Must-Haves For An Outdoor Kitchen
Enhancing outdoor spaces with an outdoor
kitchen is growing in scope and popularity, and is a solid investment.
Homeowners everywhere are moving more and more of their dining and entertaining
outdoors. Designing an ideal outdoor kitchen and
living area involves careful planning and investment decisions. Using experienced designers and contractors
is always a good idea.
Kitchen Island Construction.
Outdoor
kitchen islands that include cooking appliances should be made of “non-combustible
materials”. However not all barbecue
grills and other appliances require clearances to combustibles, and if they do,
non-combustible grill “liners” are usually an available option. Pay careful attention to the manufacturer’s
instructions and local building requirements.
That
said, outdoor kitchen islands are typically masonry or steel frame construction
with a cement board skin. They are
custom-designed to fit the available space, with cutouts for the selected appliances,
outdoor kitchen cabinets, and other amenities. Careful consideration must be given to the
final finish colors and material as well as the countertop in the context of
the overall space.
Appliances.
Grills,
smokers, side burners, pizza ovens, and a dizzying number of other options are
all available. Consider what kind of
cooking you will actually be doing, and how much space and budget you have to
work with? In addition to the cooking part, you might also want to
consider things like outdoor heating, refrigeration, and an outdoor sink for
cleanup.
Storage (Cabinetry):.
Outdoor kitchen cabinets
are undoubtedly “functional”, but homeowners should consider them the
foundation of their outdoor kitchen design in the same way they would for their
kitchen indoors. While everyone is used
to seeing stainless steel, many homeowners are growing tired of that look and searching
for other ideas. Solid teak outdoor kitchen cabinetry is
a great way to bring beauty and function together with a custom approach. They open up a whole new world of design and
finishing opportunities. Having been the
first choice for boat builders and outdoor furniture makers alike for
centuries, it shouldn’t be a surprise that teak is also a perfect material for
outdoor kitchen cabinets. They require
less maintenance than stainless steel and will literally last a lifetime.
Seating and Decor:
Cozy dining
and entertaining furniture is also a must for outdoor living
and entertaining. Other amenities such
as fireplaces,
televisions, shade covers, plush outdoor rugs, and outdoor
drapes and shades
have also
all become common outdoors. These features are all typically thought of as
separate from the kitchen, but outdoors, they will probably be together in the
same space. This is where coordinating
design elements, especially with the cabinets, is important.
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