If there’s one thing everyone’s mind turns to when the summer arrives, it’s backyard BBQs! They’re the perfect way for friends and family to get together and have a few laughs, eat great food and enjoy the perfect weather. And with an average of 232 sunny days a year in Dallas County, it’s no surprise that backyard BBQs are everyone’s favorite outdoor activity. One way to get the most out of the great weather that’s making a splash is to add an outdoor kitchen onto your home – taking BBQs and summer entertainment to the next level. Here are our tips on how to design an outdoor kitchen that adds value to your home and suits your lifestyle.
Tips for Designing an Outdoor Kitchen You’ll Love to Use
- Make it living space, not just cooking space: BBQs are as much about socializing and enjoying the outdoors as they are cooking, so don’t forget this when you start your design process. Remember to add shade in the form of a patio umbrella or awning for hot days, and a fire pit or outdoor gas heater for chillier nights. This extends your use of your kitchen around the year rather than limiting it to just the summer months.
- Consider your home’s design: As an extension of your home’s living and entertainment space, your outdoor kitchen should complement the design of your home. While it doesn’t have to match the style, materials or colors exactly, it shouldn’t clash with the rest of your home. You may also want to incorporate ideas that help your outdoor kitchen fit in with the landscape of your garden – for example, using stone that blends with your rockeries, natural material or even colors that complement your flowers and trees. There are so many styles of outdoor kitchen available, so spend some time getting inspiration and researching your options. Some kitchens have built-in seating and bars, others incorporate portable seating and fit seamlessly into existing patio spaces – the sky really is the limit.
- It’s essential to plan your layout: Kitchens are the heart of the home, whether they are inside or outdoors, and you’ll want to be able to cook and entertain with ease – this means taking plenty of time to come up with a layout that works for you. Consider how you will place your appliances and storage, where your food prep places – including a sink – will be and where you’d like your guests to be. Good tips include not placing grills close to refrigerator units and ensuring that the cook can easily reach the grill, refrigerator and prep areas in just a few feet without having to move around obstacles.
- Choosing your appliances: For most people, the outdoor kitchen is all about the star of the show – the grill – but there are other appliances that you might want to include as well. Smokers, refrigerators, kegerators, ice makers, pizza ovens and bar fridges are very popular. Remember that you will need electricity points for your appliances as well as a few extra for things like a sound system or just to charge your phone. Another thing to consider is if you want these appliances to be portable or built in. If you are planning to stay for many years to come, then built-in may suit you better – but for people planning to move, portable equipment may make more sense.
- Lighting: As with your indoor kitchen, lighting is essential for your outdoor space. It has two jobs here – to give you sufficient light to prep and cook by, and to create the ambience you want for entertainment. For food prep, consider installing lighting that shines directly onto your cooking and prep areas. Solar lighting, fairy lights and string lights are a simple addition to the space that adds that additional ambience.
- Choosing your materials: Each outdoor kitchen is different but all of them have to be able to withstand the weather. Choose durable materials that can handle the elements and are easy to clean and maintain, like tile, concrete, stainless steel, stone, brick and certain woods. This way your kitchen will last for many years to come.
Whatever the design and features you choose for your outdoor kitchen, remember that it’s all about creating and enjoying that outdoor lifestyle you love so much. We hope you have fun with this creative and exciting project as well as the fantastic results it will bring!