The Sunday Mail
MAXIMISE your backyard year-round with an outdoor kitchen.
An outdoor kitchen expands your living space and allows you to cook, eat and entertain without having to book a reservation. Summer is the time for backyard BBQ’s and grilling; but a well designed outdoor kitchen should allow you to enjoy cooking outside beyond the summer months.
Incorporating interior kitchen ideas to your outdoor setting is a great way to add versatility, value and fun to your home.
The best outdoor kitchens are as functional as an indoor kitchen, as welcoming as a living room, and as entertaining as a family room. An outdoor kitchen can be as simple as a grill, table and chairs, or as elaborate as a fully outfitted kitchen complete with built-in appliances and seating.
From the ground up
Establishing the floor layout and material of your outdoor kitchen is key to building the foundation of your space. Be conscious of different weather climates that may occur as well as the overall weight of the appliances you are installing. Flooring such as tile or marble will be slick and slippery when wet and may not hold up to grease or food stains.
If your outdoor space is on a deck consider re-staining or painting it to match the new renovations and ensure that the deck is in top condition.
Location, location, location
Where you decide to place your outdoor kitchen depends upon several factors. Firstly, you’ll want to make sure that smoke from the grill doesn’t waft back into the home.
So have a good idea of the general wind pattern in your yard and orient the grill appropriately. Secondly, if you frequently entertain, and don’t want to travel a long distance from the indoor kitchen to the outside, consider placing your grill and outdoor kitchen relatively near the entrance to the inside kitchen.
Appliances and size
The first question a professional outdoor kitchen designer will ask is what size appliances will you need and how many.
A homeowner may want utilise several cooking and refrigeration appliances, and may have specific entertaining needs in mind. Consider how all of these appliances will fit within the design plan, how much room to allow for each, and how they will work with each other.
Leave enough space on either side of the grill to accommodate platters and tools, and don’t place appliances too close together.
Set and store
Just like your indoor kitchen, you will need places to put items on and plenty of storage. The difference is they must all be waterproof and durable to temperature changes. Counter-tops and cabinets are designed to provide space and keep away clutter.
For a customised look, coordinate your flooring, counter-tops and cabinets, just like you would with your indoor kitchen. One option is to have stone and steel counters and cabinets; this provides a sleek and modern look.
Ambiance
Your outdoor kitchen serves as a place to enjoy cooking and eating food while entertaining family and guests.
It’s an opportunity to enjoy the outdoor weather while having the comforts of your indoor space. Make sure you incorporate features that really make this space the centre of your summer. — Porch.com.
