No matter what type of climate you live in, there is always a nice season where you want to spend as much time as possible outside, enjoying the weather. For some, it is a small window of time and for others, you can practically live outside all year long. One way to maximize your time outside is to have an outdoor kitchen installed in your backyard. The ideal outdoor kitchen will mean different things to different people. Some people may want a more streamlined outdoor kitchen with just the necessities while others may want all of the bells and whistles. Today, outdoor kitchens can be just as elaborate as indoor kitchens so when designing your outdoor kitchen, the sky is truly the limit. If you entertain a lot, you may need different features than someone that primarily uses their outdoor kitchen for just their family. Below are tips for creating an outdoor kitchen.

• Choose the Best Location
  • You have heard the saying – “Location, Location, Location!” Well, this saying is as true as ever with an outdoor kitchen. You need to assess the flow of your yard, how your yard will be used for entertaining and how far exactly you want to walk around carrying trays of food. While it may be tempting to keep your outdoor kitchen as close to the house as possible, you have to consider that smoke will be coming off of the grill and could end up funneling right into your home. Additionally, consider the views you have from inside your home. If your home boasts lovely views of your yard and landscaping from various vantage points, you may want to place your outdoor kitchen off to one side or the other so that it does not obstruct any views. If you are unsure where the ideal location is for your outdoor kitchen, an experienced landscape designer will be able to offer expert advice on designing your outdoor kitchen and choosing the best location.
• Flooring
  • The foundation of your outdoor kitchen is an incredibly important part of your outdoor kitchen’s overall design. The flooring you choose for your outdoor kitchen will be an important part of its design aesthetic and an extension of your landscape design aesthetic. Consider your climate and the types of weather that the flooring will experience. That will be an important part of choosing flooring because the last thing you want is to choose a flooring, have it installed and realize within a year or two that it is not weathering well at all. Budget will be another consideration when choosing flooring. The size and layout of your outdoor kitchen will determine how much flooring you need. If you are designing an outdoor kitchen that is on the smaller side, your budget may allow for more expensive flooring but if you are designing a large outdoor kitchen, you may have to watch your budget more closely when choosing flooring. There are many natural materials to choose from as well as a wide array of interesting, beautiful and unique synthetic materials to choose from.
• Appliances
  • One of the most fun parts of designing your outdoor kitchen is choosing appliances. Just because you are outside does not mean you cannot have everything you want from a kitchen perspective. You can have a sink, cook top, grill, pizza oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and more to make entertaining convenient and fun. Be a part of the party while cooking for your guests and never miss a minute of the action because of the convenience that appliances add to your outdoor kitchen. You will have to factor in the size of your outdoor kitchen when determining just what appliances you can install because they will need adequate space but if you have the room, you can have everything you ever wanted in your outdoor kitchen.
• Bring Indoor Outside
  • Just like you would decorate in your home and your kitchen, you can decorate in your outdoor kitchen. Not only can you add small decor in your outdoor kitchen to create ambiance but you can make a comfortable seating area or dining area nearby for entertaining guests. A weatherproof sofa, arm chairs coffee table, dining table or more will make your guests feel comfortable and at home. If you would like to have extra space for entertaining guests or to create a seating area factor that into your outdoor kitchen’s overall design.