Homeowners today are using modern kitchens to expand their living space which allows them to cook and enjoy the outdoors conveniently. During summer, a modern kitchen is perfect for backyard grilling and some entertainment. However, a perfect outdoor kitchen should allow you to enjoy cooking beyond the summer period. This requires incorporating some interior kitchen ideas to your outdoor design thereby improving the overall aesthetic appeal to your outdoor area. Some outdoor kitchens can be as simple as having a grill and a few tables and chairs. Others are versatile and fully fitted with modern appliances and outdoor bars, grill area and flagstone patio similar to how an interior kitchen would look like. Whereas a simple outdoor kitchen is easy to set up, a fully fitted outdoor kitchen would require professional help from landscape contractors. Below are tips on how to design the best outdoor kitchens.
Start From the Foundation
Designing the perfect outdoor kitchen requires that you start everything from the ground up. Start with your desired floor layout as well as the best material to use in design. During the process, it is important that you take into consideration different climates and how they are likely to affect the material used to design outdoor kitchens. If you decide to use tiles or marble for flooring, be conscious that such material is slippery in wet climate and would be of great inconvenience if you live in wet places. The weight of your appliances should also be a factor when establishing the floor layout. For example, will you be having small children running around the area? If so, avoid using flooring material that is slippery. In general, safety should come first when designing the floor layout and the material to be used.
Location Matters
More often than not, outdoor kitchens are located near places such as the pool area. Where the outdoor kitchen is located matters a lot but this is a factor that is commonly overlooked. For starters, it is important to have an idea of the wind pattern around the yard before deciding on the location of your outdoor kitchen. You want this area located somewhere where the smoke from the grill isn’t wafting back into the house. Depending on how frequently you entertain guests, make sure that the outdoor kitchen is not far from the interior one. The outdoor area should be relatively close to the interior kitchen since you will be frequently be carrying heavy platter between these two locations. Lastly, the outdoor kitchen should be designed at a vantage point so that it doesn’t interfere with the traffic flow and rad activities. Remember, just like the interior kitchen, the outdoor area is a hazardous area and therefore should be planned perfectly such that it poses no risk to the people around.
Consider the Appliances
The landscape design of your outdoor kitchen should factor in the number of appliances that are expected in this area. You need to know how many appliances will be expected in your outdoor kitchen and how each should fit in the overall design. For example, if you will frequently be entertaining guests, there can be expected that this area will have a number of cooking and refrigeration appliances. To customize the design, make sure that you leave enough space between different appliances for platter. Work surfaces are also an amazing way of maximizing on the design potential of a modern outdoor kitchen. There should be enough room for caterers to move around-especially if there will be more than one. It is recommended that the overall design of your outdoor kitchen be almost similar to the interior kitchen in terms of the working triangle. The height of the countertop surfaces should also be versatile to allow maximum use of the outdoor area during different functions. Low counters can be used for cooking while high surfaces can be used as a standing working area or for bar purposes. A good rule of the thumb is to also have a storage area for different appliances to be used for the perfect outdoor experience.
