Having an outdoor kitchen in your backyard is definitely some sort of luxury in the home remodel world. I mean, it’s not exactly necessary but it’s so much fun to have; especially if you love spending time outdoors or inviting guests over for a cookout.
Outdoor kitchens range from crazy huge single units of barbecue grills to full-fledged kitchens - as complete as indoor kitchens which allows you to create entire meals outdoors. You can have one with a price range of the low thousands for a DIY version up to hundreds of thousands for something lavish, designed by architects and contractor-built ones.
How to Design Your Outdoor Kitchen
The thing I love about having a separate outdoor section of the house is that I get to reimagine how the space and landscape looks like away from everything indoors. When thinking about creating your own outdoor kitchen, it is important to balance what you want with the space you’ll be working with.
For instance, do you want a sink? If so, will that area allow you to hook up your outdoor kitchen space to the house utilities? Cookers can easily use gas tanks and grillers can be placed practically anywhere. You’re also going to need electricity outdoors if you’re thinking of placing a cooler, fridge, lighting and a fan.
But what’s great about creating a smaller outdoor kitchen space is that when you opt for high-end materials it’s not going to cost you a bomb as it is used in small quantities. I suggest you use this opportunity to make your countertop and base surfaces stand out with materials such as bluestone, round stone, flagstone, concrete or granite.
You can explore other small outdoor kitchen ideas like a countertop overhang for breakfast bar-style seating and a small sink, and under-counter space for trash cans. Sticking to the basics can sometimes be enough.
The most popular option homeowners opt for is portable outdoor kitchens because they're super easy to install, maintain and transport. Think about it: you get to enjoy the luxury of having an outdoor kitchen without the hassle of construction. Plus, if you’re thinking of relocating; your kitchen can go with you too!
Design your portable outdoor kitchen with movement in mind. Think about the size of your space and make sure you'll have enough room to move or store away your kitchen. Also consider that a portable kitchen will require minimum utilities like plumbing, electric and gas. Propane tanks and solar panels are good options for portability.
For any outdoor project, just make sure you obtain materials that are more suited to your climate. Like I said earlier stick to granite and other stone, concrete, glass and polymer products. Certain tiles are best for outdoor use as well. Just stay away from plywood and particleboards that may change or rot under humid and wet weather.