X

70 Awesomely Clever Ideas For Outdoor Kitchen Designs

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-01-1 Kindesign

Cook outdoors in style by transforming your backyard or patio into a unique outdoor kitchen for entertaining family and friends surrounded by nature. Cooking outside can be a wonderful alternative to the daily routine of preparing meals in the home. The openness of the outdoors can bring a refreshing feel to the everyday family dinner adding a festive air to the mundane. Nowadays an outdoor kitchen can mean so much more than just a barbecue and a cooler of soda. While the majority of modern outdoor kitchens still have a grill as the central fixture, most have evolved into an extension of the home’s living space.

Many people would like to incorporate into their design the same conveniences they have inside, if not more. Custom outdoor kitchens can consist of wine chillers, under counter refrigerators, pizza ovens, wet bars, fireplaces, side burners, smokers, warming drawers and even roasting spits. Below you will find some awesome outdoor kitchen design ideas as well as some tips that will make your patio stylish and inviting, enjoy!

More Ideas: If you are looking for more great ideas on outdoor space design, try these past articles: 52 Spectacular outdoor string lights to illuminate your patio and 31 Inspiring and stylish outdoor room design ideas and 38 Absolutely Fantastic Outdoor Kitchen Ideas For Dining Al Fresco.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-02-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-03-1 Kindesign

Not much space is needed to install an outdoor kitchen, the space just needs to be functional for cooking, entertaining, and relaxing. Something to consider when planning your outdoor kitchen is the proximity to the indoor one.  The more convenient this kitchen is to your indoor one, the less travel for items such as seasonings, utensils, dinnerware and food items.  Also, having an attached, covered outdoor kitchen can extend the length of time you are able to use this new food preparation and serving area.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-04-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-05-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-06-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-07-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-08-1 Kindesign

You want to be able to move effortlessly from area to area — particularly when working with a potentially dangerous medium like a grill or pizza oven. Take this into account when planning your layout — you don’t want to have to jump from place to place. This setup works perfectly: it’s simple, but everything you need is here.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-09-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-10-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-11-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-12-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-13-1 Kindesign

Cooking space. In terms of utility, the appliances in your kitchen are going to be a very important investment. Quality more important than quantity here. Yes, it’d be fun to go crazy and get a rotisserie, warming drawer, AND a pizza oven — but do you really need them all? Be sure to get what you’ll actually use, that it works well, and is made for the outdoors.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-14-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-15-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-16-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-17-1 Kindesign

Lighting is just as important in your outdoor space as it is inside. Ambiance is great, of course, but safety should really be the first priority when it comes to lighting around an outdoor kitchen. Brighten areas where cooking and other major activity will happen. Pathways should be well-lit, and lounge/dining areas should have adjustable lighting.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-18-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-19-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-20-1 Kindesign

Function. As always, it’s important to think about what the primary function of this area will be. Are you a chef-in-training? Then focus on the kitchen appliances, materials and layout. Do you plan on throwing dinner parties? Will this be near a pool? Will it just be an area to lounge, eat and relax? Once you figure this out, you can choose your must-haves for each area and which portion of your outdoor kitchen you’ll want to focus on.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-21-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-22-1 Kindesign

Location. Most outdoor kitchens are going to be situated near the main house. This allows for the easy access of existing utility lines and makes it easy to transport food and other materials to the outdoor cooking area. If these issues aren’t of particular concern for you, be sure to take wind, sun, shade, and access to amenities (such as a pool or a lawn) into consideration before choosing the perfect place.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-23-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-24-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-25-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-26-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-27-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-28-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-29-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-30-1 Kindesign

This little outdoor kitchen has just the right essentials — nothing more, and nothing less. Make sure your appliances can plug into GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets, and are Underwriters Laboratories approved.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-31-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-32-1 Kindesign

As it is in your home, the hearth is often the heart of your outdoor space. A fireplace, firepit or pizza oven can end up becoming even more of a focal point than the grill. Make good use of this gathering space and set up a place to relax and warm up in front of the fire.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-33-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-34-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-35-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-36-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-37-1 Kindesign

Entertainment and dining area. If you like to have people over, odds are you’ll be using your outdoor kitchen for a lot more than just the occasional barbecue. When you’re planning your layout and considering your must-haves, think about how you’ll be entertaining your friends (or yourself). This kitchen has pretty much everything: dining table, lounge area in front of the fire, television and bar.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-38-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-39-1 Kindesign

Including other heating sources besides a fireplace is always a good idea — it’s usually better to provide too many ways to warm up than too little! Try placing them near seating or dining areas for ultimate functionality.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-40-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-41-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-42-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-43-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-44-1 Kindesign

Make sure you have a convenient place to store firewood. This pizza oven has a hideaway for firewood right underneath it, which means no one has to make a late night trek out to the wood pile at the other end of the yard.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-45-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-46-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-47-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-48-1 Kindesign

Choose seating that is flexible and can be moved around. Allowing guests to move to and from the dining and lounging areas creates a more casual, intimate environment. Install speakers around your entertaining areas to add to the ambiance.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-49-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-50-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-51-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-52-1 Kindesign

