Organizing Your Outdoor Kitchen: Best Techniques For Efficiency
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Building an outdoor kitchen is one of the ways to enrich the outdoor living space and provide a comfortable space to spend time with family and friends. Homeowners should consider many factors when designing an outdoor kitchen, including the weather, budget, and available space. The project should focus on striking a balance between efficiency and aesthetics. A well-designed outdoor kitchen can offer many benefits, such as providing an additional entertainment space and improving guests’ culinary experience. This article highlights a few tips to help homeowners enjoy a stylish and efficient outdoor kitchen.
Evaluate the Outdoor Space
Homeowners must determine how much outdoor space the kitchen will occupy. Additionally, one must consider the climate before installing the kitchen, storage, and drainage systems. For example, experts from RTA Outdoor Living recommend installing quality outdoor drawers and cabinets to protect valuable items from weather elements. Homeowners should also consider building the outdoor kitchen close to the indoor one for easier access to household items and to utilize some indoor appliances and utilities like electricity.
Choose a Suitable Kitchen Layout
To create a functional kitchen space, start by designating the work zones, where family members prepare ingredients, cook food, and serve food to the family or guests. Another important thing to consider is the work triangle. Placing the fridge, grill, and sink area based on the triangular layout helps create an efficient space to save time when preparing food. Lastly, it would be best to create ample space between the work zones and kitchen appliances for safety and easy movement.
Invest in Quality Outdoor Appliances
Anyone planning to create an outdoor kitchen must consider the type of appliances to install in this space. Propane and gas grills are a standard choice because they are affordable, easy to use, and require minimal maintenance. However, homeowners can also consider charcoal and electric appliances for grilling steak and preparing other meal options. They can also view an outdoor pizza oven, ice makers, and smokers.
Quality Materials
Everything in the outdoor kitchen must be made of quality material to withstand the weather elements while serving its purpose and maintaining curb appeal. Homeowners can always choose between concrete, metal, or wood kitchen structures. Although wood is affordable, it is prone to weather or termite damage. Similarly, metal is perfect for dry areas, but humid locations could lead to corrosion. However, concrete is weather-resistant and ideal for any climate, so it is a popular option. Remember to include structures that provide shade, especially for summer cookouts. Choosing quality and decorative materials could help express the homeowner’s personality and style.
Planning the Storage Space
While it is wise to design the outdoor kitchen next to the indoor one, installing a separate storage area for outdoor supplies is equally important. Vertical storage options, such as shelves and racks, could be helpful when storing cookware. The outdoor essentials can go into the in-built cabinetry or the kitchen drawers. Homeowners with limited space should consider getting mufti-functional furniture or foldable pieces to save space and provide adequate storage.
Decide Between Portable and Permanent Structures
Anyone planning an outdoor kitchen in a rental home or a location they don’t see themselves living in for a long time should reconsider their options. For example, they can use a mobile cart and a barbeque island as countertops. One should also consider the maintenance, precisely the time it takes to clean these kitchen appliances and surfaces, before settling on permanent or movable features. Additionally, the frequency of use and schedule should act as a guide when designing this outdoor kitchen to avoid overspending on unnecessary structures.
An outdoor kitchen could be all a homeowner needs to transform their dream home. However, when organizing an outdoor kitchen, it is important to research, work with experts, and incorporate personal style. These tips help create an efficient and beautiful outdoor food preparation and dining space.
