attractive feature to your backyard. Just like any other construction project, simply ensure that you plan effectively in advance and you will have a magnificent kitchen to enjoy for years to come! If you’ve enjoyed these ideas, be sure to read about more general hardscaping pointers from Mr. Paul Karrer. I feel it’s always best to start with basics.