An outdoor kitchen is a great way to enjoy the good weather and make the most of your terrace or garden.
The ideal is to design a simple outdoor kitchen with the essentials so that you do not have to enter the house. It is convenient to have a fire area, a storage area, a preparation area, and a washing area.
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas and Tips
Like an indoor kitchen, an outdoor kitchen can be designed in a wide variety of styles, configurations, and features. But unlike an indoor kitchen, outdoor kitchens must be designed to withstand climatic changes.
Before assembling the custom outdoor kitchen, talk to the professionals and make sure that you have what you need to create it, smoke outlet pipes, light sockets, or electrical appliances. To help you, here we have prepared a list of all the essentials with expert tips. Keep reading!
Outdoor Kitchen Design
What Dimensions to Choose for an Outdoor Kitchen?
This, like everything else, will depend on the size of our garden, the shape of the space. In any case, the needs are different from those of an indoor kitchen; for example, we do not need so much storage space. For this reason, most experts recommend designing the outdoor kitchen in an L or U shape.
This will help us to make the most of the space. With this, experts also recommend not to put the hot and cold areas together (in the case that you put a refrigerator). If your kitchen is not covered, place it near areas that can provide shade or that you can easily cover in case of need, awnings, umbrellas, the shade of a tree.
Where to Install the Outdoor Kitchen?
The ideal would be to install it in a covered area, under a porch. Otherwise, we should try to place it in a shady spot or with the option of installing an awning, an umbrella. We can also cover the kitchen area with a pergola.
In any case, the most important thing is that the area where we place it must have light sockets. In this case, we would have the option of carrying out the electrical installation a posteriori to take it to the desired area (always, logically, away from the pool area). This electrical installation would be made from ditches, hidden pipes with manholes, rigid pipes, outdoor plugs.
What Elements Should We Include?
As in the case of an indoor kitchen, the ideal for it to be a fully functional space is to have a washing area, a cooking area, a work area, and some storage space.
What Materials to Use?
This is one of the most critical issues since we must use materials suitable for outdoor use, such as stone, concrete, marble, ceramic, brick, tiles, iron, stainless steel. We can also use treated wood or wood suitable for outdoor use, such as teak, cedar. Although, in any case, the use of wood is recommended above all for roofed kitchens.
As for the floor, we must choose a non-slip material such as tile. In addition, we can install a vinyl outdoor mat under the cooking area to avoid grease stains on the floor.
What to Put in the Cooking Zone?
The cooking area will undoubtedly be the star of this space. Thus, we can use different alternatives such as electric, gas, wood-burning stoves, irons, grills. Think carefully about what kind of meals you want to prepare in your outdoor kitchen. Evaluate your options and your budget, if you are more interested in a gas or wood stove, if you are going to use it all year round or only in summer, and you want to store the appliances when you are not there.
At the same time, think about how do you want to put these appliances. Do you want them fixed or portable? If you want them portable, you can install these outdoor kitchen appliances on top of the worktop; Work options, integrated into the kitchen furniture, or even a separate barbecue from the kitchen structure. We can also use it to install a wood oven.
How to Illuminate
It is essential that outdoor kitchens have correct lighting, not only to facilitate their use at night but because having good light is necessary to accompany the cooked, avoid accidents, and enjoy a delicious meal outside. Thus, we can incorporate different points of light from the many outdoor options that exist: beacons, spotlights, wall lights, light strips, illuminated pots, solar lamps.
In order to better enjoy your outdoor space, in addition to having an outdoor kitchen, it is vital to have a space for eating or outdoor seating. So, set up the dining area. As for furniture, there are many options you have. From garden furniture made of natural fibres, in an iron, plastic finish. You can also pick elements taken out of context, such as Chester sofas. This will add charm to your outdoor kitchen area.
What do you think of these outdoor kitchen tips and ideas? Aren’t these great? What advice are you going to follow? Let us know in the comment section below, and in case you need professional help in setting up your custom outdoor kitchen, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are Done Right – a team of experienced professionals known for installing and maintaining outdoor kitchen areas in the landscape all around Florida. If you, too, need some help, knock at us. We are only a click away.
