Kitchenability

04.19.2019

Plan your Outdoor Kitchen

Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Outdoor Kitchen

Guest Contribution: Emma Joyce

Living in a house and having a backyard is a huge asset in this day and age, especially when most people are living in tiny apartments in residential buildings with absolutely no outdoor space. However, just because you have a backyard doesn’t mean you’re using it properly, and these are two very different things. One of the ways to maximize your outdoor area and make the most of this wonderful asset is by designing an outdoor kitchen on your deck or your patio. This will allow you to spend even more time in the open and use it to socialize with your friends and family, so here’s what you need to know when planning a new outdoor kitchen.

Locate the perfect spot

This kitchen doesn’t have to be too big, but it should be well-organized and practical, which means you need to think twice about positioning it. Having a tiny deck or patio makes your choice of placing your outdoor kitchen quite easy – you’ll just place your proportionally small kitchen wherever there’s enough space, and that’s it. With bigger decks and patios, though, you need to think ahead and find the perfect spot. Most people use the exterior wall of their house and place their appliances and cabinets against it.

Pick the perfect appliances

Outdoor kitchens are a great addition to your patio or deck area and your outdoor space in general, but the fact is that these shouldn’t be as big or as functional as your regular kitchens. After all, you won’t use it for preparing all the meals you’re preparing on a daily basis in your indoor kitchen, so you need fewer appliances, which is always good. Some of the things you’ll definitely need are your grill, your stove and your fridge, and that’s enough for now! Start with these and add more appliances in the future instead of purchasing all of them right away.

Get the perfect dining table

Preparing food in the open means you’re going to eat it in the open as well, and in order to do that, you need a proper dining table. It doesn’t have to be too big, of course, but it needs to accommodate your entire family and leave some room for your guests. Once you do that, get some comfortable chairs too, and think about covering your dining area. Looking into covering shade sails online might give you a few ideas and options that are worth exploring, and take your outdoor cooking and dining area to a whole new level.

Organize the perfect storage

Depending on the amount of free space in your outdoor area, your storage space can go from tiny to huge, but, regardless of its size, it has to be perfectly organized. Luckily, you won’t be needing as many things as you need in your indoor kitchen, and will, therefore, be able to minimize the number of items your storage needs. Just a few cabinets should do the trick, especially if you manage to add an island to your outdoor kitchen as well – this feature will help you get organized, give you more working space, and provide you with additional storage are you’re going to need. But, first, limit the number of cutlery and utensils you’re using, and you’ll surely be able to find a place for all these things in your new outdoor kitchen.

Find the perfect décor

Every cooking space needs to be decorated adequately, and your outdoor kitchen is no different. What’s great is that you don’t need to waste too much time or energy doing this because you’re already surrounded by your own backyard, and that’s the best décor in the world. That’s why accessorizing your outdoor kitchen is easier than you may think, and a few subtle and easy ideas can really go a long way. It’s all about making this space as comfortable and cozy as possible, and these small details are sometimes all you need to accentuate your new recipes and tasty culinary creations.

As you can see, planning a perfect outdoor kitchen isn’t as hard as it seems at first – it all comes down to creating a cool space for yourself, your family and your friends, and turning your outdoor area into the focal point of your home.