7 of the Best Outdoor Kitchen Ideas

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With summer around the corner, it’s time to get your backyard ready to enjoy outdoor meals with friends and family! Building an outdoor kitchen is a great way to enhance your al fresco dining setup at home so you can get the most out of your summer cookouts.

Whether you build your outdoor kitchen with every gadget imaginable or opt for a more modest setup, finishing your at-home al fresco eating and cooking setup includes finding the right balance between functionality and personal flair. Check out these 7 ideas and get inspired to create your own unique outdoor kitchen.

#1 Add a Bar to Your Outdoor Countertop

If you like to kick back and enjoy a drink every once in a while, you may want to incorporate a bar into your outdoor kitchen. Extending a kitchen countertop to accommodate a counter or bar stool seating gives your outdoor kitchen a relaxed yet sophisticated feel. Don’t forget to equip your outdoor kitchen with all the bar necessities, such as an outdoor wine cooler or ice bin, to keep your favorite drinks chilled before serving.

#2 Include an Outdoor Pizza Oven

With a stacked stone or brick outdoor kitchen, it is possible to seamlessly integrate a pizza oven into your countertop configuration. Outdoor pizza ovens come in a range of styles and sizes, so you can choose a model that best suits your needs. Larger pizza ovens can be built into your outdoor kitchen for a more permanent and personalized look and feel. These ovens can reach higher temperatures than the standard indoor oven, which is ideal for cooking neapolitan-style pizzas and other meals, including steak, ribs, and ciabatta.

Pizza ovens are typically either wood- or gas-powered. You may prefer one type over the other depending on the type of pizza you most enjoy, the amount of cooking experience you have, and your budget.

Wood-burning pizza ovens most closely mimic the traditional way of cooking pizza (in use since the mid-1800s) and are excellent for producing crispy, thin-crust pizzas. Whereas gas-powered pizza ovens frequently produce bigger, gooey slices of pizza with little effort.

#3 Outdoor Kitchen Pergola

Enjoy the beautiful summer weather while creating your favorite meal to share with guests by building your outdoor kitchen with a pergola roof. A pergola is a type of outdoor structure with a slatted or louvered roof that lets air circulate freely and allows the sun to shine right in. Adding coverage and shade with add-on features, such as a retractable fabric cover, motorized louvers, or side curtains, is also possible with most pergolas. As a bonus keeping your outdoor kitchen appliances under this type of shelter can prolong their lifetime by preventing weather damage.

Making use of a pergola in your outdoor kitchen also presents an opportunity to create a unique and stunning design that reflects your personal style. Whether you choose to build your own pergola or buy a premade option from a manufacturer, there are many options for personalization available so that your outdoor kitchen’s aesthetic can match the rest of your home.

#4 Don’t Forget to Include a Sink

Make cleaning up after cooking a breeze by including a sink in your outdoor kitchen countertop. Since sinks are already made with water-resistant materials, such as stainless steel or stone, it’s not hard to find an option suitable for installation in an outdoor kitchen. Allow your sink to stand out as a focal point by choosing a unique design, such as using an eye-catching material like copper or opting for a vessel sink design.

#5 Build a Fire Pit into Your Al Fresco Setting

If you plan to build an al fresco dining area into your outdoor kitchen for entertaining friends and family, you may want to consider adding a fire pit to your design. Fire pits come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles so that you can find the perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen and dining environment. Adding a fire pit can help make your outdoor kitchen and dining space cozy and comfortable to use after the sun has gone down.

#6 Add a Second Grill for Flexible Cooking

For outdoor chefs who enjoy cooking up a delicious barbeque, adding a secondary grill to their outdoor kitchen setup can be hugely convenient. Sometimes, different barbeque dishes require cooking at different temperatures or with slightly different settings. If you’re the type of cook who plans on serving up some ribs with another grill-prepared side dish, it can be difficult to time everything so that each part of the meal is hot and ready at the same time. Impress guests with delicious barbeque meals with a range of side dishes ready to serve all at once by incorporating a secondary grill in your outdoor kitchen.

