Outdoor Kitchen

6 Steps To A Great Design

I believe an Outdoor kitchen is the trendiest of all kitchen styles that can be seen. It allows you to spend your time outdoors, but not away from home! It is a dream of all house-makers, to have a lovely kitchen right in the outdoors.

A kitchen outdoors is complete with all necessary appliances, like the oven, grill, cooking ranges, refrigerator, the sink etc. it is important to choose the right appliances, and also to set them in the right area.

Outdoor Kitchen Design Steps

Here I share with you some tips on building your own backyard kitchen. Just follow the 1-2-3 rule, i.e. go step-by-step.

Step #1) Draw a plan

Take a sheet of paper, and make a rough draft of the kitchen layout. You can choose L-layout, U-layout, or even a G layout depending on the appliances you have and the places you want to fit them. After the layout is drawn, plan where each appliance should go. You can change the positions of each appliance and check how best the layout looks in each case. That will give you a rough idea what place is suitable for each item.

Step #2)Make a final plan

After you finalize the layout and the place for each appliance, take the exact measurements and check. Then make a final plan with all dimensions, both of the layout and the appliances.

Step #3)Take Necessary Permissions

Sometimes, it may be required to take the permissions to do any kind of construction. Just make sure if any consent is required and get it done. Make sure you have a final well dimensioned plan to get started with.

Step #4)Plan Utility Connections

Plan the utility connections before you do any fittings for the outdoor kitchen. Once you have the plan ready, go for the utility connection. Take advice of some professional if needed. The utility connections include electricity connections for ovens refrigerator, fuel for grills, water etc.

Step #5)Choose the materials

When it comes to choosing the materials, always keep in mind that the materials used will be exposed to the environment more than the materials inside. That calls for the materials to be more durable and sturdy, and should go a long way with minimal maintenance.

Best choice would be stainless steel for sinks, pressure dried wood and outdoor tiles for the flooring.

Step #6)Design

Now you have to start with the big task of designing your kitchen. Once you have your plan, start with the flooring and the cabinets. Then move on to installing each appliance in its place.

The Herculean task of decorating your kitchen is still remaining. The idea is same if you are building your kitchen outdoors for the first time, or if you already have an outdoor kitchen but want to go for remodeling or renovation. In either case creativity is the key.

Kitchen Décor Tips

Here are a few tips to make your kitchen décor stand out in comparison to others. Do a few inexpensive, or rather low-cost changes, aesthetic changes, rather than replacing the whole set, or spending lots to get a good décor done.

• Cleaning and painting

  Cleaning involves removing the debris and waste. The floors and walls should be regularly cleaned. The paint should be removed if it is faded and 2-3 coatings can be applied accordingly. Try and keep the outdoor color scheme at par with the inner décor, so that there is no mismatch in color.

• Flowers

  Decorate the walls with flowers. Flowers offer a sense of natural beauty. You can use fresh flowers each day, which would also give you the liberty to change the places of flower vases according to your convenience. Otherwise, consider having hanging pots or wall baskets which can hold flowering plants. All this would need is you to water the plants regularly.

• Drinking lounge

  If you or your guests are regular drinkers, you can have a mini bar near your outdoor kitchen, complete with outdoor wine chillers, freezers and drawers, along with a small island area.

• Roof and Wall

  The need of a roof may vary for each person. However, some water proofing should be available to avoid undesirable conditions like the rain. Some classy choices for roof are glass, or wooden plates. Walls may be needed to avoid winds blowing away light materials.

• Kitchen Island

  Try to have one kitchen island, something that is artistic and engaging, at the same time being useful. Kitchen islands make up a lot of storage space, and maybe used for various purposes like cutting vegetables, cooking as well as eating.

• Treasured items and Work of Art

  If you have some rare collections, there is no better place for them than an outdoor kitchen. This would increase the beauty of the kitchen ten times and would be an excellent conversation starter when you have guests around you while you are cooking.

  Rare artworks may include terra cota potteries; glassware, intricate metal work etc. However, beware of small kids running around.

• Striking Kitchenware

  When you have an outdoor kitchen, you must be extra careful about the kitchenware and crockery used. Each item should be in synchronization with the other. If you have chosen an antique theme for your outdoor kitchen, the plates, cutlery, pots, bowls, dishes etc. should be of the same theme. Dig up pleasing coasters and table mats to match the décor. Same goes for any theme chosen for the outdoor kitchen.

Make a mental note of any outdoor kitchen you see or listen about. That would give you an insight about what ideas you can implement. A touch of imagination and originality would craft your outdoor kitchen to be an attention grabber for sure.




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