The Outdoor Kitchen

Over the last couple of years, we’ve been talking a lot about making the garden an extension of your interior, creating another living space to enjoy in the warmer months. Continuity in a theme from your main living space out into your garden creates a lovely flow through your downstairs and opens up your property.

 Alfresco dining has become a large part of the home’s outdoor identity with more and more people choosing to entertain at home, hard landscaping their garden to create larger patios for entertaining guests.

 The humble BBQ has been always a source of entertainment during a classic British summer but we got a little more adventurous with outdoor cooking in 2012 with the launch of Ooni, the first portable pizza oven. Since then, we’ve seen a spike in the trend for outdoor cooking and it becoming part of the festivities.

 So why not take inspiration from In The Frow’s Victoria Magrath and create a whole kitchen outside! With various gadgets available such as Ooni and Big Green Egg grills it’s easy to create a bespoke space outside to create exciting meals in the summer sunshine.

The most common layout for an outdoor kitchen is gallery style, a single row of units that edge the patio seating area allowing you to entertain your guests whilst cooking. However an L shaped formation can work just as well in zoning the patio area, hugging the edge and creating a barrier between the seating area and the rest of the garden. This works well if you have a larger garden or like to create individual zones for different activities.

 Thanks to the British climate, a lot of the year your appliances will be under cover, you can either opt for a completely open space and use freestanding covers to protect your appliances, or you can invest a little more and create a sheltered area. If you’re opting for a built out look then it’s important to do your research when planning the location of your kitchen to best protect it from the elements all year round. A covered space will also allow you to use the kitchen for more of the year, not that a little rain would stop us Brits!

L-R: Playing with concrete, Wood and steel, Rustic Wood, Black Lacquer, All Metal

Creating a theme in your garden can be great creatively however, trends come and go and with such an investment it’s probably best to create a true extension of your home rather than something trend led that you’ll want to update in a couple of years.

 It’s also a good idea to do some research into what lasts the best in different climates versus the look you want to achieve. They need to be highly resistant to moisture and durable to within stand extreme changes in temperature.

 If you’re looking at stainless steel, make sure it is a higher grade material that is corrosion resistant, a power coating will also provide further protection against rust. An alternative is aluminium, usually more expense but it’s naturally corrosion resistant and is lighter than steel.

 Another durable option is PVC however given the environmental impact of this material, the pros of it being easy to wipe clean is not enough to warrant its use in your garden.

 The final option is real wood, although this creates quite a lot of upkeep, it does lend a natural finish that easily blends with the rest of your garden. Opt for a more weather resistant wood such as teak, mahogany or white oak. You’ll need to repeatedly apply water seals, oils and stains to keep them in top condition.

It’s important to create a solid foundation for your kitchen and seating area. An outdoor suitable porcelain tile can be laid on a concrete screed creating the perfect foundation for a weighty kitchen. Everscape is a 2cm thick porcelain tile with various printed designs to create any look you want from wooden decking through to opulent marble.

It allows you to follow the theme of your living area through to the outside patio to create a seamless flow. This solid foundation can then instruct the rest of the look and feel of your space. You can also create steps using the pedestal system if you’d like a raised patio area to help zone the seating/kitchen area.

If you’re creating an enclosed space then you’ll naturally have a splashback of sorts, this is a great opportunity to add a little personality to your space as it’s less weather dependent. Like your interior kitchen, you can play with colour, texture and format with wall tiles to create a stunning backdrop to your new outdoor kitchen.

 If your kitchen is open, it can still be a good idea to create a perimeter wall around your units, it looks tidier and helps zone the space. You can also tile this area, just ensure to add a lip at the top so that water doesn’t go behind the tiles.

Not sure if a whole outdoor kitchen is for you? Check out our blog on garden bars for a cool garden project on a smaller scale!