Feel like there’s not enough room in your kitchen to accommodate your family’s and your hosting needs? An outdoor kitchen is perfect solution for the homeowner who wants to expand their living space. Adding an outdoor kitchen to your home is a fantastic way to create more room to cook, eat and entertain. In order to ensure an outdoor kitchen will be as welcoming as it is functional, it’s important that you carefully plan a design that’s tailored to your family’s unique needs. Consider these five crucial factors when planning an outdoor kitchen for you and your family to enjoy:
1. Budget
One of the most important factors you as a homeowner must consider when planning an outdoor kitchen is your family’s budget and how much you can afford to set aside for this important project. If you don’t stay within the family budget when planning your outdoor kitchen, the overwhelming expense could unfortunately take away from the enjoyment the area is meant to provide. Checking out salvage yards and reuse businesses for like-new cabinets, countertops and waterproof appliances can be easy on the budget. Furthermore, if the pieces are in good condition, it’s entirely possible no one will even notice the pieces aren’t brand new.
If you’re not completely comfortable with building on your own, consider buying material from stores. Big-box stores carry modular components that can be mixed and matched to suit individual tastes. Discount stores are ideal shopping stops for practical, affordable outdoor furniture and weatherproof accessories. Benches with storage areas can serve multiple purposes. Don’t forget to consider stores that sell camping supplies. Most camping materials are designed to be compact and efficient when it comes to washing and serving.
Add to the beauty of the area and set the mood with affordable, local landscaping plants. For example, such greenery as moss, ferns and hostas can attractively complement a peaceful living area. Make sure you reach out to your local landscaping professionals to find out which plants would thrive alongside and enhance your outdoor kitchen the most.
2. Location
As is the case when considering real estate, location is also an important factor in planning an outdoor kitchen. You need to consider both safety and convenience when designing the layout for an outdoor kitchen area. An indoor kitchen can be a dangerous area if everyone’s not careful, and an outdoor kitchen is no different. The grill shouldn’t be placed near the kids’ play area. In addition, the grill should also be away from where a prevailing wind might blow smoke toward the house. To aid in convenience, your outdoor kitchen should be near the entrance of the indoor kitchen. This makes it easier for the cook to transport food and utensils to and from designated cooking areas.
In the world of design, the plan for convenient access throughout the living area is known as flow. Dependent on your family’s unique needs, planning for flow is probably the most individualized factor in designing an outdoor kitchen. Make sure you express your overall flow desires to your landscaping team to ensure your vision is accurately brought to life.
3. Landscape
When planning the design of your outdoor kitchen, consider using the same materials for the outdoor kitchen as those that decorate the home and surrounding buildings. An outdoor kitchen design that doesn’t incorporate the same materials as the home will stick out like a sore thumb. It’s important to view your outdoor kitchen as an extension of your residence. Try to find ways to link the two together in an aesthetically pleasing way. For example, the same type of flooring that’s used in the indoor kitchen can attractively help guests navigate between the indoor and outdoor area of your home. If the outdoor kitchen is not directly adjacent to the home, a charming paved pathway can provide an inviting welcome to the area.
4. Size Matters
The size of the outdoor kitchen should be compatible with the home. An over-sized outdoor living area will make an already small home appear even smaller. A good-sized outdoor kitchen will be a nice complement to a large home. Likewise, a small outdoor kitchen will be a perfect addition to a small residence. The size of the home shouldn’t overtake the outdoor kitchen and vice versa. A practical option for a small residence might be a barbecue island, which could incorporate such essentials as a countertop and grill in a compact area.
5. Lighting
Because the kitchen will be outdoors, the you might think it’ll receive plenty of light. Unfortunately, this misconception can lead to the failure to plan to include necessary lighting. Outdoor entertaining often takes place after dark, so it’s important that both task and ornamental lighting factor into your outdoor kitchen plan.
Night cooking requires plenty of bright task lighting, and with sufficient ambient and ornamental lighting, the dining area can be the inviting place it’s meant to be. Halogen lights are especially helpful above the grill, as they emit a natural white light perfect for cooking tasks.
Planning on building an outdoor kitchen with a roof? Consider adding a ceiling fan with handy downlights. Ceiling fans with downlights serve at least two purposes:
- They effectively illuminate the dining and sitting areas
- The fans chase away mosquitoes and other unwanted insects
Make sure you talk to your landscaping team about including powerful energy savers like dimmers and speed controls. Not only will these additions help you save on your energy bill, but dimmers are also valuable for all types of outdoor lighting due to their ability to add to the evening’s overall mood.
If you find yourself feeling completely overwhelmed while planning the design of your family’s outdoor kitchen, don’t worry! A lot of homeowners feel the same way when it comes to expanding their living area. Don’t be afraid to seek help from a reliable, local landscaping team. If you live in the Watsonville and Santa Cruz area, consider reaching out to K&D Landscaping, Inc. With over 30 years of experience, this award-winning landscape company knows exactly how to bring your outdoor kitchen vision to life. Take the first step towards achieving your family’s outdoor kitchen goals by contacting K&D Landscaping, Inc. today.