Summer is synonymous with heading down to your local beach, going for nighttime walks and hosting and attending barbeques with friends and family. No homeowner should be subjected to cooking ribs, hamburgers, hotdogs or steaks in their kitchen on a hot summer night, but rather in the comfort of their backyard - in their very own outdoor kitchen. The personalization of your outdoor kitchen is paramount to your satisfaction with the end-product, meaning that you can go as small or as large as you’d like. Here are a few suggestions to keep in mind while crafting your outdoor kitchen:
Deciding on The Location:
Much like any home renovation, you must take the necessary measurements to ensure you have a full understanding of where everything is going to go. The location of your outside kitchen shouldn’t be located directly next to your backyard door because you don’t want barbeque smoke to funnel into your home. You also don’t want the outdoor kitchen to be too far away because you’ll still want to be included in the conversations and laughter with party guests when preparing the food!
Blueprint the Layout
When choosing the appliances to add to your outdoor kitchen, consider where you plan on placing them with your other appliances. Your outdoor kitchen is still a kitchen and therefore, you should have designated zones for all the different components of the cooking process. There should be a cool zone where you have your refrigerator and a hot zone where you have your grill, pizza oven, or even a vertical broiler. Also, do not place your gas-powered grill next to a fridge because it will already have to work vigorously to stay efficiently cool in the summer heat. Your dining area should be located away from the cooking area so that guests can enjoy conversation and activities without disrupting the cook and preparation process.
If you decide to implement an overhead structure for your outdoor kitchen you need to know that you will require a hood fan if you plan on cooking outside in order to extract smoke and toxic air out of your backyard. Whether you decide to go with steel-stud frames there is a wide variety of frames available to you. Ask your kitchen experts for suggestions!
Whether you’re looking for charcoal, propane or natural gas-powered barbecues or a built-in, freestanding or pellet grill, you have many wonderful options for you as a party host. If barbecues are not your preference, you may be interested in a wood-fired or gas-powered pizza oven; the aesthetic of an outdoor pizza oven is not only illustrious but provides you with the finest device to cook a delicious pizza.
Configuring Your Dining Area
The cabinetry you decide to go with for your outdoor kitchen is crucial. Not all cabinets are made the same; between stainless steel access panels or wooden cabinets, the choice is ultimately yours. Ensure that you consider investing in cabinet doors that will not be affected by direct sunlight, rainfall or external heating units that could warp your cabinet.
Your guests’ comfort is paramount to your outdoor kitchen’s appeal, keep them warm on cool summer nights with electric or natural gas-powered heaters. Upgrade your kitchen’s centrepiece by investing in a fire table or spruce up the decoratives on your outdoor table set with a fire bowl. There are a wide variety of heaters available, including wall heaters which are ideal for households with pets or young kids. Electric heaters are all-around safe because there is no risk for carbon monoxide leaks although they will need to be situated by an electrical outlet so they can be plugged in. Propane heaters are great options because they can be placed anywhere in your yard!
Designing your outdoor kitchen is a subjective venture and focusing your attention on the location of the kitchen, the layout, and the dining room/entertainment aspects is a great start to attaining your ideal design. We have numerous professionals waiting to help you customize your outdoor kitchen, Be sure to view some of our past projects here and to contact Kerrisdale Lumber today for more information .