#7 Make Your Outdoor Kitchen Space Feel Homey with the Right Furniture

Outdoor furniture needs to be able to withstand the elements, including rain and prolonged exposure to the sun’s rays. For this reason, certain materials are better suited for outdoor use than others. Nonetheless, by selecting comfortable furniture that looks homey and stylish, you can make your outdoor kitchen and seating area feel more like an extension of your home than a separate outside area.

Placing an outdoor area rug in the kitchen or underneath your al fresco dining table can truly ground the space while adding color and a sense of comfort everyone can enjoy. Opting for seating with removable cushions is a nice way to create fluffy seating without sacrificing style.

Bring Your Vision to Life with Anderson Studio

We hope you enjoyed this guide to the best outdoor kitchen ideas. Remember, there are countless possibilities when remodeling your home and working with an experienced architect or interior designer.

At The Anderson Studio of Architecture and Interior Design, located in Mt. Pleasant, SC, our accomplished and knowledgeable team has a knack for putting your preferences, inclinations, goals, and dreams at the center of every project. View our portfolios, or contact us for any custom luxury home design questions. We can’t wait to help you with this exciting new project!

Get in Touch

 

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Must Haves When Designing a Mudroom

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Functionally, the mudroom serves as a place to remove dirty shoes, ditch weathered outerwear, and put away pet accessories before entering the rest of your home. Effectively, these spaces sequester dirt and clutter to a designated place outside the main living area. And while using a mudroom can protect most of your home from accumulating dirt, poorly planned mudrooms can quickly become untidy. To help beat the mess and keep your mudroom organized, here are seven must-have design ideas for your new mudroom!

#1 Maximize Wall Storage

If you plan to use your mudroom as a catch-all for the things that move between your home’s indoor and outdoor spaces, you may benefit from floor-to-ceiling wall storage. That’s because some items stored in your mudroom may need to be accessed relatively infrequently, such as seasonal outerwear or exterior decorations. While keeping shoes and pet accessories within easy reach makes sense for daily use, things used occasionally can be kept up high and out of the way along unused wall space. In addition, using full-length wall storage helps maximize floor space in tight areas, making room for other mudroom furniture and accessories, such as benches and rugs.

Floor-to-ceiling storage can fit almost any interior design style. Whether you opt for standard built-in cubbies and shelving or choose to have a more elaborate custom storage solution created, you can keep your mudroom storage looking neat and stylish by ensuring sufficient separation between different compartments. Add some flair to your full-height mudroom storage by including a library ladder to help reach items stored up high.

#2 Add a Sink

If your mudroom is all about functionality, you can’t forget to install a sink! A sink in the mudroom is ideal for climates that experience mud, rain, or snow to help rinse away unwanted dirt and keep belongings clean. Having a sink in your mudroom can also make it easier to keep the space spic and span between uses.

#3 Include a Pet Shower

Households with pets may want a full-fledged pet bath installed in the mudroom. After an excursion, it’s quick and easy to clean pets off before entering the house to prevent them from tracking mud and dirt into the interior of your home. A pet bath may include a shower head strategically placed low to the ground and a space to store soaps and shampoos for your furry friend. Consider reserving towels nearby or even a fur-drying station to dry your dog after your next outdoor adventure.

#4 Consider a Dutch Door

Dutch doors are the ideal hybrid between door and window because you can open the upper and lower halves of the door independently of one another, allowing fresh air and inviting views into the home while ensuring pets and kids cannot get out unsupervised. Alternatively, Dutch doors allow pets to roam freely in and out of the house without installing an unsightly pet door.

