10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Outdoor Kitchen Layout

There’s nothing like an outdoor kitchen to liven up a backyard and encourage residents to commune with nature. All that fresh air and greenery makes a perfect backdrop to both family meals and dinner parties, and the best part is, it’s less expensive than most people think to design and install the perfect outdoor kitchen. Read on to find ten design tips that will help.

1. Select the Right Location

It’s usually best to place outdoor kitchens on a patio or deck at the rear of the house as close to the indoor kitchen as possible. Homeowners will need access to utilities to use some of the fixtures sold at an Outdoor Kitchen Store, and keeping everything close to home helps to cut down on the expense of having them extended to outside the home. 

2. Start With the Largest Items

When coming up with the perfect layout, place the largest items first. Depending on the scale of the kitchen, that might mean grills, pizza ovens, or countertops. Find out how large they will be first, then design the rest of the kitchen space to accommodate these essentials.

3. Incorporate Lots of Counter Space

Plan to have enough counter space to accommodate multiple chefs. At parties and backyard barbecues, guests often offer to help. They’ll need space to chop vegetables, make marinades, or mix drinks without getting in the way.

4. Choose Durable Materials

Not all materials hold up equally well to the elements. Choose durable, weather-proof materials like stone, concrete, tile, or porcelain, and make sure any wood used in the construction is protected. Appliances and fixtures should be made from corrosion-resistant materials like stainless steel.

5. Add a Backsplash

As with indoor kitchens, it’s always best to have a backsplash behind the stove or grill. To keep things simple and affordable, consider using the same countertop material and extending it up the wall instead of installing a completely separate backsplash.

6. Include an Island

It can be hard to fit kitchen islands into small spaces indoors, but that shouldn’t be a problem in an outdoor kitchen since it won’t be constrained by four walls. The island can house a grill, sink, or oven, or it can double as a countertop and a seating area.

7. Incorporate Seating

Most outdoor kitchens double as dining and cooking areas, and that’s great. It allows home chefs to participate in all the fun instead of having to isolate themselves during parties and family events. Just make sure the seating arrangement allows plenty of room to move around and doesn’t encroach on the cooking area too much.

8. Extend the Entertaining Season

Outdoor kitchens aren’t just for balmy summer nights. Homeowners can extend their outdoor cooking seasons by adding propane heaters, fire pits, or outdoor fireplaces.

9. Add Some Shade

Backyard barbecues can really heat things up, so provide some shade for guests and home chefs alike. Pergolas, awnings, or even shade trees planted near the patio will all do the trick.

10. Provide Adequate Lighting

Planning to entertain at night? Make sure there’s adequate lighting not just for getting around the seating area and bar, but also for cooking food after dark.

Let’s Get Cooking

Ready to start taking all those design ideas and turning them into a reality? Start with the basics, buy high-quality outdoor kitchen equipment, and set some money aside in the budget for adding touches of personality when everything else is done.