If you have an appetite for an outdoor kitchen, there are some essential steps to take before you can host your first party.
“An outdoor kitchen means different things to different people. Some want a grill and storage. Some want to put in all the appliances they would have inside,” said Thomas Boyce, president of Duluth-based Innovative Outdoors.
Instead of deciding to buy a built-in grill at a store on the spur of a moment, he suggests starting with these questions:
• What type of outdoor kitchen are you seeking to create?
• What features are important to you?
• What appliances would you use the most?
Once you answer those questions, you can determine the size of the kitchen and the best location. Consider it your recipe for creating an outdoor kitchen. Besides the grill, common components include refrigeration, a sink, storage and seating.
“It’s really a space that you can use most of the year, especially down here,” said Ann Wisniewski, president of the American Society of Interior Designers’ Georgia chapter and owner of AJW Designs.
In the design of an outdoor kitchen, being part of your guests’ conversations, or watching what is on the TV, is key.
“When you go to an outside space, you don’t want your back to totally always be toward the seating areas,” Wisniewski said. “They want to see you cooking and to interact with you.”
Here are five things to consider when creating an outdoor kitchen.
1. Make sure the appliances are made to be built-in and are durable enough to withstand exposure to the elements, including extreme high and low temperatures. You’ll also want to choose countertops and upholstery that won’t be affected by rain, ice or other conditions. (Wisniewski recommends Sunbrella fabrics.)
2. To create an outdoor space you really will enjoy, don’t forget the details. For example, consider what type of electrical outlets you will need for major appliances as well as extras such as a blender.
3. If space allows, Wisniewski suggests creating multiple eating areas, such as a bar around the kitchen, dining spaces and seating in front of the TV.
4. If you can expand your budget, side burners, pizza ovens, dishwashers, food warmers, built-in refrigerators underneath grills (offered by companies such as Alfresco and Dacor), a bar, and a TV and sound system are among the options. One of Boyce’s clients has a system that allows him to control the audio and video inside and outside his home from his iPad.
5. If the outdoor kitchen is adjacent to the living room or seen from the living room, connect those rooms with the decor. “People are incorporating similar colors that they have in the living room,” Wisniewski said. “You just bring those colors out to the outside.”
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