How to Design a Backyard Patio With a Fire Pit & Outdoor Kitchen

Firepit on the Patio

Design a backyard patio with a fire pit, an outdoor kitchen and a dining area for entertaining your family and friends. You can build a patio as an extension to your home or as part of your backyard landscaping, some distance away from the house. Design your outdoor kitchen for convenience with easy clean-up options and refrigerated storage for beverages. Fire pits come in a variety of shapes and sizes, or you can custom build your own from brick or pavers.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring Tape
• Design software or graph paper and pencil

Instructions

1. Measure the dimensions of the available space for your outdoor patio and draw the overall layout on the computer or by hand. Free software like SmartDraw can help with this process. Your dimensions should include the overall length and width of your patio space, as well as notations and measurements for any doors or windows that may be part of the design.

2. Select the flooring materials for your patio, as well as the materials for your kitchen structure and countertops. Get dimensions for all appliances you plan to include in the kitchen design. Typical outdoor kitchens include a sink, an under-the-counter fridge and a built-in grill.

3. Allocate areas for your outdoor kitchen based on the overall dimensions and proximity to your house. Both the outdoor kitchen and the fire pit should be removed from the house by at least 10 feet, but you should check local ordinances and regulations in your area for specifics. Plan the outdoor kitchen based on the size, shape and function of the design. Will your kitchen have a roof, if so, will the dining area be covered? Is the dining area designed as a bar built onto the kitchen counter, or do you plan to use a table and chairs? Get the dimensions of your dining furniture and allocate space in close proximity to the outdoor kitchen, but a safe distance from the grill.

4. Determine where to place the fire pit based on the proximity to your home and to the outdoor kitchen. The fire pit is a focal point, as is the kitchen, so place them opposite each other with room for dining and lounging in between. If your patio is shaped like a rectangle adjacent to your house, build an L shaped kitchen along one outside corner and place the fire pit in the opposite outside corner. The dining area can be on the patio, closer to the kitchen, with additional seating around the fire pit.

5. Fill in the perimeter of your backyard patio with potted plants and bench seating or a patio swing.

Tips & Warnings

• Add a water feature, like a fountain, as part of your patio design.

• Check your measurements twice before ordering furniture or materials.

References

• How to Design an Outdoor Kitchen

Resources

• Free Landscape Design Software