How to Design an Outdoor Kitchen

It has obviously become a very popular trend to create Outdoor Living spaces. Many times we use these spaces for rest, relaxation and meditation but mostly people are interested in entertaining their family and friends. Whether it is a family lunch on Saturday afternoon or a huge garden party for 300 of your closest friends your Outdoor Living space is where we want to be. This article will provide some considerations for a sound design for your very own Outdoor Living Space...

Instructions

1. When you start to consider a design for an outdoor living space one of the first things that should be considered is the building site. The definition of a building site is pretty self explanitory but let me expand the detail here. A building site should be developed based on the proximity to utilities such as water, natural gas and electricity if you want to use it as an outdoor kitchen. The building site must be properly graded to allow water drainage and run-off away from your home. Finally the building site should consider the amount of environmental exposure with Sun and Wind being the major environmental factors.

2. I usually recommend building your outdoor kitchen in close proximity to your indoor kitchen and dining area to make food transitions easier and cleanup a breeze. Many outdoor kitchens will include all of the indoor appliances so therefore it is not always required to place yours so close. How and where you place your outdoor kitchen will dictate how much money will be spent on additional equipment and appliances.

3. Once you have decided on how you will place your outdoor kitchen you can start designing the actual space. Orient your space so that you can take advantage of exiting structures for wind breaks and shade coverage. By building a patio or deck just off the back or side of your house near your indoor kitchen is what I feel is an ideal building site location.

4. 

   What we are looking for in this design phase is the use of highly robust fixtures, furniture and equipment intended for outdoor exposure. The basic requirements for your outdoor kitchen should include a food preparation area such as a gas grill with a concrete countertop surround, a seating area for dining and a seating area intended for cocktails near an outdoor fireplace or free standing fire pit.

Tips & Warnings

• Your design should consider a smooth transition from inside your house to outside.

• The sequence of events for most outdoor occasions is: food preparations, food consumption, cleanup, and after dinner conversation and drinks so design your outdoor space to allow for easy movement from each area and to allow for conversation from between areas.

• Your best parties have always been centered around your kitchen and dining rooms, to move it outside creates just another facinatly twist.

Resources

• Outdoor Kitchen Design
• Outdoor Kitchen Design
• Direct Outdoor Living and Outdoor Kitchens
• Grill Kitchens