Even before the pandemic hit, the idea of having an outdoor kitchen was already quite an intriguing concept. Cooking your favorite meal outside with your friends and family while enjoying a nice breeze is enough to convince just about anyone that an outdoor kitchen is a good investment. Throw in the new societal norms of social distancing and spending more time outdoors, and now outdoor kitchens are all the rage.
An outdoor kitchen is like an extension of your living room that has all the amenities of a functional cooking space, where you can prepare and enjoy breakfast, lunch, or dinner in an al fresco setting. It gives homeowners who enjoy entertaining a way to stretch out and get creative with another area of their home.
Whether you plan on a DIY approach or opt for a professional, there are some things to consider when you start to plan your outdoor kitchen’s design. This isn’t a spot where you want to fly by the seat of your pants, because there are a lot of ins and outs to consider. We’ll dive into 10 important things for your outdoor kitchen’s design, which include:
If you have a vision but are not sure how to execute it, our kitchen design experts at Atherton Appliance & Kitchens are here to help. Our staff is trained to assess your property and offer the best guidance during the design and building process of your dream outdoor kitchen. Continue reading to get a solid idea of how to start bringing your vision to life.
Before you get too far into planning and budgeting, you have to assess your space. This includes considering where you live. Do you live on the coast? By the mountains? In the city? Do you have a large plot of land, or is your space limited? The type of climate and the kind of environment you live in will play into what type of appliances and materials you’ll require.
Here are other important things to consider during your location and space assessment:
Once you determine where you’ll set up your outdoor kitchen, you have to set a budget for your project. Not doing so can lead to things getting out of control, and fast. You’ll need to factor in all the parts of your kitchen when contemplating your budget. This includes everything from the appliances, to the cabinets, to the countertops, lighting, and even seating.
Here are a few budget-related factors to consider during your outdoor kitchen design process:
Now that you have a budget set up, it’s time to dig into what kinds of materials you’re going to use to breathe life into your kitchen—and keep it alive. Since outdoor kitchens are exposed to a lot of nature’s elements, it’s crucial to consider materials that are meant to withstand some beating. You’ll want to select low-maintenance equipment that is designed to hold up against sun, rain, wind, and grime.
The easier your outdoor kitchen is to maintain and keep clean, the more use you’ll be able to get out of it, and the less hassle you’ll face in upkeep. High-quality stainless-steel products are a popular choice. They have sanitary surfaces that are easy to wipe clean and can really hold up to corrosion.
For countertops and flooring, you’ll want to keep heat and grease in mind. Countertops and flooring should be resistant to high temperatures and stains to keep the space safe and clean. Natural stone countertops need to be sealed on the regular, but do have an aesthetic appeal to them. If you want less maintenance, go with cultured granite that has UV stabilizers. This helps protect it from sun exposure and boosts the longevity of the counter.
Definitely avoid highly porous materials like limestone, since it would not fare well in a battle against ketchup or any other spillage that is bound to happen. As mentioned previously, avoid tile countertops as well, since they can break when frozen and thawed in changing weather.
Every outdoor kitchen has four functional zones that complete the setup. You’ll want every zone to work smoothly together to ensure a smooth operation.
Hot zone: This zone includes cooktops, grills, pizza ovens, or any other cooking surface you want to include in your outdoor kitchen.
Dry zone: This zone is where all your food prep happens. This is where you’ll find your countertops and any spots for cabinets and storage space that you want to dedicate to help support all the other areas.
Wet zone: This zone is where your sink will be found, and where you’ll whip up your cocktails. Any countertops and storage related to the sink is considered part of the wet zone.
Cold zone: This zone includes your refrigerator, freezer, and any counter space around them. Going back to budgeting and utilities—you’ll want to be considerate of the placement of your zones so you have access to water, gas, or electricity.
As you consider where you want to designate your zones, you’ll want to keep the overall layout of your outdoor kitchen in mind. It largely depends on the space you’re working with, but there are many ways to plan out the layout of your kitchen. The classic L-shape is a popular choice, space permitting, because it naturally creates a sectioned-off room that complements the space.
