Designing an Outdoor Kitchen: 5 Important Tips

At one time a garden oasis was all we needed to get away from it all. Some time among the flowers and trees and all of our cares would melt away. Then we started building those gardens around our outdoor patios. Grills started to appear on the patios, then a cabinet and a refrigerator and a sink. Soon, the outdoor kitchen, like a garden through the seasons, began to bloom.

Now, outdoor kitchens are one of the most popular features being added to homes. And they will continue to grow in popularity and sophistication as people turn to improving their living spaces rather than moving to a new home. ”Staycations,” the new phenomenon of people taking their vacations at home, also will continue to push demand for outdoor kitchens.

A recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders reports that 71 percent of designers, architects and builders interviewed believe that outdoor kitchens will be a critical feature of upscale new homes. Since the outdoor kitchen is a relatively new movement, many people have questions on how to get started, which equipment pieces should be included, how should it be built, among others.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has a unique perspective on outdoor kitchen design. The company is a leading maker of outdoor kitchen equipment and is often called on by professional associations to teach outdoor kitchen design best practices to their members. For those considering building an outdoor kitchen, Russ Faulk, the company’s vice president of design and its principal educator, offers the following five tips:

1. Tailored to your cooking personality

You are unique. Don’t try to imitate what you saw at a friend’s house. Your kitchen should reflect your specific cooking needs and style. Ask some questions that will help determine what your outdoor kitchen should look like:

- Do I want my outdoor kitchen to be self-sufficient with a sink, refrigeration and ample prep area, or do I want to do most of prep-work in my indoor kitchen?

- What types of outdoor cooking do I want to do?

- How many months out of the year will I use it?

2. The heart of the outdoor kitchen

Choose your grill wisely. It is the heart of the outdoor kitchen and people have very different grill preferences. Some only like a gas grill, while others are set on charcoal. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet offers a built-in hybrid grill, http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/hybrid_advantage.php that combines gas, charcoal and wood, giving grillers maximum versatility.

Since grill choice has the greatest influence on satisfaction with the outdoor kitchen, budget for the grill you will enjoy the most. After choosing the grill, carefully consider its placement. Location determines how much work needs to be done in servicing it with gas lines or a ventilation hood.

3. Room to work

Think about your indoor kitchen. There are some things you love about it and some you would like to change. Apply that thinking when you are designing your outdoor kitchen.

A tip to remember: make sure the grill, sink and prep areas have enough space to work in. Give yourself enough counter space in which to work, wash, stack and serve. Each outdoor kitchen has four types of “functional zones” (cold, hot, wet and dry). The better these zones work together, the more enjoyable the experience.

4. Easy does it.

Your outdoor kitchen has to withstand the elements and daily use, so making the right materials choices can be critical. Is beauty more important? Does easy care trump all other considerations? Keep the following in mind:

- Stainless steel is the ultimate in durability and easy care. It should make up the outside and inside of your grill, cabinets and refrigeration. Some manufacturers line their refrigerator with plastic which has the potential to allow for the growth of mold or mildew. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet refrigeration is lined with stainless steel because it is more sanitary: http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/appliances.php.

- Customize your choice of materials for their use. One type of rock works well to support the outdoor kitchen where another works better as a counter top. Wavy materials look beautiful, but may make cooking, prep and clean-up difficult because of uneven surfaces for countertops. Choose a counter and flooring that offers absorption resistance, especially to grease. Porous, even non-porous, surfaces may benefit from a sealant for protection from the elements.

5. Fit

Your outdoor kitchen should fit harmoniously with your outdoor dining and lounging areas, even a pool area. Think of these outdoor rooms together. Consider the flow of traffic between them.

When you plan the fit, keep in mind this cardinal rule: do not isolate the grill/cook. Good grill placement creates opportunities for interaction and conversation within and between the outdoor kitchen and other areas.

To learn more tips about creating an outdoor kitchen, visit Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet’s outdoor kitchen design checklist - http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/outdoor_kitchen_project_checklist.php - and its outdoor kitchen design recommendations - http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/outdoor_kitchen_design_guide.php.

© 2009 Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet