18 Outdoor Kitchen Design and Planning Tips to Try in 2024

Before the first construction of an outdoor kitchen, it is important to think about why an outdoor kitchen will benefit your family. Are you looking for more space? Do you enjoy entertaining guests? Both are viable reasons to turn part of your backyard into a functional and beautiful outdoor kitchen.
Would you like to find out how other homeowners have done this task, keep reading our tips on how to start building or buying an outdoor kitchen? First, we’ll share some key steps for planning your project.

Then we’ll provide a few tips from professional designers and contractors about what they’ve learned from their past customers’ experiences with building outdoor kitchens, as well as their most successful ideas.

What exactly is an outdoor kitchen? An outdoor kitchen is defined as a kitchen or an outdoor space with the appliances and features of a standard indoor kitchen.
Mid-year is the time to start planning for major renovations and projects such as new outdoor kitchen designs. Here we have a more in-depth guide:

1. Think carefully about your location

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Consider the climate where you live, as well as how it changes throughout the year. If you live in a hot climate, for example, you may want to place your outdoor kitchen near trees that provide shade during warm months and shelter from wind during other times of the year. Otherwise, strong winds or heat radiating from surrounding buildings could affect how well your outdoor kitchen works. The layout of your yard should take into consideration areas with high foot traffic and places where children might play—if necessary, consider creating a designated play space away from where food is prepared and served.

2. Plan carefully for weather extremes

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If you live in a climate with wet and dry seasons, consider how water might affect your outdoor kitchen. For example, if your kitchen is built near the edge of a deck or other surface area, where water could gather during heavy rains and cause damage to the structure and surrounding areas by seeping into cracks. You may want to build your outdoor kitchen at least 30 inches above ground level to ensure that it remains dry when rain falls on the roof or around it. Also, remember whether utility connections such as gas lines will be easily accessible come wintertime when freezing temperatures could lead to ruptured pipes.

3. Build or buy?

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For many people, building an outdoor kitchen from scratch is the best option; it gives homeowners greater control over their outdoor kitchen design. The drawback is that building an outdoor kitchen tends to be expensive, especially if you hire a contractor or other professional to help with the project (if you’re interested in learning about estimating construction costs for an outdoor kitchen, click here.. If you want your new outdoor kitchen to serve double duty as a space for entertaining guests and cooking food, consider buying or renting a portable grill or countertop grill instead of building one from scratch.

4. Consider practical matters

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Whether you decide to build an outdoor kitchen yourself or hire someone else to do it, take into consideration how people will enter and move around the area safely. For example, if there are steps involved in accessing your outdoor kitchen, you may want to build a ramp or provide handrails. If your outdoor kitchen is built beneath the deck of your home, consider building steps leading up to it so that people can easily get in and out of the area.

5. Think about how much maintenance the area will require

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Take into consideration how often you clean dishes used for cooking inside your house and determine whether you want to do the same with dishes prepared outdoors. A portable grill might help reduce the amount of cleanup associated with grilling food on an outdoor stove or oven, since it’s easy to wipe off and transport if necessary (click here for more information on selecting a portable grill. Your choice of countertops can make a big difference as well; some materials like tile are easy to wipe down when necessary. Marble is a great choice and you learn more about it www.emilamerica.com/collections/tiles-effect-marble.

6. Shop around for your appliances

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If you decide to build an outdoor kitchen with gas, electric, or charcoal appliances, consider what types of appliances might work best in your space (click here if you’re interested in learning about the differences between propane and natural gas. If you plan to cook food on a grill outdoors, think about whether it would be better to invest in a large grill that takes up most of the countertop space or one that fits into a smaller area. Decide whether an oven should have its own dedicated countertop surface or if it can sit inside another appliance such as a cabinet or drawer, especially if your outdoor kitchen is built beneath the deck or other part of your home.

What are some general tips for making your outdoor Kitchen successful?

  1. Create focal points in the design
  2. Optimize your use of surface & natural light
  3. Make sure you have all possible amenities that would be included in an indoor kitchen
  4. Ensure weatherproofing is taken into consideration
  5. Consider safety issues
  6. Look out for products that are both functional & aesthetically pleasing
  7. Choose quality over quantity
  8. Consider portability
  9. Evaluate how the space will be used
  10. Ensure the placement doesn’t interfere with any landscaping plans
  11. Use energy-efficient appliances
  12. Think about how much maintenance is involved
  13. Make sure there’s enough storage space
  14. Look out for products that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing
  15. Consider the type of grill you want
  16. Don’t forget seating
  17. Emphasize natural stone surfaces to bring ultimate luxury to your outdoor kitchen – it makes for a great focal point
    Add water features like fountains

Conclusion

Whether you’re ready to build your own outdoor kitchen, or you know someone who is, consider some of these design and planning tips before building an outdoor kitchen in 2024. The tips listed above will help you create a functional and beautiful outdoor kitchen that’s safe and easy to use.