Fall is the ideal moment to start thinking about your outdoor kitchen, you will have plenty of time to discuss with our team about your style and the items and apparels that will make part of your outdoor space. You will be amongst the first to enjoy your exterior when the temperature will start to rise.
People are using the outdoors of their homes more than ever, thanks to staycation — with some folks spending more money on their outdoor kitchen than their indoor one. Did you know that building an outdoor kitchen isn’t just about entertainment value (though that’s certainly a key attraction)? It can also increase the value of your home by expanding your living space and providing a definite wow-factor for potential buyers.
Designing an outdoor kitchen is an exciting process with lots of options and decisions to make. We know it can be overwhelming knowing where to start. Here are some important questions to keep in mind before building your outdoor dream kitchen.
What are your lifestyle needs?
Do you imagine yourself preparing entire meals in your outdoor kitchen, or will parts of the meal still be prepped indoors? How many guests do you see yourself entertaining at a time — are you planning large parties or small intimate gatherings? When envisioning your outdoor kitchen, who do you see yourself sharing it with? Whether the dream is to have intimate dinners with your family or host large parties for your whole neighborhood, these specifications will determine what add-ons you need.
How much storage do you need?
After determining your lifestyle needs, plan out your storage and do not underestimate the amount of space you’ll need to accommodate your experience. From a quaint grill island to a large L-shaped fully equipped kitchen, it will all depend on your needs. At Urban Bonfire‘s they have designed their outdoor kitchens to maximize both the space and functionality of each cabinet, their universal track system integrates seamlessly with fixed shelves, Kamado accessory racks, pull-out drawers, a retractable garden hose and garbage/recycling system, having built-in containers makes for a cleaner look and keeps stand-alone trash cans from cluttering up walk ways and the space inside the kitchen.
Where is the smoke going to?
In what direction does the wind blow? This just might be one of the most overlooked variables in outdoor kitchen designs. Try to figure out which direction the wind blows, most often, to avoid having your guests move because they are being smoked out. Or, will the smoke from the grill blow towards open windows in your house? You cannot always avoid the smoke, but with a little careful consideration you can limit the discomfort the smoke can cause.
One alternative is an outdoor kitchen venting or hood system. If your design just will not allow for the best case grill placement, there are great outdoor venting systems, just as there are in your house, to help make the smoke go away.
What will be the outdoor kitchen environment?
Before starting a project, the team will ask for a few answers before starting to design your dream outdoor kitchen. Where do you want to install your outdoor kitchen? What space are you allotting to your project? What will be the surface supporting the outdoor kitchen (wood, pavement, natural stone, cement, etc.)? Anais, Station Grill‘ business development director, mentions that it is very important to have a solid ground to support your outdoor kitchen. In Quebec, it is crucial because it can prevent countertop breakage that could occur with ground movement during ground freezing and thawing. She strongly recommends 3 types of foundation: on piles, on studs or a concrete slab.
What is the status of your electricity and plumbing?
The configuration of your outdoor kitchen may depend on the location of outlets, gas lines, and plumbing for fresh water. You’ll also want to have enough outlets for proper lighting, a music system, or even a TV.
How to choose the right countertop materials?
When choosing outdoor kitchen countertops your priority should always be durability first, and looks second. Otherwise, you’ll find your investment going up in smoke.
At District BBQ, our first choice is Dekton by Consetino, it is a high-end product ideal for outdoor kitchens. Why? Dekton is highly resistant to ultraviolet (UV) light and will not fade or degrade over time making it perfect for outdoor applications. While other surfaces are stain resistant, it is also is completely Stain Proof and withstands high temperatures without burning, scorching or cracking. Hot pots and appliances can be placed directly on the surface with no worry of damage. Finally, Dekton’s low coefficient of thermal expansion makes it Thermal Shock proof from both extreme heat and extreme cold. It’s natural resistance to ice and thawing makes it perfect for use in even the coldest environments.
Another material you can use for countertops when building your outdoor kitchen is granite. It’s easy to clean, heat resistant, and timeless. It never goes out of style. Concrete is very on-trend today but is prone to cracking. Even when supported with steel and poured with extreme care, concrete countertops have the tendency to crack.
Tile countertops will give you the most options and is typically an affordable option.
How to make it a functional space?
Like any indoor kitchen, the perfect outdoor kitchen for entertaining is set up in specific zones. These zones include hot (cooking) zone, prep (cold, dry, wet) zone, plating and serving zone, and lastly, the entertaining zone. Keep in mind, hot and cold zones should never be right next to each other for multiple reasons. The number one reason being safety. Imagine a child reaching into a fridge for a cold drink that is right next to a burning hot grill: it’s simply a disaster waiting to happen.
Bonus: What about the appliances?
So here it’s all a question of space, budget and preferences. We’re going write a blog post about it, but in the meantime we’re bringing you a brand you can’t go wrong with: Twin Eagles. Choose one of their four built-in gas grills, depending on your preferred size and whether you want to include their finely-tuned Concealed Rotisserie System or a Sear Zone. Each grill features our innovatively engineered Five-Part Grilling System, designed for the ultimate grilling synergy.
Visit our Outdoor Kitchen section and choose your favorite styles.
At District BBQ we put in place a system in our website where you choose the look of your outdoor kitchen by clicking on the pictures that you like the most in our Outdoor Kitchen Section. Then, you can send directly your choices to one of our sales representatives that will guide you throughout the process and ask you the right questions. Choose your style whether is Station Grill, Urban Bonfire, Napoleon Oasis, we also have all the components necessary to furnish your kitchen with stone, concrete or masonry. Built-in BBQ, access doors and drawers, outdoor refrigerator, warming drawer and even outdoor dishwasher, you will not miss anything!
