Consider an Outdoor Kitchen

New innovations and trends for outdoor kitchens—such as outdoor heaters, fire elements (including fireplaces and fire pits), space heaters and sheltered areas--have extended the outdoor season, making these kitchens useable from Easter to Thanksgiving. With today’s trend towards less formal entertaining, an outdoor kitchen with areas for dining, seating, and even a bar will get lots of use.

But, in order to be successful, you should invest the same amount of time in careful planning for this outdoor kitchen as you would for an indoor kitchen. This means working with a team: an interior designer who specializes in kitchens, a landscape architect, and a contractor. The new space should complement architecture of the home. Careful consideration should be given to traffic flow, storage, lighting, safety, function, materials, trash management (including a place for recyclable) and aesthetics. The better designed the space is, the more use you will get out of it. I can’t overemphasize the importance of using a team approach that includes a kitchen designer. If you can’t cook comfortably in this space, if it doesn’t suit your entertainment needs, and maintenance issues arise, you won’t get optimum use out of the space and you won’t get the best return on your investment. The interior designer creates the space that works for the client, the landscape architect is concerned with the relationship between the space and its outdoor setting, and the contractor makes sure there are no construction issues that could delay the project or add unforeseen costs.

Material selection is extremely important. Although the best outdoor kitchens are sheltered, everything should still be selected to withstand the elements, including sun, humidity, rain, ice, and snow. Everything should be waterproof and UL-approved for outdoor use. Countertop choices include granite, sealed limestone, glass, concrete, and frost-proof ceramic. Countertop heights should be customized to the homeowners’ needs. Stone floors are popular – but they should be sealed so they withstand grease spatters and are easy to clean. One of the biggest mistakes I see in outdoor kitchens is rough, unsealed stone or brick used for the wall behind and the area around the grill. When smoke and grease get embedded in this type of surface, it is impossible to clean. It’s also uncomfortable to stand on for long periods of cooking. Even a sealed stone or frost-proof ceramic floor can become uncomfortable. Because of this, I often recommend adding an easy-to-clean, outdoor woven carpet to the space. Companies like Viking produce a line of stainless steel appliances specifically designed for outdoor use. Until recently, this same stainless steel, because of its ability to withstand the elements, was the almost exclusive choice for outdoor cabinetry. However, Pennville Custom Cabinetry has just come out with a beautiful line of teak cabinets with marine-grade vinyl interiors that is specifically designed for sheltered outdoor kitchens.

There are many other amenities that you might consider. Outdoor pizza ovens, warming drawers, wine cellars, refrigerator drawers,  and integrated sound and lighting systems are just a few of the “extras” that can add enjoyment to your new outdoor space.

Right now, we're in the process of designing several beautiful outdoor kitchens. If you'd like to see what we're doing and explore adding one to your outdoor space, give us a call!

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