#5 Add a Mudroom Bench

A bench is a must-have if you enter and exit the house through your mudroom. The bench is ideal for putting your shoes on or removing them after returning home. If you have space to include a bench in your mudroom, consider including a cushion with a removable cover that can be easily removed and washed. You may also opt for performance fabrics that hold up to moisture and sunlight, depending on the conditions your mudroom is likely to be exposed to.

#6 Pamper Your Pet with Custom Food Bowl Access

Those who share their home with furry friends can make the mudroom a pet-friendly area by installing built-in food and water bowls at pet height that can be kept out of sight between uses. You can include storage next to the pet bowls for their food, keeping it fresh and out of reach until meal times.

#7 Stackable Washer and Dryer

If you want to combine your laundry room and mudroom, consider choosing a stackable washer and dryer option. These models can help you save floor space since they can be arranged to sit one on top of the other. In addition, including a washer and dryer in the mudroom can be a strategic way to quickly get dirtied clothes and cushion covers from outside into the wash. If you add a washer and dryer to your mudroom, consider keeping a clear surface nearby to assist in folding fresh clothing.

Finally, storage surrounding your stackable washer and dryer can hold laundry detergents and fabric softeners so that running the laundry is quick and easy. If you want to keep the laundry portion of your mudroom somewhat out of sight, consider using a curtain or barn door to obstruct the view of your washer and dryer.

Bring Your Vision to Life with Anderson Studio

We hope you enjoyed this guide on must-have mudroom designs! Remember, there are countless possibilities when remodeling your home and working with an experienced architect or interior designer.

At The Anderson Studio of Architecture and Interior Design, located in Mt. Pleasant, SC, our accomplished and knowledgeable team has a knack for putting your preferences, inclinations, goals, and dreams at the center of every project. View our portfolios, or contact us for any custom luxury home design questions. We can’t wait to help you with this exciting new project!

Get in Touch

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What to Look for When Hiring an Interior Designer

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When it’s time to turn your dream home into reality, an interior designer can help bring your vision to life. With the guidance of a professional, you can create a home that reflects your personality and showcases your unique style, all while keeping your home’s layout as functional as possible. But remember, finding the right professional to take on your project can make all the difference in the quality of the results. That’s why it is so important to vet candidates properly before hiring.

So, how can you tell if an interior designer is a right fit for your project needs? Some key things to look for when hiring a designer include experience, personal style, access to quality materials, and previous client reviews. Let’s dive into more detail below!

#1 Experience and Knowledge

While some states require interior designers to obtain certification or licensing, most states allow designers to practice unregulated; this means that almost anyone can call themselves an interior designer whether or not they have formal training or schooling. For this reason, it can be challenging to determine whether or not an interior designer possesses adequate knowledge and experience in their field before sitting down for a consultation.

During an initial consultation, you have the opportunity to share details of your project and ask questions. For example, asking your interior designer if they have ever attended a formal design school or worked as part of a more prominent design firm may be worthwhile. Additionally, it’s wise to ask for details or portfolios on projects they have completed similar to yours.

If your interior design project requires any special considerations–such as a preference for sustainable materials or the need for wheelchair accessibility–the initial consultation with a designer is the perfect chance to find out whether or not they have experience in these specialized practices. Speaking with an interior designer also lets you get more familiar with their design aesthetic and how it compares to your style.

#2 Design Style

Over years of practice, most interior designers develop a unique, signature aesthetic. Understanding how interior designers naturally express themselves can ensure you hire someone capable of recreating the look and feel you want for your home.

In addition to having a signature look, some interior designers are more comfortable working with some aesthetics more so than others. For example, someone who can create elegant modern, and contemporary interior designs may not feel confident putting together a neo-Gothic or traditional style home. Therefore, expressing what you want concerning style is essential during your initial consultation. It can be helpful to bring pictures of aesthetics you do and do not like to show your desired outcome.

#3 Reseller’s Permit

One of the main benefits of working with an interior designer is the trade discount they can pass on to clients when purchasing furniture and decor. If you plan on putting designer furniture in your home interior design, you’ll want to be sure that the interior designer you work with has a valid reseller’s permit. This permit allows them to buy furniture for your home at a discounted price, saving you a good deal of money overall.

