{"id":9915,"date":"2017-09-18T11:55:45","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T15:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.surroundslandscaping.com\/?p=4679"},"modified":"2024-06-12T18:00:45","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T18:00:45","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-to-plan-your-outside-kitchen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.surroundslandscaping.com\/everything-you-need-to-know-to-plan-your-outside-kitchen\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Outside Kitchen"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"outdoorThe purpose of this article is to help you, the homeowner, enjoy a great collaborative experience while working with your landscape designer to create an outside kitchen that fits perfectly in your backyard landscape plan.<\/p>\n

When designing a kitchen outside<\/a>, we follow the same design principles as we would for an indoor kitchen. However, outside kitchen design involves logistical decisions in addition to those that focus on aesthetics and functionality.<\/p>\n

Without the benefit of four walls and a ceiling, there are other factors to consider. For that, you will need the expertise of a landscape designer to balance those elements of the outdoor environment that will affect your enjoyment of the outdoor kitchen.<\/p>\n

Key Planning Points for Designing an Outside Kitchen<\/h2>\n

Feel free to scroll down the page to go directly to the topic that is of most interest to you:<\/p>\n

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  1. Outside Kitchen Placement<\/a>: find the right location<\/li>\n
  2. Kitchen Design<\/a>: ask the right questions<\/li>\n
  3. Kitchen Layout<\/a>: optimize for work and play<\/li>\n
  4. Lighting for Outside Kitchens<\/a>: layering with three types of light<\/li>\n
  5. Recommended Outdoor Grills<\/a>: assess your needs<\/li>\n
  6. Kitchen Equipment<\/a>: less is more \u2014 usually<\/li>\n
  7. Common Design Mistakes to Avoid<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    \"grill
    The retaining wall that anchors this patio grilling and dining area provides a rich backdrop for the installation–and it cleverly hides air conditioning equipment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    1 Outside Kitchen Placement<\/h2>\n

    Accessibility & Traffic Patterns.<\/strong> It usually makes sense to have an outside kitchen located near the house for convenience. Even though you may have a sink, fridge, and storage outside, you still have to bring some supplies out from the main kitchen and remove trash when the meal is over.<\/p>\n

    Also, when thinking about entertaining, we want to identify which room of the house will naturally provide access to the outside kitchen\/dining area with natural traffic flow back and forth from home interior to patio kitchen and dining spots.<\/p>\n

    Water Supply.<\/strong> To supply water to an outside kitchen, we usually tap into the irrigation system or a hose bib because it is simple and cost-effective. We prefer to install an on-demand water heater (insta-hot) because it easily fits right under the sink. If you want continuous hot water for the outdoor kitchen, we have to bring it from the main inside the house. That\u2019s more involved than is usually necessary.<\/p>\n

    Prevailing Wind Direction.<\/strong> The smell of steaks sizzling on the grill is great, but smoke in your eyes (or inside the house) isn\u2019t. Prevailing wind direction will have a bearing on where you install the grill.<\/p>\n

    Views & Sightlines.<\/strong> Your outdoor kitchen is going to be attractive and visually appealing, but you don\u2019t want it dominating the view when you look out a window. You want to think about what you see from the house when deciding where to place the kitchen. You also want to consider the views that will present to your guests when they are seated or standing at the kitchen counters.<\/p>\n

    Shelter.<\/strong> If possible, we place the kitchen where it will get natural shade from the afternoon sun or from the house itself. If there isn\u2019t enough natural shade, we can make our own. Simply adding a few umbrellas can make the kitchen and dining area a lot more comfortable. Going a step further, a pergola covered with leafy vines can offer wonderful relief from the heat of a summer afternoon. If you want to defy the elements entirely, building an open-air pavilion will keep you and your guests dry in case a surprise rain shower threatens to break up the party.<\/p>\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n

    \"grill
    This open-air patio grill station emerges right out of the retaining wall that frames deep planting beds along the backyard lot line.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    2 Outside Kitchen Design<\/h2>\n

    When we talk to a client about designing an outside kitchen, the first question one of our landscape designers will usually ask is: \u201cWhat\u2019s it for?\u201d We want to understand exactly how you see yourself and your family using an outdoor cooking and dining space.<\/p>\n

    We talk about how the kitchen would fit with other landscape features such as a backyard fire pit or pool patio. We think about the kitchen as one of several outdoor rooms or activity areas that are in relationship to each other: outdoor fireplace, dining patio, bar, spa, lounging area and so on.<\/p>\n

    The next two questions usually are: \u201cHow big will it need to be, and, how often do you plan to use it?\u201d Of course, we want to build your outside kitchen to exactly the right size, to exactly suit the needs you anticipate.\t\t

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    Begin your project with a dream and a plan!<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    You are at the threshold of an exciting journey. This eBook will provide sound guidance as you take your first steps.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    \n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDOWNLOAD THE E-BOOK<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t The way we see it, if we design it just right, you will want to be out there enjoying it frequently \u2014 not just once in a great while.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>
    \nIt\u2019s important to ask good questions early in the planning stage. The more thorough you are at the outset, the less likely it is that you will be surprised or disappointed later due to an oversight.<\/p>\n

    The most important thing to us, whatever you decide to do, is that you get out there and enjoy it as often as possible. We do not want to over design and overbuild the project if your needs are simple. On the other hand, if we are going all out to create an outdoor kitchen and dining area to accommodate large gatherings, let\u2019s make sure we don\u2019t forget anything.<\/p>\n

    3 Kitchen Layout & Task Areas<\/h2>\n

    \"outdoorJust like an indoor kitchen, a kitchen outdoors needs defined task areas for:<\/p>\n