Outdoor Kitchen Inspiration
It’s not that many years ago that if we’d have been talking about outdoor cooking, then we wouldn’t have had much to discuss beyond the occasional barbecue. But as our summers get warmer – if not necessarily drier – it would be foolish to pass up on the increased opportunities for alfresco dining.
The trend for open plan living within the home means that whoever is doing the cooking no longer has to lock themselves away from everyone else, and this same idea is now being increasingly applied to outdoor eating.
In this article, we’re going to discover how an Urban Landscape Design & Construction outdoor kitchen can deliver so much more than hot dogs, burgers and corn-on-the-cob cooked on a rusty barbecue.
Outdoor Kitchen Designs
Designing an outside kitchen shouldn’t just be about building something amazing into your back garden that will make your guests’ jaws drop when they first see it. It also needs to be a practical space that has everything you need to make cooking and eating outside both an enjoyable and a successful experience. Here are a few design aspects you probably ought to consider:
Convenience
It should be fairly obvious, but keeping your outdoor kitchen as close to the indoor one as you can will make everything much easier. After all, that’s where your fridge and favourite tools and utensils are likely to be. Placing your outdoor kitchen at the far end of the garden might look better, but it could also mean you spending all night running up and down the garden!
Lighting
You probably won’t want the party to end just because the sun’s gone down, so remember to add some stylish lighting that doesn’t merely illuminate the cooking and eating areas, but also adds some serious style and atmosphere to the occasion.
Complement both house and garden
It’s easy to get carried away by looking at impressive outdoor kitchen designs in glossy magazines, but the best ones are those that have been conceived to complement and blend in with their surroundings. So, when contemplating your design, don’t make it completely at odds with the main house and consider how you can incorporate elements of your garden into it – in other words, the greenery doesn’t have to stop at the place garden becomes kitchen. A smartly conceived transition from one to the other will nearly always work best.
It doesn’t have to be complicated
You’re not going to be using your garden kitchen nearly as much as your main one, and you’re unlikely to be cooking overly complicated meals there either. You can even do most of the prep work indoors in advance. So it doesn’t have to be a replica of your main kitchen or have all the gadgets and extensive work surfaces that you might be used to. A single workbench, a couple of hobs (anything that needs to be done in an oven can just as easily be done indoors), somewhere to store basic pots and pans and a sink should cover most of your needs.
The weather
Last, but certainly not least, this being Britain, it would be foolish to rule out rain even on what appears to be the balmiest of evenings. So ensuring there’s cover – for chef and diners alike – in the event of a sudden shower would be a sensible precaution. Meanwhile, when it does get hot and sunny, that cover could also provide welcome shade for whoever is having to slave over a hot stove for everyone else!
Garden Furniture and Built-in Plants
If you think there’s a lot to think about with the design of your outside kitchen area, then you’re likely to have just as many options to weigh up for the table and seating you and your guests use when everyone settles down to eat the fruits of your labours.
The first decision is whether you want to build permanent, weatherproof furniture into the garden that can be left there throughout the year or to have softer furnishings that are likely to be a bit more comfortable but need to be stored away out of season. We can design and build bespoke furniture that matches your vision and will ensure you and your guests will be completely comfortable for as long as you want your dinner party to continue.
And for the perfect finishing touch, our expert gardeners can incorporate the plants, herbs and flowers that will make your kitchen not just a practical space but a green and pleasant one too. After all, what would a garden kitchen be without the beautiful garden to complete the picture?
Contact Us Today
Here at Urban Landscape Design & Construction, we’ve got 101 outdoor kitchen ideas we can bring to the alfresco kitchen and dining table. If you’re in or near Ascot, Esher or Cobham and you’d like to find out how we can help transform your summers, get in touch with us today to ask for a free home visit.
