Outdoor Kitchen

Think about the one part of your home that calls out to you in warmth, great food and relaxation. Often, we think of the kitchen space as fulfilling all of these needs.  Yet today many people are looking for a outdoor kitchen.   Creating the perfect environment where they can fix fantastic meals and entertain their guests while enjoying the beautiful weather.

Considering turning your backyard or side yard into the ultimate outdoor kitchen space?  There are certain design aspects that you should consider to create both a safe and functional place to cook meals.  Before you construct your outdoor kitchen the following tips should be covered.

Select Cooking Work Spaces

What do you plan to cook outside? Some people just want to have the best grill so they can make burgers and steaks for their family.  Cooking the side dishes and desserts in their regular indoor kitchen.  Other homeowners want to be able to do everything in their outdoor kitchen.  Not having to run inside as they want to bake, roast and prep vegetables, or refill drinks.

Deciding on the types of meals that you want to make is important.  This will guide the design, ensuring that all of the necessary cooking elements are included. While your neighbor may want an outdoor kitchen that just consists of a grill and a prep station.  Your kitchen may be more robust requiring a grill,  pizza oven, rotisserie attachment, burners to make side dishes, and an under-counter refrigerator along with counter space.

Take a look at the size of your current yard and decide on how much you want to set aside for your kitchen space, seating area and other recreational factors. You can tape out or place up stakes with string attached to section off the areas of the backyard to get a better idea of where everything goes. Then you can make adjustments so you can decide on the right size grill, counter space and prep station.

Covered or Uncovered Spaces

Open air space can allow you to cook without worrying about smoke and fumes building up.  Yet you also have to keep in mind that you will probably get wet on rainy days unless you hold an umbrella while using the grill. When designing your outdoor kitchen with a roof area, you will need to factor in ventilation methods for charcoal grills and vent panels in the kitchen island for gas grills.

You also have to take into consideration light fixtures to brighten the space during the evenings, as well ceiling fans that can be used to increase ventilation in the space. Plan out how you will run all your utilities (including water lines for sinks) before building your outdoor kitchen space.

Keep Safety at the Forefront

Don’t just concentrate on the theme, comfort level and functionality of your outdoor kitchen. Always take the appropriate safety measures into consideration when designing the cooking areas. Select the right materials that can withstand the outdoor elements along with the amount of heat that can be generated from grills, burners and pizza ovens.  Also make sure that insulated jackets are used when creating built-in grills.

In addition, take into account the amount of weight your outdoor kitchen will place on your deck. You may need to reinforce an existing deck to support the heavy outdoor kitchen appliances and other furnishings.

Choose Kehoe Kustom to design and build your outdoor kitchen.  You will then enjoy a dining and recreational space that is beautiful, functional and safe.  Contact us today to find out how you can have the ultimate outdoor kitchen that is perfect for your home.