One of the best ways to enjoy the summer months in your home is by having friends and family over for great food that comes from an outdoor kitchen. We’re not talking about a couple of hot dogs on the barbecue but a complete custom kitchen including an outdoor dining space. Outdoor kitchens run the gamut from a simple grill and dining area to an elaborate setup with a pizza oven, the sky really is the limit. Before you start designing all the hardscaping that will go into your outdoor kitchen there are 3 things you should know before building your custom outdoor kitchen.
The Grill is the Center of Everything
The grill is the center of everything, it is where you do your cooking and you want to get the best grill you can for your budget. You can get grills that use charcoal or that use gas, while charcoal may taste better gas is easier in the long run. Gas grills have less maintenance and you can connect them directly to your home connection. Here is a quick look at some of the grills and appliances you may want to add to your outdoor kitchen.
You Need Some Shade
The Florida sun gets HOT in the summertime and sitting out in the backyard in direct sunlight is just too much for most people. You want to work with the natural shade in your yard. Does your backyard get direct sunlight all day? Do you have trees in the yard that can offer shade? If not then you may want to consider some type of covered patio to block out the sun so that you can enjoy the space to the fullest.
Make Your Life Easier
The third thing you need to consider is how much maintenance are you going to have to put into your kitchen. Things like charcoal grills are more complicated to clean than a gas grill. Fabric furniture will need to be covered or brought inside when it rains…it rains in Florida A LOT. The landscaping will need to be maintained regularly and wooden decks will need to be pressure washed, stripped and refinished every couple of years. Those big elaborate outdoor kitchens you see on home improvement shows look absolutely stunning but what they don’t show is the amount of work that needs to be done to maintain them when the cameras aren’t rolling.
The residents of Florida are lucky enough to live somewhere that they can enjoy their yards all year round. You can see some of the nicest outdoor kitchens in Cape Coral. Contact a local designer to see what they can do with your space.