Eating outdoors when the weather’s right is an absolute luxury that we love indulging in. Whether it’s savoring a tranquil moment after a long day, or entertaining and sharing your backyard oasis with friends, some of your best meals have been eaten outside.
Outdoor kitchens are one of the top landscaping and renovation trends right now because people want to take that indulgence a step further. The trend is all about personalization and lifestyle, and with so many options and benefits, they make plenty of sense as an addition to your home.
“People who love to eat are always the best people.“
– Julia Child
Why an Outdoor Kitchen?
Outdoor kitchens are all about lifestyle. If you’re the type that enjoys being outside all summer with your family and friends, then an outdoor kitchen can be the perfect way to get more of those moments in your life.
If that sounds enticing enough, consider some of the other benefits:
Entertaining: Who doesn’t love a summer patio party? Whether it’s the primary reason to build an outdoor kitchen or not, the space will have you dazzling guests more often, practically begging you to throw some steaks on and mix a few drinks. You’ll also save money by decreasing restaurant cravings, preferring your own tasty backyard creations.
Taste: Grilled simply tastes better. The ingredients taste fresher, and when the smell of your food fills the air, you’ll enjoy your meals even more. Being able to prep all of your materials outside where you cook them will also keep the mess outdoors and make the grilling experience that much easier.
Space: Whether you have a growing family or a desire for extra space, an outdoor kitchen opens up a new frontier of living space. It essentially adds another room to your home with the added bonus of spending more evenings outside, where you can relax while the kids run off some energy.
Resale: Personal reasons aside, an outdoor kitchen has a real ROI when it comes to resale. Depending on how versatile and appealing your kitchen is to other buyers, you could reap 100% or more of your investment back.
Design Ideas:
Once you set your sights on wanting one, you can start dreaming up what your outdoor kitchen could look like. Ideally, the styles you choose should be a mix of practical and beautiful: something that blends into your existing backyard aesthetic but expands on what you’ve been dreaming of creating.
Here are a few style ideas to get your imagination going for your own backyard creation:
Traditional: Think of stone masonry with a beautiful wooden pergola overhead to enclose the space. If you want to closely integrate it with your indoor kitchen, you can even use the existing styles from there to inspire your design.
Contemporary: Picture sleek lines, formed concrete, and granite countertops.This design is guaranteed to create an entertaining centerpiece that will get guests buzzing with its energetic and modern edge. You could create a chic secluded oasis tucked away from the rest of the yard or even a prime poolside hub.
Rustic: If a Tuscany vibe is your style, earth-tone colors and gorgeous rough-stone counters will create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Perfect for that pizza oven, this design will make your dinner guests want to relax and enjoy another glass of wine!
