The outdoor kitchen is a beloved amenity in every homeowner’s life, as it creates a unique space in your garden where family members and friends can gather to create lifelong memories and just have fun under the clear blue sky. Plus, it’s healthy for you. It’s not difficult to design, build, and decorate, either, as the al fresco kitchen can easily fit into every backyard to complement the floral and vegetable gardens.
There are a number of styles and layouts you can go for, ranging from comprehensive and expensive, all the way to the bare necessities an outdoor kitchen needs to become independent from the rest of the household. Whichever you choose, here are the five tips you need to take to heart in order to create an enchanting kitchen area in your garden.
Start with meticulous landscaping
Before you start rolling in the stoves, fridges, and furniture pieces, you should tidy up your garden and spruce up your floral and vegetable arrangements. The purpose of this task is twofold: you will have decluttered and made room for the decor, and you will have livened up your gardens to create a beautiful and functional design, like a calming outdoor oasis.
Needless to say, this will create a beautiful image everyone will love to be a part of, and it will inspire people to gravitate naturally towards the kitchen, instead of staying cooped-up inside. Be sure to utilize as much vertical space as possible by raising vertical gardens rich with flowers and spices, in order to bring that oasis feel to life while making way for the decor elements.
Create an al fresco dining area
Now that you have your floral and vegetable gardens in tip-top shape, and preferably color-coded for maximum aesthetic appeal, you can start designing and decorating the seating area. Preferably, this intimate space will be in the center of the backyard, a little ways away from the back patio, and the main kitchen area.
This will help create an intimate dining space in a peaceful setting, but you can also choose to arrange it right next to the cooking area, both are viable options. Regardless of the design choice, you will need a grand dining table and outdoor chairs you can easily put away in the shed or store on the patio. Don’t forget to buy a rain-proof cover for the table if you want to keep it in the backyard all year round.
Equip the kitchen with everything you need
The key piece of this al fresco puzzle is, of course, the kitchen itself. This area needs to be independent from the interior kitchen and completely self-sufficient, able to cater to a number of guests and a myriad of taste palates and preferences. Achieving this will require you to bring in the right kind of appliances and cooking necessities.
You will need a clean, weather-resistant countertop for all of your food-preparation needs, and be sure to introduce eco-friendly appliances that are built to withstand the elements such as Frigidaire ranges and fridges coated in stainless steel and adorned in an Energy Star rating. Remember to always look for the Energy Star declaration on all of your appliances if you want to lower your energy bills and aid in the preservation of the environment.
Shelter against the weather
Every outdoor space needs to enjoy adequate weather protection, the kitchen and the dining area in particular. You need to protect your appliances and furniture from the elements, and you also need to protect your guests from unfavorable weather conditions as well. After all, why allow a little rain to ruin your Sunday lunch?
Instead, be sure to prepare for every occasion. For the dining area, you can build a pergola with a solid roof or a gazebo in the middle of the yard. The same can go for the cooking area. For wind protection, you can raise vertical gardens and natural wind shields. Lastly, introduce a simple fire pit to keep the area toasty during the colder months of the year.
Small accents can go a long way
Finally, always keep in mind that smart decorating trumps extravagant embellishments, so think small but effective. The first accent you should think about is the lighting scheme. By far one of the most popular and aesthetically-pleasing options is lantern lighting. You can hang warm-hued lanterns on the backyard fence, on the tree branches, and even directly above the dining and cooking areas by running a lantern line from one point to the other across the backyard.
Next, think of the walkway. Something simple like stepping stones leading to these areas adorned in warm walkway lights can really help you bring an enchanting fairy-tale setting to life. Keep the decor lively with colorful cushions, throws, and blankets and you have yourself a vibrant, beautiful outdoor kitchen!
Creating a kitchen and a dining area in your backyard is a rewarding experience, one that will set the stage for many wonderful moments spent with your loved ones under the stars. Follow this simple guide to build your very own al fresco kitchen that every family member will love.