The heat of our city can make limit the time we actually have to enjoy Houston outdoor living unless something can be done to give us climate control and comfort outside.  What we need is kind of enclosure that offers the best of the indoor world and the outdoor world. 

If we can build such a structure, activities like outdoor cooking, dining, swimming, cocktail parties, and athletics can be enjoyed at any time of day, and not just in the late evening or nighttime hours.  A summer kitchen is just such a structure that can make it possible to do all of these things at times of the day that you normally could not stay outside for very long.  Here’s how. 

Consider first of all that we are talking about a luxury environment.  Summer kitchens are built with fans, air conditioners, and heaters that make Houston outdoor living feel like being in a comfortable home.  This is part of the sophistication of design that characterizes these structures.  They are more than simply a place to cook outside.  They are actually several types of structures combined into one.

The primary, functional are is the kitchen area itself.  It comes complete with a stove, an optional grill area for traditional outdoor cooking, and all the many appliances you need to make a kitchen fully operational.  The reason for this level of detail is to make an outdoor kitchen completely self-sustaining.  You do not need to every go inside your house for cookware, spices, drinks, meats, or vegetables that you need for food preparation. 

This essentially transplants the custom kitchen of high-end homes into a Houston outdoor living experience of gardens, trees, and beautiful landscape forms. 

A summer kitchen also includes an indoor dining and lounge area. This part of the building is designed for maximum comfort.  The seating area is built to accommodate the expected number of guests that normally attend dinner events at your home. 

Both this area and the kitchen have full climate controls to keep the interior cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

In some cases too, an outdoor kitchen is built with an adjoining patio with additional seating and tables.  This patio is fully open to the surrounding environment, but it is also covered by a roof that keeps direct sunlight from its surface.  It can be equipped with fans that generate a comfortable breeze that makes even the dog days of August feel comfortable.

Along with its superb custom architecture, what makes the summer kitchen so important to a quality Houston outdoor living experience is the way it serves as a springboard to so many other activities.  It is large enough to host a nice cocktail party on any summer night.  It can also be built near the swimming pool so it can function as a serving area for pool parties, birthday parties, and family reunions. 

From a design perspective, a summer kitchen makes any backyard look like it was created for nothing but the best in Houston outdoor living.   Its structural design mirrors the motifs of the main house.  Its blend of form and function make it almost a home behind the home that adds curb appeal to the entire property.