Outdoor Living: How to Set Up an Outdoor Kitchen

An outdoor kitchen seems to be a necessity right now. As we’re spending more time at home, it provides an alternative way to gather our family over food, alfresco-style.

Why You Should Set Up An Outdoor Kitchen

Great for entertaining guests. Grills will always be part of backyards. But, with an outdoor kitchen, you can set up other features to complete your al fresco dining experience—fridge, coolers, storage, oven, dining table, power burners, etc. These are a great conversation starter, but they provide a place to entertain guests, too.

Expands your living space. Outdoor kitchens make use of previously unused space. It can also accommodate other appliances that otherwise wouldn’t fit in your indoor kitchen. Add a counter space and a deck box for storage and you’re all set to do the cooking outside your home. From cookware to gardening supplies, and pool equipment, there’s nothing a deck box can store. Even better, there are plenty of options to choose from in terms of price and style.

Makes cooking convenient. Depending on the layout, outdoor kitchens usually have larger spaces, allowing more family members to help prepare food, set the table, mix drinks, grill, and clean without bumping on each other. Cooking outside also means your home doesn’t have to deal with food odors and smoke. In case of spills, it’s easier to power wash the floor instead of wiping it down, as you would inside.

Save on energy bills. Kitchen hoods remove airborne grease, fumes, heat, smoke, and steam that would otherwise travel throughout your home. But, when you cook outside you don’t have to bother using it, thus reducing your energy consumption. It also means that your air conditioning will not have to work harder to cool your home when cooking.

Better than eating out. Eating out can be expensive and during this time of social distancing, it’s discouraged, too. But, when you have an outdoor space to cook and dine, you probably wouldn’t mind if you can’t eat in your favorite restaurant. Here, you have a well-equipped outdoor kitchen to prepare and cook the food your family enjoys.

How to Set Up for Cooking Outside

If you’re sold on the idea of cooking, feasting, and spending time with your family outside, we’ve put together all the tips to help you get started with planning an outdoor kitchen.

• Select the right location

Where would you set up your outdoor kitchen? There are a few factors you can consider when deciding where exactly to put it: it has to be a certain distance from your home, has enough space for dining and storage, and at the same time, protected from the elements.

• Provide adequate shade

With an outdoor kitchen, you’d also want to have enough shade to keep you from the sun when cooking. While trees are great, you wouldn’t want to set it up directly underneath them. Otherwise, debris like leaves, branches, and pollen may fall frequently on what you’re cooking. An awning or pergola is a convenient alternative.

• Keep it accessible from your home

Although we mentioned keeping your outdoor kitchen pretty distanced from your home, you wouldn’t want to place it too far from it either. This makes it easy to go back and forth, particularly if you don’t keep a set of dinnerware, cookware, and appliances exclusive for outdoor use.

• Think about the view

Complete your al fresco dining experience by taking into consideration the view of your outdoor kitchen. You can choose a location that is overlooking your gardens. But, if you’d rather have a private kitchen, then you can set it away from the neighbor’s view.

• Blend seamlessly into your surroundings

Finally, it’s a great idea to match the materials and finish of your countertops, cupboard, and other storage solutions to the existing decor in your outdoor space. Wood tones will always blend with nature and the good news is that you can always find quality deck box storage in that finish.

Takeaway

A beautiful outdoor kitchen can improve the overall appearance and appeal of your home. It also affords you a great space for fun and entertainment. But, beyond all that, it can also increase the value of your property, which can benefit you, should you decide to sell it in the future.

What are your thoughts about setting up a kitchen outdoors? Let us know by leaving a comment below. Share this article with your friends whom you think can benefit from an outdoor kitchen, too!