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Before committing to any of the outdoor kitchen
designs you're considering, think about the space
itself.
Where will it be? How big will it be?
What will it look like? What will it feel like?
10 Outdoor Kitchen
Guidelines
Knowing the 10 guidelines for great kitchen design
helps you get it right -- from the start:
-
Make it
convenient
-
Create a casual
setting
-
Plan ahead for
utilities
-
Select durable
materials
-
Build everything to shed
water
-
Provide shelter from the
elements
-
Install ample
lighting
-
Ventilate smoke
-
Design for easy clean
up
-
Make it easy to
winterize
5 Outdoor Kitchen Funcation
Areas
The 5 functional
areas common to all kitchens are:
-
Storage
-
Food prep
-
Cooking
-
Dining
-
Clean up
Here's a quick
overview of each.
Storage
Your indoor kitchen has
everything you need close at hand. And the ideal
outdoor kitchen design has the same setup, only
smaller.
Dry goods are
outdoor kitchen staples like spatulas, serving platters,
grill brushes, and cleaning supplies.
Design dry goods storage close to your cooking
space for convenience sake. It should be closed so your
dry goods are protected from moisture
and grime.
Bulky pieces like
propane tanks, or portable side burners are only used occasionally. These should be stored
in closed, out-of-the-way areas.
Perishable foods need to be
kept at temps under 40 degrees fahrenheit. You'll need cold storage for any
meats, produce, and beverages.
An under-counter fridge, a built-in ice bucket, or a standard ice chest can serve
your cold storage needs.
Serving carts on wheels can be a
lifesaver for temporary storage. Use it as a traveling bar, a food prep space, or
for temporary cold storage.
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Food Prep
Counter space is essential
in any outdoor kitchen design, no matter how basic.
Make
sure yours is at least 3 feet wide and
24 inches deep, ad installed on both sides of the grill.
If you're stretching your budget,
counter space on only one side of the grill is adequate.
Your food prep area
should be easy to clean, heat-resistant and not
just waterproof, but weatherproof.
If there's
room in your budget, install a fully-plumbed, cold-water
sink with drainage that's
connected to your home's drain system.
If you're stretching your budget,
get a modular unit that has a sink, a prep
area, and storage built into the design. These work
great.
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Cooking
Grill purists swear
by charcoal. But gas is so convenient -- especially a
permanent, natural gas hookup.
The one you choose should have rack
capacity, power, and accessories that can handle the
kind of cooking you like to do.
But remember, larger is not always
better. Large grills produce lots of heat. And you may not use
all the options that come with a large grill. So
why pay for more grill than you'll use?
And just because a
grill has a high BTU rating doesn't mean the heat will
be distributed evenly, or that the lid will close tight
enough to keep the heat in.
Place a side burner
close to the grill, but not right next to it.
Smokers,
side burners, and wood-fired ovens all generate smoke,
fumes, and heat. So situate these pieces away from the
general traffic flow, and dining areas.
Contact your local zoning authority
and ask about ventilation system requirements, so you can
incorporate these into your outdoor kitchen
design.
Some building codes require vent hoods for outdoor
kitchens that are attached to a
house.
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Dining
The amount of space you dedicate to dining in
the outdoor kitchen design depends the kind of
entertaining you plan to do.
A 10x20
dining space is the ideal but not critical.
If you are considering going
smaller, know this: a space smaller than 10x10 will probably have
you rubbing elbows as you dine -- literally.
A 10x20 space
is large enough for a table, chairs, some extra
seating, and foot traffic.
If you're limited
on space, consider installing a snack bar near the
grill.
Grills smoke and generate
lots of heat, fumes and moisture.
So make sure the
snack bar and grill aren't attached to the same counter,
and that all dining areas are situated upwind of
the cook zone.
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Clean Up
Clean up
isn't the most appealing element of an outdoor kitchen
design, but the function is important.
A food prep area
with hot water can do double duty as a prep area
and a clean up station.
Choose
a standard size sink. It's difficult to hand wash
dishes and such in a small prep sink.
A link to your drainage
system for a built-in sink and a bucket for draining
a modular grill sink are important. There's always greasy
water involved in outdoor kitchen clean up.
And don't forget
about trash and recycling bins. They should be stored
away, and secured out of reach of animals and
rain.
Heavy-duty custom outdoor kitchen covers for
your grill, counter tops, and appliances are a great
investment.
You can
use disinfectant to sanitize your prep
area.
It's good practice
to spray the kitchen down with a hose after you've
cleaned up. It tidy's up crumbs and spills and
discourages unwanted pests.
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