An outdoor kitchen can give you more cooking space, encourage you to spend time outside, and even increase the value of your home. But if you want the best possible space, you’ll need to plan ahead as thoroughly as possible.
How do you create a blueprint for your outdoor kitchen and get everything you want for a reasonable price?
Getting Started
You don’t need to make any major decisions at the start, nor do you need to dig into the details of the exact materials you’re going to use or who you’re going to hire as a contractor. Instead, in the early days, all you need to do is focus on learning as much as you can about outdoor kitchens.
You can browse for different outdoor appliances, sort through different styles and structural layouts, and get inspiration from photos and videos of outdoor kitchens that have already been created. The more you expose yourself to the outdoor kitchen world, the more you’ll get a sense for what’s available, what you like, and what might fit in your backyard.
With this information and context, you’ll be in a much better position to draw up plans for the ideal outdoor kitchen for your needs. And even though you might run into the paradox of choice trap with so many possibilities, you’ll also gain valuable experience to help you narrow down those options.
Defining the Basics
When you’re ready to get more serious about creating a blueprint for your outdoor kitchen, you can start defining the basics:
- Size and scope. What size kitchen are you looking for, and what is the overall scope of that kitchen? Is this going to be a relatively small food preparation area, or do you also intend this to be a significant gathering space for your friends and family members? Are you primarily going to be cooking by yourself for a small number of people, or will you have many people helping to cook grandiose feasts? As you might imagine, bigger and more extensive kitchens are more expensive, so keep your budget in mind as well.
- Layout and positioning. Next, you can work on the layout and positioning of your outdoor kitchen. This is partially going to be restricted by the space you have available in your backyard. Go out and measure the area so you can better conceptualize how your outdoor kitchen might fit within it. You can beautify your outdoor kitchen and squeeze out some extra space by playing with the layout and positioning, so experiment to figure out what works best for your situation.
- Core appliances and utilities. Appliances are going to anchor your outdoor kitchen, so choose them wisely. You’ll probably want a grill or a stove top at minimum, but would it be better if you had both? Do you want a refrigerator as well? And do you want natural gas, electricity, water, or all three running to your outdoor kitchen?
- Aesthetic choices. What kind of aesthetics do you want for your backyard? And for your outdoor kitchen, specifically? Are you looking for something polished, minimalist, or modern? Or would you prefer something more rustic and traditional?
- Room for expansion. You may also design your outdoor kitchen with some extra room for expansion if you plan on building out more of it in the future. Keep your long-term plans in mind as you begin this project.
Working With Experts
If you feel stuck, or if you just want some extra advice, consider working directly with experts who have experience in planning and building outdoor kitchens. They can help answer some of your questions and point you in the right direction.
Setting Your Budget
At some point, you’ll also need to decide how much you’re willing to spend on your outdoor kitchen. If you had an unlimited budget, you could probably get anything and everything you wanted. But if you’re like most people, there’s an upper ceiling to what you’re willing to invest. At this point in your research, you should have a ballpark idea of how much your ideal kitchen might cost; from there, you can make adjustments until you have the right fit.
Nailing Down the Specifics
Once you’ve done that, you can begin nailing down the specifics. Review all the information you’ve gathered at this point and start making final calls about materials, appliances, layout, and so on.
Beginning the Project
Managing home improvement projects is a sensitive art. No matter how thorough or well-documented your plans are, you have to be prepared for the possibility that they don’t play out exactly as you imagine. Still, with adequate research and a proper blueprint for your outdoor kitchen, you’ll be in a much better position to succeed with this dynamic home improvement.