With their reseller’s permit, interior designers can access some of the best quality and most unique furniture and decor pieces that laymen outside the industry cannot obtain. In addition, you may ask your designer which furniture and decor lines they have worked with to learn more about the brands and designers with whom they have already established connections.

#4 Client Reviews

Reading the reviews of past clients is one way to learn more about an interior designer’s potential strengths and weaknesses. You can find these reviews and testimonials on your designer’s website or third-party websites. Remember that testimonials featured on the designer’s homepage have likely been curated to show the most positive feedback. In contrast, third-party reviews may provide a well-rounded sampling of opinions.

While clients are typically motivated to leave reviews after negative experiences, those who have been successfully satisfied or continued working with a designer may not take the time to publish their experience. For this reason, it is essential to take the information learned from reading reviews with a grain of salt.

If you have difficulty locating reviews of a particular interior designer’s work, consider asking them during a consultation if it would be possible to get some references from them. In some cases, designers may be able to provide the phone numbers or email addresses of previous clients who can speak on their behalf. You can ask these clients about the designer’s professionalism, work habits, general availability, ability to stay within a budget, and more.

For designers who have not completed many projects, you may be able to speak to a previous employer in the industry or professors from their design school who know about the interior designer’s work ethic and capabilities.

#5 Contract Structure

Before hiring an interior designer, review their contract in depth. An interior designer’s contract reveals all of the terms and conditions under which they intend to complete your project, including how fees will be structured, when bills must be paid, and the extent of services they will provide you. No matter who you decide to hire for your interior design project, it is vital to obtain a contractual agreement to ensure that you both can agree on how their services will be provided. As with any legal agreement, if you have questions about an interior designer’s contract, ask them before deciding to sign it.

Start Designing the Home of Your Dreams

Hiring an interior designer can be a wise investment for your home, so spend time and effort evaluating each candidate before agreeing to hire someone! We hope you found this blog helpful, and if you are looking to redesign your home in the Charleston area, our team at The Anderson Studio is here to help. Find inspiration by viewing our portfolio. Or, contact our team today to start imagining your new exciting project.

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8 Affordable Home Improvements

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Renovations and remodels are popular ways homeowners can personalize, enhance, and transform their homes, but these projects can often be pricey and time-consuming. Fortunately, for those looking to tackle some key updates and aesthetic changes, there are plenty of affordable home improvement projects to choose from.

Refresh your space and enjoy the impact of improvements in every room of your home without the daunting cost of a full-blown remodel with these eight affordable home improvement projects.

Kitchen

#1 Add Roll-Out Drawers to Your Kitchen Cabinets

Maximize storage in the kitchen and make your cookware easy to reach by installing simple roll-out drawers to your existing cabinets. These accessories turn any regular cabinet space into a fully functioning drawer. Roll-out drawers can be retrofitted into most cabinet spaces and are typically available at home improvement stores for less than $50.

Installing these upgrades to your kitchen cabinets is quick and easy. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this project–installing roll-out drawers in your kitchen can vastly improve the functionality of the space, making stored items easy and efficient to access.

#2 Give Your Kitchen Cabinets a Fresh Coat of Paint

You don’t need to purchase new cabinets or change the configuration of your countertop to enjoy a noticeable change in the kitchen. A quick and affordable paint refresh on outdated cabinetry can go a long way to make the space look and feel more modern. Whether you aim to fix a peeling or faded finish or want to experiment with a new color, painting the kitchen cabinets is a great way to refine the space and add a little personality.

Changing the paint on your kitchen cabinets typically requires sanding the old finish away and adding a few layers of primer and paint. This type of job can be affordable when outsourced to a professional or straightforward enough to take on yourself as a weekend home improvement project.

