Designing an Outdoor Summer Kitchen for Entertaining

The weather is getting warmer and all we can think about is how to spend more time outdoors, soaking up the sun and enjoying nature. Entertaining in the spring and summer months is always enjoyable and is enhanced with a summer kitchen. A summer kitchen is an outdoor structured area that houses a grill, preparation area, and often includes a sink, stove, refrigerator and other kitchen amenities.  If you want to entertain this season and have the cooking and preparation just feet away from the outdoors, here are helpful tips for designing your summer kitchen.

Make use of your outdoor home with a summer kitchen

Image via: R.J. Gurley Custom Homes 

Assess your entertaining lifestyle:

Your outdoor home may have a family full pool on the weekends or you may just entertain a small intimate gathering every now and then. Depending on how often you plan on entertaining can help decide the summer kitchen that fits best. Smaller summer kitchens can just have a grill and small preparation area. Larger outfits can take up considerable amount of room on your outdoor patio and be adjacent to dining and a pool for example. Assess what parts of your outdoor home you’d like to dedicate to entertaining – then determine how much cooking, what types of food you prepare most and if you need a full kitchen outdoors. If your summer kitchen is located near your indoor kitchen, possible a grill and sink are all that is needed.

Assess your entertaining lifestyle

Image via: Jon Luce Builder

 Add your own personal style:

Your summer kitchen should have all of the personality of your indoor kitchen but with a nod towards interacting with nature. If your kitchen needs to be covered, consider adding an architectural element such as an arbor, a trellis covered area or even extending your main house roof to enclose a major summer kitchen addition. Once the area is covered, colorful patio furniture, natural plants, and plenty of entertaining and conversational seating areas are a must.

Personalize your summer kitchen

Image via: Kim Sargent 

Your summer kitchen should be an extension of your personal design and entertaining lifestyles. Use these design ideas to help guide you. Consider hiring an outdoor kitchen specialist to help plan out your area as well as choose the right amenities for your budget. This season, enjoy your outdoor home with the addition of a summer kitchen.


Source:
http://houseorhome.net