Fire magic outdoor kitchen has become one of the hottest home improvement trends of the early 2000s. They can be very simple or very elaborate, costing anywhere from a couple of thousand dollars to well over $50,000.
If you are thinking about building an outdoor kitchen yourself or having one built, and you have no idea where to begin, there are three good, basic conceptual designs you can start with to see which would work best in your situation. Three popular styles of outdoor kitchens are: a simple outdoor kitchen “island,” an L-shaped outdoor kitchen, or a U-shaped outdoor kitchen. Another example is the cal flame bbq islands.
The island design is the simplest. It can consist of a built-in grill, a sink, and some counter space for basic food preparation. This design is good in several settings and situations. For small backyards that might be overwhelmed by an elaborate U-shaped design, a simple outdoor kitchen island may be ideal. It is also a good choice for someone who plans on casual, occasional use of an outdoor kitchen for cooking simple meals like grilled steak or chicken.
An L-shaped outdoor kitchen is more elaborate than the outdoor kitchen island. This design combines space for cooking/grilling, food prep, and dining. For example, the leg of the “L” containing the grill might extend farther out and be equipped with tall counter or bar stools for convenient seating.
A U-shaped outdoor kitchen is the most elaborate of the three basic designs. One leg of the “U” can be used for food prep, the second leg for cooking, and the third leg of the U can be used for seating.
When planning an outdoor kitchen, plan for foot traffic around the food prep area. Also make sure that there is room for children to play far enough from the built in grill to be safe. A good rule of thumb is to put three feet or so of work space on each side of the grill, and put 1 ½ to 2 feet of open space on either side of the sink.
Allow plenty of room between the counter stools and their surroundings so that people have room to walk behind them. Allow 25 to 30 inches from the center of one counter stool to the center of the next one.
Be sure to account for weather when designing your outdoor kitchen. Since it will be exposed to the elements, it is a good idea to construct an outdoor kitchen from materials like stone, brick, tile, stucco, or stainless steel. You also need to have a cover for the grill for when it isn’t in use. It is also important to have enough ventilation so that smoke from the grill can easily blow away. You might even consider installing an exhaust hood over a grill if it is large enough to generate large quantities of smoke.
Patios usually have no trouble supporting the weight of outdoor kitchens, but sometimes decks require extra structural support. Make sure that the area immediately under and surrounding the grill can stand up to high heat, sparks, and stray embers that may fall on it.
The more convenient and inviting your outdoor kitchen is, the more likely you are to use and enjoy it, whether it is a small, simple outdoor kitchen island or an elaborate gourmet grill setup with seating for 20.