In the last few years, outdoor kitchens have become more popular to expand your living space and allow you to entertain outside without having to book a reservation. Summer is the perfect time to gather your best friends and set up for a BBQ and grill your favorite dishes, but you should also be able to design your dream outdoor kitchen to also keep enjoying the outside beyond the hot summer months. Incorporating interior kitchen ideas to your outdoor setting is a great way to add value, fun and versatility to your home.

The best outdoor kitchens that I’ve seen are not only as functional as an indoor kitchen but as extremely welcoming as if you are walking into a cozy living or even as entertaining as walking into your crazy family room. There are a variety of ways to create your little oasis from as simple as a table and chairs or elaborate as a fully outfitted kitchen complete with several built-in appliances and seating to gather 30 of your closest friends. It can be pretty straightforward to set it up by a homeowner, designing a generous and powerful kitchen is really set for professionals like a contractor, landscape designer and patio contractor. With so many different types of outdoor kitchens, designing your dream kitchen for your family can take a long time. Here are a few tips to hire a pro or not.

1. Picking Out A Location– Where you decide to put your outdoor kitchen depends on many factors. You’ll want to make sure that the smoke from your grill won’t waft back into your home. You’ll also want to have people outside to entertain so you don’t want to travel a long distance from the indoor kitchen to your outside one so placing your grill relatively near the entrance to the inside kitchen is important. Think carrying heavy platters from one place to another. Lastly I would consider the overall traffic flow of your yard and safety of your family. Good planning will help ensure that your outdoor kitchen is in the right location for your yard.
2. Storage is Key – Like your home inside, you need a place to put all your items and lots of storage. The difference is that they must all be waterproof and durable for temperature changes. Countertops and cabinets are designed to provide space and keep away clutter but for a more customized look, coordinate your flooring, your countertops and your cabinets. Will you be using this kitchen only in the summer months or year round? Are you planning on hosting many guests in your entertainment space? Try to visualize how you will use your outdoor kitchen once it’s complete.

3. Choosing Ambiance– You want your kitchen to be a place to not only enjoy your food and cook but also entertain your family and guests that should arrive. It’s an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful weather while having the comforts of your indoor space, outside. Add tables, decorative objects and chairs to complete your look but also speciality lighting. Select a large table so you can use it as a buffet or as a dining area. Make sure your chairs can stack to help you save space. Be sure to properly install the elements such as a television set to make it truly a great place to eat, cook, relax and entertain.

 

4. Bring Comfort Outside– When completing your outdoor space, make sure if you’re able to build a tall roof or pergola over your kitchen to enjoy cooking even in the rain or extreme heat. You can have various forms of shelter such as a heavy stone roof or a patio umbrella. In colder areas you may even want heat lamps, a fire pit or fireplace to keep warm. For areas that might have a pesky bug or mosquitos think of adding netting around your dining area or a mechanical device. Lighting will not only help you extend your time outside but it offers safety into the kitchen or either under the countertops. Other comforts can include various plants to help bring comfort as well as smells. If you aren’t sure what type of plants to, call in the professionals such as Onorato Landscaping. This Bergen County landscaper business offers services such as snow removal, stairway hardscaping, yard drainage and more. Be sure to give them a call if you need help to bring your outdoor kitchen area to life with the help of beautiful plants.

There are many other great tips to help design your outdoor kitchen and bring family, friends and neighbors together. Hopefully these ideas can help you when creating your own ideas on what you want for your backyard, your heart of the area aka the kitchen, and how you can enjoy it year after year.