If there is one landscape element that has the potential to transform your outdoor living space into someplace you will actually spend time day after day, what would it be? If you guessed that an outdoor kitchen would be that one element, you’d be correct. Here’s why outdoor kitchens are in demand for landscape design plans in East Hampton, Long Island, NY.
A fully equipped outdoor kitchen can be a big investment, but it’s an investment in quality of life and adds lasting value to your home.
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An Outdoor Kitchen Meets a Real Need
In a way, an outdoor kitchen could be thought of as an extravagance: after all, you have a perfectly functional indoor kitchen so why invest in an outdoor duplicate? However, adding an outdoor kitchen can serve several important practical purposes if you’re someone who loves to spend as much time outdoors as possible.
If you’re a fan of grilled foods like meats or fish, you know how much smoke and odors would quickly fill your kitchen (and most of your house); and smelly foods can linger for days if you were to grill indoors.
As well, cooking indoors on a hot summer day makes the kitchen feel even hotter. Cranking up the air conditioning is a solution, but one that will drive your utility bills sky high. Outdoors - even on the hottest day - the cooking heat can rise and escape. And if there’s constant traffic in and out of the house on a hot day, the air conditioning will also have to work harder.
Outdoor kitchens also keep your house cleaner. When kids are playing outdoors all day and want a snack, they’re not always going to remember to take off their shoes, or even dry off if they’ve been playing in the pool or sprinkler. This constant traffic can wreak havoc on your floors.
When an outdoor cooking area consists of a simple grill/BBQ island, there will still be many trips to the house for necessities - and even side dishes may need to be prepared indoors: and this is why some people believe that an outdoor kitchen is an extravagance.
However, if an outdoor kitchen contains everything you truly need (and use) then the number of trips to the house - and the need for multiple spaces - goes down to virtually zero. A wood-fired pizza oven, griddle, coffee maker, storage, refrigerator, ice maker, sink, dishwasher, wine cooler, and griddle are popular items in a fully stocked outdoor kitchen.
Ultimately, though, an outdoor kitchen can be the ideal solution for homeowners who love to relax and entertain outdoors.
The outdoor kitchen itself doesn’t need to be extravagant. It just needs to house the appliances and conveniences you truly need on a daily basis - whatever it takes to help you stay outside longer. Whatever your budget, there is an outdoor kitchen solution that will work.
Outdoor Kitchens Add Value To the Home
Homes that feature a well-designed, well-equipped outdoor kitchen sell for more than similar homes without an outdoor kitchen. In fact, several national publications estimate that homeowners can expect to recoup 100-200 percent of their costs (as long as the outdoor kitchen is proportional to the home’s value, size, and location).
With that said, design your outdoor kitchen for your needs and lifestyle. In many backyards, an outdoor kitchen may see several expansions over time with the addition of a smoker, a wood-fired pizza oven, refrigeration, a dishwasher, or even a griddle. So design the outdoor kitchen for your needs; think more about how you will enjoy the space than resale value.
An Outdoor Kitchen Is Your Backyard Home Base
Most people want to spend time outdoors when the weather is nice. The outdoor kitchen is home base, a hub for gathering friends and family to share good food and good company.
It’s estimated that the average American spends 175 hours in their kitchen each month, as compared to 31 hours in the living room. And whenever there’s a gathering, everybody congregates in the kitchen, no matter how small it may be.
Fortunately, outdoor kitchens can typically take advantage of open space. In fact, many homeowners are choosing to reduce the size of their lawn in favor of an outdoor living space that makes sense for them: prioritizing the space that gets used the most, which is typically the kitchen/dining area. If you think about how many lawns go largely unused (even with families that have kids and dogs) compared to the amount of work it takes to maintain a lawn, it makes sense to repurpose a portion of it to a space that is used often.
Even the outdoor living room - the outdoor fireplace or fire pit area with comfortable seating - doesn’t get used as much as the cooking/dining area. In any gathering, you’ll notice that most people prefer to be around the kitchen.
A well-designed outdoor kitchen simply makes entertaining better. Good design is key. The placement of the kitchen, and the right amenities in the right location (such as a refrigerator at the end of a cabinet run), will ensure that the cook is not tripping over guests, and that the guests are part of the action.
One great outdoor kitchen design involves a bar; whether it’s part of a U-shaped or L-shaped kitchen, the bar creates additional work space as well as a great spot for guests to engage with the cook.
Expanding the outdoor living space - primarily the kitchen - is an investment that will pay off in added usable space, and more time spent with friends and family.
Related: 4 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE SAFETY OF OUTDOOR KITCHENS IN BROOKHAVEN
An Outdoor Kitchen Blurs the Line Between Indoors and Outdoors
Today’s homeowners are extending indoor living into the great outdoors. They want the same quality appliances and amenities, the same conveniences, and the same luxuries they enjoy indoors. With advances in technology and materials - such as stainless steel appliances and outdoor audio systems, it’s now possible to have chef quality appliances outdoors, and jam to great music while cooking and dining.
Today, the home and landscape are no longer completely separate spaces; they are becoming one large functional space; and just as most homes have multiple bathrooms, an indoor kitchen and an outdoor kitchen each have their space, and their place in everyday living.
The stand-alone grill of yesterday is becoming a distant memory as indoor kitchen amenities make their way onto the patio. Even a simple grill station will now often house a mini fridge as well as plenty of storage, to minimize trips into the house. But more people are expanding on the idea of outdoor grilling, and adding amenities such as cooktops, kamado grills, smokers, and even wood-fired pizza ovens that can support restaurant-quality dining experiences.
An Outdoor Kitchen Is a Place to De-Stress
Cooking outdoors can help us unplug from the fast pace of life and get down to what really matters: spending time with family and friends. Outdoor kitchens may be situated on a patio, but they are largely surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature. This green environment helps create a tranquil atmosphere that helps everyone de-stress after a busy day at work or school.
Tip: add a masonry raised bed planter close to the kitchen, where you can grow culinary herbs and veggies such as tomatoes and cucumbers. There’s nothing as wonderful as cooking outdoors, especially when you’re using freshly picked ingredients!
Add Shelter For a Truly Awesome Outdoor Kitchen
One of the best additions you can incorporate into an outdoor kitchen is a pavilion. A pavilion is an open-sided permanent structure that will keep you out of the elements while cooking and sitting at the bar. The solid roof keeps the rain away… you can add misters for an incredibly wonderful cooling effect… and a ceiling fan that (along with the open sides) will allow for plenty of air flow… and you can add an outdoor fireplace on the bar side (where your guests sit) to create an amazing outdoor hangout that isn’t dependent on good weather.
If you only plan on using an outdoor kitchen in good weather, you could install a pergola instead. This shade structure allows hot air to rise while keeping the space shaded. Some people will eventually install a clear polycarbonate roof on the pergola to add weather protection and extend the outdoor entertaining season; but for the typical sunny afternoon cookout, a pergola will serve a great purpose - and it’s an elegant addition to any backyard.
Both pavilions and pergolas can be any size, so you have the option of sheltering just your outdoor kitchen, or a seating area as well. Either way, you’ll end up using your patio a lot more.
An Outdoor Kitchen is a Focal Point You Can Be Proud Of
Unless your home is custom, or unless you’ve done a major interior renovation, you are to some extent stuck with a kitchen you may not be absolutely in love with. And that’s the beauty of designing your own outdoor kitchen: it can be whatever you want it to be.
Working with a designer will ensure that your outdoor kitchen vision is realized in a space that is both functional and beautiful, that complements the home, and makes the best use of your outdoor space.
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