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If you’re seeking a fun and original way to redefine your backyard space, how about making your own outdoor kitchen? Sure, it might sound like a wild idea at first, but stats show that more and more people are setting up their own outdoor cooking areas. And when you think about all the benefits, it’s not hard to see why! This guide will show you exactly how to go about the creation of a fully-functional backyard kitchen.
The Growing Trend of Outdoor Living Spaces
The growing trend of outdoor living spaces has seen homeowners redefining their outdoor areas and building the likes of outdoor kitchens, dining spaces, and entertainment zones. Cozy outdoor seating areas, full-on kitchens with high-end grills, and dining spaces with tables, chairs, and solar lights are just a few options available for those looking to enhance their outdoor experience.
So, what are the reasons for investing in an outdoor kitchen or similar space? Well, for many homeowners who don't typically utilize their yard, adding a kitchen or seating area can be a game-changer, encouraging them to spend more time outside. In fact, numerous homeowners find that they significantly increase their outdoor time once they have comfortable seating or cooking units to enjoy.
This trend isn't limited to warm states or regions; it's a global phenomenon. People all around the world are transforming their backyards into more fully-featured, functional, and engaging spaces. So, if you've grown a little tired of your backyard and feel it's time for a change, perhaps it's time to consider building your own outdoor kitchen.
Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen
Going ahead with an outdoor kitchen installation? If so, step 1 is to plan. It might be a little boring, but planning ahead will ensure that you stay on-budget, don’t make any costly mistakes, and end up with the very best sure, guaranteed to wow guests and impress the neighbors. Here’s a little more info about the planning phase and how to go about it.
Assessing your backyard space
First up, take a look out across your yard. Ask yourself a few questions. How much free space do I have? Where could I put an outdoor kitchen? Is there enough room for all I need? Measure it out and see how much space you have to work with, and don’t forget to account for any existing structures, like decks and patios, or uneven ground surfaces which could require landscaping before building on.
Setting a budget
This is also a good time to think about costs. Installing an outdoor kitchen can be quite expensive, especially when you start adding up the costs of not just the labor required to set it all up, but also the various appliances, materials, decorative items, and so on. Take your finances into account and try to set a fair and realistic budget for your outdoor kitchen project.
Designing Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen
With the planning phase out of the way, you can move on to the next part of the process: designing your kitchen. This is where the fun begins, as you can start thinking about the aesthetics and layout of the space. You can pick and choose specific materials you want to work with, as well as selecting the most appropriate appliances and devices to fill out your cooking area.
Selecting the right location
First, pick a spot for the kitchen installation. More often than not, it should be right beside the house, ideally near some French doors or some other exit point, so that you can easily and conveniently step out into your outdoor kitchen without any hassle, or head back into the home as needed to collect other items that you might need, like food and cutlery.
Choosing the kitchen layout
With the location for your outdoor kitchen selected, it’s time to move on to the layout. Ideally, you should try to draw up some basic plans of the space, setting out where you want to put the appliances, where the countertops and cabinets should be, and, if you wish to include a dining table and chairs, you also need to find the right placement for those, as well.
Selecting materials
Next, you can start picking out the materials that will fill in your design and bring the kitchen to life. There are lots of possible materials to choose from, and many modern homeowners are tending to choose materials that are sustainable and eco-friendly. This way, you can create a space that elevates your home without having a negative impact on nature.
Countertops, cabinets
You’ll need to focus primarily on materials for the countertops and cabinets. Remember, since the kitchen is going to be located outdoors and may have to withstand changing temperatures and weather conditions throughout the year, you need materials that are strong, sturdy, and reliable. They also need to be aesthetically pleasing, in a color and style that you enjoy.
Picking the right appliances
Every kitchen needs appliances, and outdoor kitchens are no different. Decide on the kinds of grills and cookers you need, thinking about how much cooking you plan to do, how many people you’ll be feeding, and your budget, in order to make the right call. You may even want to consider different types of air conditioning systems or outdoor heating units, like patio heaters, in order to keep the space cozy and comfortable for year-round use.
Creating a Comfortable Dining and Entertainment Space
In general, there’s not a lot of point in having an outdoor kitchen if you simply cook up the food outdoors and then take it back inside to eat. Ideally, you’ll want to pair your kitchen with a dining and entertainment area, where people can sit and enjoy the food you cook. This space can become one of your most favorite places in the home, perfect for get-togethers, family nights, and backyard BBQ parties with the neighbors.
Designing seating areas
First up, you’ll need to think about seating. Consider how many people you’ll usually need to seat. Will you only use the space for the family? Or do you plan on having lots of parties and inviting lots of loved ones and friends around on a regular basis? The answers to those questions will help you see how many seats you need. As well as chairs for dining, you may like to add outdoor sofas for people to relax on afterwards.
Incorporating a bar or serving area
You might also like to include a bar or serving station in your outdoor kitchen and dining space, particularly if you plan on hosting events and parties on a regular basis. A bar space can be ideally placed at one end of the kitchen, providing a convenient place for you to serve drinks or hand over plates of food to your guests.
Adding Greenery and Landscaping
Once you’ve taken care of the functional elements of your outdoor kitchen, it’s also worth thinking about the aesthetics, especially of the surrounding area. The best outdoor kitchens seem to just blend seamlessly with the landscapes and gardens around them, and you can look up various landscaping trends to see how homeowners can successfully fuse a kitchen and dining space with the rest of their yard.
Sometimes, it can be as simple as rolling out some fake grass around the kitchen. In other cases, you might need a full landscaping service, with new native plants dotted around the yard and even the addition of other accessories, like solar lights and decorative yard additions, or even a water feature beside the seating area to really set the mood and help people relax.
Benefits of Having an Outdoor Kitchen
Just like how swimming pool plans can elevate an outdoor area, an outdoor kitchen offers numerous benefits. Firstly, it gives you another big reason to spend time outside, breathing in fresh air and feeling connected to nature. It also provides you with a super space for entertaining guests, hosting parties, and getting lots of people together for fun, memorable times. An outdoor kitchen can also add value to your property if you decide to sell up and move on.
Overall, the benefits of outdoor kitchens are clear to see. They can transform backyards, adding live and vibrancy to any outdoor space and making it so much more useful and fun to use. And, as this guide shows, planning and designing your own outdoor cooking area doesn’t need to be difficult. So, if you want to give your backyard a major upgrade, maybe an outdoor kitchen is just what you need.
