Take a look at these tips on what you should consider for your perfect outdoor kitchen.
Region
The weather in the area you live in is one of the most important things to think about when planning for an outdoor kitchen. If you live in a region with four distinct seasons, chances are you’ll only be able to use your kitchen half of the year. In other areas where it is warm year-round, it could be uncomfortable cooking in the heat and you may be better off just cooking indoors with the A/C running. Consider how often you’d be able to utilize this space.
Space
If you choose to have a full second kitchen outdoors, you’ll require quite a bit of space to work with. A large yard is necessary, or if you have a small yard, you’ll have to be willing to sacrifice the little space you have. Do you plan on entertaining in the kitchen or would you like to include a separate lounge or dining space? The more activities you want to do in the kitchen and surrounding area, the more space you’ll need. If you want a more multifunctional outdoor space, it will take careful planning and consideration.
Location
Another issue that goes along with space, is placement. Having an outdoor kitchen that shares a wall with your home makes it easy to run utilities from the house to the new kitchen space. If you want an island style kitchen it will be more difficult to configure the wiring and plumbing to your outdoor space. You may also want to consider the amount of privacy you’d like from the street or from neighbors. It’s also important to consider your neighbor’s privacy! Building an outdoor hotspot on the tail end of your property will give your guests privy to your neighbors affairs.
Materials
Depending on your aesthetic tastes as well as the weather conditions in your area, you will have to determine the best materials for the job as well as the type of appliances you want to have in your outdoor kitchen. It’s important that your materials are water proof, and slip resistant. Avoid slick tile or marble or your kitchen will become a danger zone quickly! Amenities Think about what you cook now, what you’d like to cook, and tools you’ll need to prep and cook your dishes with in your outdoor kitchen. A stove or pizza oven would be useful if you plan on baking, while if you’re more of a barbequer, you may get along just fine with a nice grill. You’ll also want to think about how much space you’ll need to prep your dishes. Do you have enough room for long countertops or will you do most of your prep work inside? There’s also the matter of dirty dishes. Many kitchens have sinks so that you don’t need to carry dirty dishes back inside the house.That also means an additional utility hook-up outside.
Think about these aspects of the project before you decide to start to renovate the backyard to include an outdoor kitchen.
This article was written by Erie Construction. (Image via Kieffer Appliances)