Outdoor Kitchens

Exterior Worlds was contacted by a client with a unique landscaping challenge. Between one wing of their home and their garage, there was pie-shaped area of the yard that had never been used. This area was too large to ignore, but it was also too small to build a structure of any considerable size. At first the challenge was a bit perplexing. What were we to do with such a unique and difficult space? Fortunately, thanks to our in-depth consultation process aimed at finding out as much as possible about the client’s interests, we learned that this couple loved to host dinner parties at their home. We asked them if they would be interested in having an outdoor kitchen built in this spot. To this they heartily agreed, excited at the possibility of combining outdoor entertainment with the very best in culinary experiences.

In order to make the outdoor kitchen both aesthetically sensible and fully functional, we had to make the most of the limited space we had available. Following the example of interior architects, we decided to build the outdoor kitchen along the side wall of the garage. It stretched from the side door all the way to the corner of the garage. A smaller segment was built at a right angle to this, creating both a sense of enclosure around the patio area, and offering additional surface area for use as a wet bar or food storage area. Cabinets and drawers were then installed in both segments, and a granite counter top was added to provide a durable, and also very ornamental, surface area upon which to work.

The intent was to make this outdoor kitchen a completely self-sustaining area that would never require the owners to run back inside to retrieve or prepare anything. A number of high-end appliances that are standard to custom indoor kitchens were installed to make cooking outside convenient and quick. There was a freezer and a refrigerator which could be used to store food for indefinite periods of time, just as indoor models can do. We also installed an ice maker to keep drinks cool on hot summer afternoons. For cooking, we built our clients a stove with a special side burner that they heating up sauces so the homeowners when cooking spaghetti and chili for their guests. To keep smoke from annoying our clients’ neighbors, we also installed an overhead exhaust vent. All of these appliances were designed for electrical operation on dedicated circuits. The only exception to this was a small, gas-powered grill we installed to allow the homeowners to cook hot dogs, hamburgers, and barbecue in the same area they prepared other foods outside.

We then added a travertine patio to the outdoor kitchen, and used the remainder of the space adjacent to it for a few organic touches. To liven up the appearance of the wall, we built a custom iron trellis with suspended plants growing in the middle. This added a nice contrast of green and black to the white backdrop of the white brick wall. The plants were individually lit as well, so at dusk and nightfall they appear to rise out of the wall and create a superb three-dimensional, organic presence. Near the smaller segment of the countertop, we planted a small herb garden and framed it with a lemon tree and an orange tree on either side. This garden not only added a more robust aesthetic to the area, but it also allowed our clients to grow the herbs they normally cooked with and pull them straight from the garden when preparing meals.

We then enclosed the entire garden area and trees with a special fence made from pressure treated pine framed by iron around the edges. This had the effect of enclosing the patio area with a sense of life and growth that gave the outdoor kitchen a much greater sense of life and vitality than many kitchens of similar design builds found indoors.