With limited space, you may want to stick with a couple of cabinets and perhaps a grill or cooktop. If you have more space to run with, you can get a little more creative with an island, a sink, refrigeration, and custom built-in options for grills or stoves.
At Atherton Appliance & Kitchens, we offer both Urban Bonfire and Kalamazoo outdoor kitchen equipment, plus an in-house design team that works with outdoor spaces of all sizes. For outdoor countertop solutions, we use Cosentino’s Dekton innovative surfaces since they offer impressive technical properties, high performance, and a wide variety of colors and textures.
The growing popularity of the outdoor kitchen has many homeowners wondering how to create an outdoor space that complements their current home. Some want to bring their interior kitchen look to the outdoors, while others want a completely different vibe altogether when they step into their outdoor kitchen area.
Whichever route you take, it’s important to keep all the previous points in mind. Outside materials often need to be more durable in nature than their interior counterparts. That said, many homeowners who have embraced the stainless-steel look will find that a lot of outdoor kitchens embrace the same finish and functionality.
What’s an outdoor kitchen without a few appliances to get you into the cooking spirit? Outdoor kitchens offer a wide range of options to bring your outdoor cooking game up a level. From grills to quick-heating gas pizza ovens, smokers, and refrigeration, there are so many ways to get creative, whether you’re a seasoned chef or are just learning the ropes.
Choosing which appliances to include in your outdoor kitchen is highly dependent on your cooking style. If you’re a grill master who needs their cold beverage on deck, a grill and a refrigeration combo may be in the cards for you. If you prefer smoking meat and baking new recipes, a smoker and range could be an option.
If you know you’re going to want to do a little bit of this and that, consider an appliance that has more flexibility! A grill that can also act as a smoker, and even bake, will offer more versatility and save you space versus a standard grill and separate smoker.
Nothing sets the tone of a new space quite like lighting. Even more importantly, lighting serves as a safety feature to ensure all the zones of your outdoor kitchen are well lit so you can safely see what you’re doing. A favorite among grill enthusiasts are the LED lights that activate when the grill lid is lifted so you can check on what you’re grilling.
Ambient lighting around the outdoor kitchen helps you and your guests navigate around the area, while also setting a relaxed mood for after-dark entertaining.
It’s easy to get carried away with big-ticket items like grills and sinks when designing your outdoor kitchen. But it’s important to not forget the functional parts of your space, like storage. There will be things you’ll need to keep by your setup for accessibility and convenience, as well as for safety. For example, you’ll want to have a fire extinguisher close by in case of an emergency.
If you plan on keeping any utensils and drinkware near your outdoor kitchen, be sure to keep them sealed in an airtight container in the cabinets near your dry zone, so that they don’t get exposed to dust, pollen, or any critters that you may encounter.
You’ll likely want to keep cleaning products stowed away in your cabinets so you can reach for them once you’re done preparing a meal. It’s a lot easier to maintain a clean area rather than battle built-up residue later.
When you pull your masterpiece off of whichever appliance you ended up installing into your dream outdoor kitchen, you’ll want to sit down with your family or friends to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
There’s a growing trend of low seating tables for guests to relax and place their drinks and plates down while they mingle. Place a few bar stools near the bar to provide a place for people to congregate while you’re making drinks or slinging burgers on the grill. Space permitting, create various zones where people can place their drinks or food while they hang out. This creates a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.
There are so many options when it comes to designing your very own outdoor kitchen. They can be as simple or complex as you desire. They can act as an extension of your existing kitchen or can be treated as a whole other entity that stands on its own.
Whatever your intention, be sure to keep your budget in mind throughout the process, to stay on track and not get hit with any curveballs along the way. Our team of experts at Atherton Appliance & Kitchens can help answer any questions you may have and can point you in the right direction to make your dream outdoor kitchen become a reality.