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!