Bath

#3 Upgrade Your Bathroom Vanity Mirror and Light

Consider replacing your bath vanity mirror and light for a small change that packs a lot of punch. Without the need for intrusive plumbing work, you can make your bathroom space feel large, light, and open. As you swap out your old mirror for a new one, consider choosing a piece with a unique shape or elegant border to add a sophisticated feel to the room.

Installing wall sconce lighting on either side of your new mirror provides a structured design to your bathroom and improves the lighting quality in the space. In addition, having an even distribution of illumination coming from the sides of the mirror is more functional than the standard overhead light. This is because the lighting creates fewer shadows in the reflection in the mirror.

#4 Swap Out Bath Fixtures for Modern Models

Whether you hope to enjoy better water pressure, more flow options, or simply a change in your fixture finishes, changing your existing bath fixtures with new models is an affordable project that does not require professional installation. In addition, matching your sink faucet, shower head, and other fixtures in the bathroom can contribute to a greater sense of cohesion in your bath design and a more organized look overall.

Main Bedroom

#5 Organize Your Bedroom Closet 

Give your bedroom closet a luxurious look and feel by installing an organizer that helps maximize functionality by dividing the space and different storage options, such as drawers, hanger space, and shelves. Adding a closet organizer to your bedroom is affordable, quick, and easy. Most systems use drill–in or tap-in installation methods and can be completed with basic tools.

#6 Opt for New Bedroom Window Treatments

Don’t underestimate the potential of upgraded window treatments to improve a space’s overall look and feel! Choosing the right window coverings for your room can improve how natural light comes into the room or even make an area appear wider or taller. In addition, by swapping out old and outdated window coverings for more modern options, your entire space will look renewed.

Living Area

#7 Wallpaper a Feature Wall in Your Living Room

Inject some personal flair into your home by choosing a feature wall in your living room to accentuate with a fun print of wallpaper. Today it is possible to select from a broad range of patterns, colors, and application types. While some wallpapers use traditional gluing methods to the wall, there are also less permanent options, such as peel-and-stick wallpaper, that can be installed without professional help and removed later if desired.

#8 Replace or Add Door and Window Trim

Want to give your living room a designer look on a budget? Adding trim to the doors and windows around your living space adds a small detail that helps the entire home appear curated. When it comes to door and window trim, there are dozens of styles to choose from so you can find the right look for your unique style.

If you enjoy the look of trim around your doors and windows, you may also consider adding molding to other areas of your walls, such as installing a chair rail, wainscoting, plate rails, or crown molding. These intricate details can draw attention to a space and make certain wall paint colors stand out.

Design Your Dream Home with The Anderson Studio

We hope you enjoyed this guide on affordable home improvements! When remodeling or renovating a home, working with an experienced interior designer is a great way to discover all the possibilities. At The Anderson Studio of Architecture and Interior Design, our accomplished and knowledgeable team has a knack for putting your preferences, inclinations, goals, and dreams at the center of every project you desire. Contact us for any custom luxury home design questions. We can’t wait to help you with your next exciting project!

Get in Touch

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7 of the Best Pool Remodel Ideas

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Is it time to give your existing swimming pool a refresh? Whether you’ve changed how you typically enjoy your pool or simply want to modernize the look and feel of your backyard, taking on a pool remodel can be quite a transformation. Whatever your motivation for a pool remodel, the possibilities are endless. Here are our top seven pool remodel ideas for summer 2023.

#1 Add a Sunning Ledge

A pool designed by The Anderson Studio: 7 of the Best Pool Remodel Ideas

A sunning ledge is an excellent choice if you enjoy being near the water and soaking up the sun. Also known as a “Baja shelf” or “tanning ledge,” sunning ledges are shallow pool entries typically wide enough to support aquatic lounge furniture or serve as a seat in the water. Sunning ledges may be as wide as the rest of the pool or a partial width and can be made in various shapes, including curves.

