Submitted by your friends at PatioCoversPlace.com
Within the past 5-10 years, homeowners have changed the way that they think about their backyard patio areas. One of the biggest trends that is emerging is with the use of outdoor rooms as more usable square footage of one’s home. In other words, the patio and backyard spaces has become something of an extension – outdoors – of a lifestyle. This trend has found its way into homes occupied by people of all family backgrounds and styles. It doesn’t matter if it is a bachelor’s home or a ‘yuppie’ couple who enjoys entertaining, design ideas can be suited to fit both.
One of the most usable types of rooms outdoors is the kitchen. In terms of outdoor kitchen designs, the sky is the limit. Just as imaginative and creative you can get with your kitchen indoors, you can do the same with the outdoor space. Outdoor kitchens have really come a long way in a short period of time. There used to be a time when you would be considered pretty hot stuff if you had a sink in a counter top out by your grill. That was about as extensive as the outdoor kitchen concept was a few short years ago. Now, there are entire kitchens set up outdoors – seating, grilling, ovens, refrigerators, wine chillers or coolers, even dishwashers if you go to that extent.
Sure, there are still sinks for outdoor kitchen use, but they are just as large and user-friendly as any indoor model. You used to find those outdoor sinks much smaller and hooked up to a hose line. This is still one way to have them installed, but if you plan on using your kitchen with any degree of moderate to heavy activity, have it hooked into your home’s water line, it will be the best idea in the end.
The only main distinction between the indoor and outdoor materials and appliances is that outdoors you need to ensure they are waterproof. For obvious reasons, the mat
erials and appliances are exposed to the elements year round. You can still use wood for the cabinetry, you just need to use something like a cedar or redwood, maybe teak, to give you a good weather-resistant material. The appliances do well using materials that you might find in a commercial kitchen. So, stainless steel is a good idea. It looks good and can be cleaned easily enough outdoors.
Something to consider regarding your counter tops is the use of brick or stone. These make for the longest lasting and resilient surfaces outdoors. Once you’ve got these outdoor kitchen plans set, you can start thinking about how you’ll make a room out of it. If you already have a covered patio of some sort, then you can just expand upon it. If not, building a patio cover that will be used as the framework or skeleton for this outdoor space is a great idea. You’ll start with the flooring and work your way up.
photo credit: xoxoryan
The floor of your kitchen should be something that will not be slippery when wet. A paver or flagstone material is a great choice. Likewise, a natural stone or even brick can work in this space. If you already have a slab, you can use an outdoor rug to give you some traction and cushioning for your legs and back. Standing outdoors for long periods will begin to wear on your bones. This isn’t how you want your patio space to treat you! There are no specific rules to follow when designing outdoor kitchens, so just make them fit your lifestyle and enjoy!