A beautiful addition to any home, outdoor kitchens are a great way to commune with nature and each other. Preparing, sharing, and eating food together with friends and family is only enhanced by the natural surroundings and wide-open spaces of your landscape. In many parts of the world, food is still prepared primarily outside in street stalls or in outdoor ovens. However, the modern family doesn’t have to restrict their outdoor cooking to hamburgers and steaks. An outdoor kitchen embraces the best of old traditions and new technologies. This being said, installing an outdoor kitchen is a large and ambitious landscaping project, and it is not one that should be undertaken lightly. If you’re considering installing one of these beautiful and unusual features in your backyard, take a look at the following essential points and carefully consider them.
Installing an Outdoor Kitchen? First Think About These Important Factors
Before becoming too attached to your dreams of beautiful outdoor gatherings, first ensure that you can afford to construct an outdoor kitchen. Make sure you have enough space on your property to accommodate one and that you are aware of the limitations of your climate. If you live in Thornhill or Richmond Hill, use of your outdoor kitchen will more than likely be restricted to our all too fleeting Canadian springs and summers. If you want to make the most of those few warm months, think about the factors that will influence the type of kitchen you build.
- Placement – Since they are fully immersed in nature, outdoor kitchens are subject to its forces and whims. When choosing a location for your outdoor kitchen, think about the direction of the wind and sun. You don’t want to try to cook amidst high winds that blow smoke into your eyes or stand near heat-emitting appliances in direct sunlight. Choose a shady spot that’s shielded from the wind. If you don’t want to purchase too many accessories or a lot of equipment for your outdoor kitchen, it should be placed near the main house for easy access. Think about how much privacy you want and whether it will interfere with overheard power lines.
- Function – Determine what purposes you’d like your outdoor kitchen to serve. This will help you to plan its size, style, and select the relevant accessories. If you’re restricting outdoor cooking to the grill, focus your attention on providing outdoor seating. If you envision cooking outside every night of the summer, you might want to include a stove, sink, refrigerator, or cocktail station with its own collection of cooking implements. More and more appliances and furniture are being designed specifically for outdoor use.
- Utilities – Correct planning of water, gas, and electricity flow are essential to installing and using outdoor kitchens. Do you want hot and cold water? Is gas a necessity? Hire a landscaping company who is on top of building codes and regulations to install these necessary utilities.
- Atmosphere – If you’re planning on using your outdoor kitchen at night, create ambiance with beautiful lighting. Create an ideal climate for your guests by installing overhead fans, a fire pit, a gas heater, or a fireplace. Remember that bug and mosquito control is important during those warm summer nights.
- If you’re looking to install an outdoor kitchen, DonRos Landscape Construction can help. We are professional landscaping contractors who have been helping residents of Thornhill and Richmond Hill to achieve their dreamscapes for over 20 years. We don’t believe in the separation of indoor and outdoor life and specialize in creating outdoor living spaces that enable you and your family and friends to enjoy nature to the fullest.
Contact us today for outdoor kitchens
