7 Tips for Designing Your Outdoor Kitchen
Cooking outside has a certain appeal that can not be beaten. Grilling up a good burger or some hot dogs is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. It’s also a great way to bring people together. So why limit your outdoor cooking experience to a grill in the middle of the patio? You can bring the whole kitchen outside with our design team’s help at The Outside Appliance Store. We can help you build a full entertainment area with your new kitchen at the center of it all. We can keep it simple or build it up with the top of the line appliances and outdoor seating. Whatever you imagine, we can bring it to life.
The only limit to designing your outdoor kitchen is the space available. Together, we can create an amazing space to enhance your outdoor cooking experience. We have put together a couple of design tips for you here. Read on below for some quick tips to think about as you start to design your outdoor kitchen. If you get stuck, reach out to us for our free design services.
1 – Brands Matter
Florida is the Sunshine State, but we get a lot of varied weather here. Powerful thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tons of sun wreak havoc on anything outside. This is why it is important to choose sturdy brands. At The Outdoor Appliance Store, we only stock the best quality appliances. But not every model is best suited for your unique situation.
For brand comparison, you can google your heart out. Or, you can make it easy on yourself and ask a member of our team. We want to help you pick the best appliance for your needs. We have a deep knowledge of what our products are capable of.
2 – Keep Size in Mind
You may want a more petite outdoor kitchen to make room for other outdoor activities. In this case, be sure to pick smaller appliances. The larger the appliance, the more room it takes up. This may seem like common sense, but it is really a hot tip. Often, people think more about the quality or appearance of the appliance. Size gets forgotten about or ignored completely until installation day.
That is why we like to remind people to look at the dimensions of their appliances before ordering. We also like to stress the importance of measuring space. Measure it three times if you need to before ordering appliances. Of course, our team will make sure that your design is functional as well as beautiful. And our team believes in the phrase measure twice, cut once. But the more eyes on size, the better.
Also, keep in mind that smaller does not always equal weaker. We have many smaller sized appliances that pack a real punch. Our Alfresco Built-in Counter Top Refrigerator is a great product for saving space in a smaller design. It is perfect for quick access to a few cold drinks while grilling. You can also use it to store pre-cut burger toppings until you are ready to serve!
3 – Don’t Forget About Flooring
Flooring is easy to forget when talking about outdoor kitchens. But it is not something you should overlook! For a full, outdoor kitchen, you will not be leaving the grass as is. You need something below your cook space. Again, durability is important here. You want a flooring that will stand up to the weather as well as grease and gas stains.
Cooking is messy. Grilling can be even messier. You need flooring that can stand up to the weight of the kitchen and the stains of cooking. Common outdoor floor materials are brick, concrete, and natural stone. Concrete and natural stone tend to be better for durability in an outdoor kitchen. All three materials are porous. That means that they allow some liquids to pass through. You may want to seal your outdoor flooring to prevent serious stains. Grease that gets into outdoor pavers usually needs pressure washing for removal.
Also, bear in mind the texture of your floor. Is your kitchen near a pool? If so, avoid slick surfaces that will become slippery when wet.
4 – Choose Your Location Wisely
Outdoor cooking creates smoke. For this reason, it is best to keep your kitchen a little further away from your home. This way, you avoid smoke stains on the outside walls of your home. You also avoid smoke entering your home. If you do not have the room to put some distance between your kitchen and your home, no problem. Just make sure to choose an area that is well ventilated. A strong cross breeze across your outdoor kitchen is ideal. But you can also create the ventilation you need with an outdoor vent hood.
You should also think about the time of day you will use your outdoor kitchen most. For afternoon sun, place your kitchen on the west. For morning sun, place your kitchen on the east. For constant sun all day, look towards the south. Finally, for the least amount of sun exposure, build your kitchen north facing.
5 – Don’t Forget Storage and Counter Space
Just like your indoor kitchen, you will want a place outside to set things down. Storage is also important in any kitchen. Think about the kind of meals you plan to prepare outside. Will you be serving a large crowd? Will you need a buffet area? What kind of storage will you need, and where do you want it? What kinds of things are you storing?
All of these questions are valid. Everyone organizes and uses kitchen space differently. That is why it is important to consider every storage need during the design phase. The Outdoor Appliance Store offers many storage options, including a built-in paper towel holder and roll out trash can center.
6 – Remember Mood and Aesthetic
What we mean by this is remember to design a kitchen you like looking at. You also have to like being in your kitchen. You should feel comfortable and at home in your outdoor kitchen. Find a way to make the outdoors feel like home. An easy way to do this is add some outdoor furniture, lighting, or a patio heater. You want your outdoor kitchen to be a place where you and your guests can relax.
Depending on the size of your outdoor kitchen, you can also add a fire pit. Nothing says relaxation like a fire pit under the stars in your new outdoor kitchen. Not to mention, you can cook up some s’mores without firing up the grill.
7 – Covered or Uncovered?
There are several months throughout the year where Florida rains come without warning. This is a good reason to decide if you want to build a cover over your kitchen. Umbrellas work just fine in a pinch. They are even great for some quick shade. But for all over sun and rain protection, consider building a structure for your kitchen.
Covered patios sometimes need vent hoods, though. Make sure you keep proper ventilation in mind when covering your outdoor kitchen.
Seven tips not enough? Give our experienced team a call at (844) 305-0125 to get answers to all your questions. The Outdoor Appliance Store is here for all your outdoor kitchen needs! We are available by email, live chat, and phone.