Lounge space. It helps to have your outdoor space covered — just in case. Not only is this a safeguard from the occasional summer shower, but it also offers shade and shelter from wind. You can have a large structure built into your design, like the one shown above.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-53-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-54-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-55-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-56-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-57-1 Kindesign

Add an awning, umbrella, or another temporary option for shelter from the elements. Make sure you’re not using any kind of combustible material for the ceiling or awning above the grill area, and make sure the area is well ventilated.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-58-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-59-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-60-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-61-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-62-1 Kindesign

If you’ve remodeled an indoor kitchen, you know how important it is to have the right amount of counter space — the same goes for the outdoors! Dry space should be a top priority, particularly prep surfaces. This outdoor kitchen has plenty of space to chop up vegetables and meat, mix drinks, and have a little serving station.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-63-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-64-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-65-1 Kindesign

Try not to isolate the cook from the rest of the party! Nothing’s worse than getting stuck with grill duty and hearing everyone else having a blast behind your back. Cooking and entertaining places should be seamless, but with a decent amount of separation so there’s no dangerous moments when you’re taking the ribs off the grill. The setup in this photo works well because the cook doesn’t need to leave the single counter and grill area, but can still turn around and interact with the action at the pool.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-66-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-67-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-68-1 Kindesign

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-69-1 Kindesign

In terms of materials, everything needs to be durable, weatherproof, heat resistant, and easy to clean. This means rot resistant wood (such as teak, redwood, or cedar), stone, and stainless steel. Also, think about how hot materials get in direct sunlight, or even just warmer temperatures. Since you’ll most likely be using this during the summer, you don’t want to build your backyard kitchen out of something you’ll barely be able to touch!

Outdoor Kitchen Designs-70-1 Kindesign

Photo Sources: 1. Bruce Palmer Coastal Design, 2. Innovative Construction, 3. AKL Professional Interiors, 4. The Collins Group/JDP Design, 5. Olive Branch Integrated Outdoor Design, 6. Ronda Outdoors, 7. Hursthouse Landscape Architects and Contractors, 8. Derviss Design, 9. Mark Scott Associates, 10. Urrutia Design, 11. Better Homes & Gardens, 12. AMS Landscape Design Studios, 13. Pinterest, 14. Wyant Architecture, 15. Better Homes & Gardens, 16. Anthony Albert Studios, 17. Frankel Building Group, 18. Clarke Appliance Showrooms, 19. Projects by Giffin & Crane, 20. Better Homes & Gardens, 21. Harold Leidner Landscape Architects, 22. Eric Roth Photography, 23. Angelo’s Lawn-Scape of LA, 24. Frederick + Frederick Architects, 25. Austin Outdoor Design, 26. Pinterest, 27. Black Swan Home, 28. Better Homes & Gardens, 29. Pinterest, 30. Dena Brody Interiors, 31. Norelco Cabinets, 32. Eric Roth Photography, 33. Foster Design Build, 34. Tom McCarthy Design Build, 35. Futral Builders, 36. JMC Designs, 37. Kitchen Designs by Debra, 38. Outdoor Roomscapes, 39. Logan’s Hammer Building & Renovation, 40. Marcus Lawett Photography, 41. Pinterest, 42. Better Homes & Gardens, 43. Thompson Custom Homes, 44. Paradise Restored Landscaping, 45. Mark Scott Associates, 46. Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, 47. Randy Thueme Design, 48. Paradise Restored Landscaping, 49. Pinterest, 50. Sarah Greenman, 51. Prideaux Design, 52. Rill Architects, 53. Reynolds Gualco Architecture and Interior, 54. Paradise Restored Landscaping, 55. Pinterest, 56. Better Homes & Gardens, 57. Legacy Design-Build, 58. Jon Luce Builder, 59. Better Homes & Gardens, 60. Weisz Selection Lawn & Landscape Services, 61. Vidabelo Interior Design, 62. Stephanie Ann Davis Landscape Design, 63. Spinnaker Development, 64. Shuler Architecture, 65. Charles Hodges, Ltd.Gardens, 66. Arterra LLP Landscape Architects, 67. Xetai, 68. Tiffany Farha Design, 69. Better Homes & Gardens, 70. Unilock

Subscribe
Notify of

4 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
the wine
2 years ago

Organic Wine are made from a variety of different fruits, most commonly grapes. However, they are also made from oranges, apricots, pomegranates, berries and other fruits. Wine is made all over the world, but there are wine producing countries, that have a significant impact on the international wine industry. These countries include France, UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the United States of America.

Last edited 2 years ago by the wine
james smith
2 years ago

I, m related to the remolding industry and working since 2018 in forever builder inc. Many times I, took ideas from your blogs. In my view, concrete countertops are best for an outdoor kitchen, Even a garage can merge to be a culinary paradise with a kitchen design. Outside kitchen is the way to serve you each withinside the and summertime season months.

9 years ago

Great ideas for Outdoor Kitchens…really like the post. Thanks for share.

Kenya
10 years ago

I would absolutely love to have a stainless steel outdoor kitchen. My dream patio would have a grill, a large counter space, and a comfy seating area. In the middle of the seating area it would be cool to have a fire pit too! Maybe someday I will get this outdoor kitchen.

Kenya | http://www.stainlesssteelspecialist.com.au/outdoor_living.htm