Purchasing an Outdoor Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens combine fresh air with fresh food – and add a fresh take on convenience and entertaining
If you can't stand the heat, get into your outdoor kitchen. So goes the modern twist on this age-old advice, as more homeowners are creating cool, alfresco areas for cooking and entertaining at home.
This is part of a nationwide trend in which people consider outdoor spaces such as gardens, decks and patios to be rooms of the house, says Taylor Calhoun, manager of outdoor products at Viking Range Corporation.
"Since cooking and entertaining are such popular indoor activities, consumers are making the natural transition to doing these activities outdoors," she says. "Consumers are requesting outdoor kitchens as alternatives for entertaining and family gathering. They have the ability to prepare an entire meal outdoors without endless trips back into the home."
A smart outdoor living area actually has a series of designated rooms for cooking, dining or relaxing by a hearth; pool or spa areas for recreation; and sometimes even a media room. Good planning and design are essential from both financial and design perspectives. An outdoor renovation project must be approached like an indoor renovation. It is not enough to have a grill, a dining set and a few chaise lounges randomly placed on the patio or poolside -- even if they are of the swanky stainless steel and deep-seated-cushion variety. These pieces must be part of a cohesive plan.
Careful consideration of how the outdoor room will be used, how it ties into the adjacent indoor living areas, and the budget available are important first steps in the process. Then there are seating, lighting and construction issues to consider. And, finally, which appliances, furniture and other design elements to choose.
It's important to think through how you will use the outdoor kitchen and living area. Will it be mainly for family dinners, or will you entertain often? If so, do you throw parties for a few guests or grand galas? How do you like to cook? Will you stick with steaks, or would you like to unleash your inner Emeril or Bobby Flay with a wider range of outdoor cooking appliances?
Sound overwhelming? Not to worry. Here is a guide to help you start planning:
Budget
You absolutely must figure this out up front. And be realistic: It is not fair to yourself -- or the design professional helping you -- if you fall in love with champagne-style amenities when you can really only spring for a six-pack.
It is difficult to set general rules of thumb for good-better-best price points on outdoor kitchens; the variables are tremendous and too wide-ranging to figure average prices. For example, if you live in an area where outdoor kitchens are commonplace and there are multiple experts with whom to work, you might find better deals than in areas where this is still a brand-new concept or where products must be shipped in. Other issues that factor into pricing include whether you are going with custom masonry or a prefabricated modular island kitchen. Will the counters be premium granite or lower-cost tile? How many and what kind of appliances will you install? Do you need electrical or plumbing work? Are you building a structure for protection from the elements? What are you willing to invest in furniture? All these factors impact final cost.
That being said, you can expect to pay about $3,000 for a very basic, 5-foot rectangular island cabinet with a small, built-in grill. On the opposite end, a pull-out-all-the-stops outdoor living area with premium amenities and features might top six figures. Obviously, the differential leaves plenty of room for a wide range of price points in between -- one to fit nearly every budget.
Location
Most people opt to place their outdoor kitchen just outside the back door. This allows easy access to the indoor kitchen and nice flow between indoor and outdoor living areas. Positioning it against the house also affords the protection of an exterior wall. It might also keep costs down, thanks to easy access to gas and electric lines and the ability to utilize some of the indoor kitchen appliances, eliminating the need to duplicate everything outdoors.
Other homeowners, such as Deborah Krasner, prefer to locate their outdoor kitchens a distance from the home. The author of The New Outdoor Kitchen nestled her alfresco cooking pavilion in a beautiful wooded area down a winding path from her door. Others opt to center it in a poolside cabana, if that is where the action happens. While a remote kitchen offers the opportunity for more design flexibility, it will have to be more self-sufficient and elaborate, and require more "stuff."
Codes and Regulations
Check with your local authorities about building and fire codes, and obtain any necessary permits and inspections. Keep in mind that, in many areas, prefabricated modular islands are not considered permanent structures and do not require building permits.
Electrical and Plumbing
Incorporate utilities into the design plan from the beginning, says lifestyles expert Kathy Peterson, the author of Great Outdoor Decorating Makeovers. She says if you want the convenience of natural gas (no more tanks to lug!), you need to have a plumber install gas lines. Likewise, an electrician is needed to run lines for outdoor lighting, refrigerators, stereos, TVs and more. If you want a real outdoor sink, a plumber will need to extend water and waste lines from the house (an alternative is a portable sink hooked up to a garden hose).
Don't skimp on electrical outlets, Peterson cautions. "Just like in an indoor kitchen, you want to be able to plug in a blender or coffee maker."
Setting Boundaries
You will need to define the outer perimeter or "walls" of your outdoor room. This can be done with a physical structure such as an overhead pavilion, enclosed porch or gazebo. (If so, you must install venting for your grill and other cooking appliances.) Other options include pergolas, columns, landscape hedges, decorative containers with plantings, awnings, privacy screens and weatherproof curtains.
Outdoor Lighting
"Lighting is really key," says Peterson. "You want to see what you are cooking at night and when you are rinsing dishes at the outdoor sink. You can use tabletop and floor lamps, landscape lights, hanging fixtures or wall-mounted fixtures."
Furniture and Decorative Touches
Outdoor space, once adorned with tacky resin furniture and citronella candles, is now something worthy of decorating. Today's patio furniture is both durable and attractive, in finishes ranging from cast aluminum to all-weather, synthetic wicker. Cushions are plush, deep and oh-so-comfortable. Colors, patterns and textures of outdoor fabrics follow indoor trends but are waterproof, fade-resistant and mildew-proof. Accessories such as rugs, pillows, throws, artwork and curtains are made specifically for outdoors, but with the beauty and style that make these outdoor living spaces as comfortable and chic as their indoor counterparts.
Article originally written by Lisa Readie Mayer for Pool & Spa Living magazine.