Sunning ledges are commonly used as a spot for poolside lounge furniture, reading, tanning, playing, or just floating in the water. These elegant pool entries are usually no more than nine inches to one foot deep, allowing users to enjoy the water without exerting much effort to swim or float. A sunning ledge made of contrasting or complementary material to the rest of the pool can emphasize the unique entry and add personal style to your pool setup.

#2 Add a Spill-Over Spa

Add a touch of luxury to your pool by adding a spill-over spa during your renovation. A spill-over spa is basically a hot tub that connects to the rest of your pool. You can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of basking in the warm water and massage jets of a spill-over spa without needing to exit your pool area.

Aside from the beauty and convenience of a hot tub built into your pool, another key benefit of having a spill-over spa installed is that it won’t require additional water consumption. Spill-over spas reuse the same water supply as the rest of the pool, so adding one to your pool is typically wise from a financial perspective.

#3 Include Water Features

Take your backyard pool to the next level by adding a water feature. Water features include waterfalls, scuppers, cascades, rain curtains, bubblers, and fountains. No matter what type of feature you choose for your pool remodel, the added movement and subtle sound it creates will elevate your backyard design.

Adding water features to your pool can also reinforce your personal style. For example, installing a waterfall that runs over faux rocks of organic shapes and sizes can create an exotic, bohemian feeling in your backyard. In contrast, a waterfall that streams straight over a man-made ledge can contribute to a contemporary or minimalist aesthetic.

#4 Upgrade Pool Lighting

Updating how you light up your pool at night can add a new level of sophistication to your outdoor oasis. LED lights can be installed underwater in your pool and provide enough lumens to illuminate even deep areas sufficiently. In addition, LED lights are a good choice of lighting because they are relatively energy efficient and can be customized using a logic controller to display specific colors or modify light intensity.

#5 Create a Beach Entry

Imagine having the opportunity to slowly wade into your refreshing pool on a hot summer day. With a beach entry, this ideal can be realized! An existing pool can be remodeled to include a beach entry or slope walkway into the shallow end of your pool.

When you add a sloped entry to your pool, you can enjoy the look and feel of a private beach in your home. Using a contrasting or complementary paver or mosaic tile along the sloped portion of your pool can make this feature stand out and even mimic the look of wet sand at the beach.

#6 Upgrade Your Pool Surface Tiles

 

If you’re looking for a unique way to personalize your pool, consider choosing a customized surface tiling pattern. Today it is even possible to use glow-in-the-dark mosaic tiles or glitter grout to add a unique twist to your pool flooring.

Including glow-in-the-dark mosaic tiles in your pool makes for a fun and dramatic day-to-night transformation. You can arrange tiles to create imagery in a unique pattern or even spell out a personal message. Then, these tiles illuminate your pool floor at twilight after a day of sunlight.

Sometimes minor details contribute the most elegance and sophistication to a design overall. Applied tastefully, glitter grout can add refinement and luxury to your pool, making it look inviting and refreshing.

#7 Create a Pool Theater

Make your pool the ultimate hangout spot for friends and family by creating an outdoor theater with prime viewing in the water. Imagine watching your favorite features while lounging in the shallow water of your sunning ledge, enjoying the warmth and jets of your hot tub, or casually swimming around the main pool area. Whether you opt for an outdoor flat screen or put together a large-scale projector and screen, an outdoor theater means you can spend movie night in the pool.

Bring Your Dream Pool to Life

A pool remodel designed by The Anderson Studio on Kiawah Island, SC: 7 of the Best Pool Remodel IdeasWhen remodeling your pool and working with an experienced architect, there are countless possibilities. After all, a professional can help you plan all the features you want with an eye for detail. At The Anderson Studio of Architecture and Interior Design, our accomplished and knowledgeable team has a knack for putting your preferences, inclinations, goals, and dreams at the center of every project you desire. Contact us for any custom luxury home design questions. We can’t wait to help you with this exciting new project!

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