Retreating to a patio kitchen outdoors is one of the hottest commodities for cooks or chefs during the summertime. Preparing for the roaring blazes of a comfortable patio kitchen is all you need to have an entertaining night, or day.
Yet, how and what can you expect when you’re doing it yourself? First of all, getting the materials, tools, and equipment to venture into designing and making the patio kitchen is the first step.
Second, the major question here is where to put your patio kitchen. So, finding the right spot in your backyard is imperative. Preparing for a patio kitchen creation is a work of ART and should be dealt with in a structured, professional manner. If you were to pay someone to do it for you, you should be looking at around $4,000-5,000 USD.
Check the Connections
- Renovations mean you must check your connections before undergoing your patio kitchen. In other words, make room on the patio where your furniture and oven/grill will be placed.
- Check all connections, inside and outside of the house, to see if existing utility connections are still in place.
- Before connecting or turning on utility lines, make sure that the city’s utility codes and permits are in order; a professional service installation or renovation could be necessary.
Clear the Space
You may need to tear out existing walls in order to make room for your patio kitchen; such as clearing up space for a kitchen island or self-made wooden/marble table.
Next, removing or tearing down walls will have an open airy atmosphere; this will also allow for a safety net preventing any fire hazards. For instance, you do not want to place combustible materials (lighter fluid, wood, cooking oils, rags/towels,…) in front of or near any heat source. Such heat sources are what you are planning to use as your cooking area (i.e. fireplaces, grills, stovetops, or ovens).
Purchase the Kitchen Island
The new kitchen island can be created piece-by-piece according to your needs and specifications. Since you can purchase a new kitchen island for your patio, modular versions come ready-made. They are designed online to custom-fit your backyard patio.
Additionally, its components are already attached, and by using their patented system (brackets and screws) which are on the inside of the cabinets, it makes it easy to ensemble. The perma-based exterior shells are made with steel-studs. Plus, the surfaces of most of these kitchen islands do offer several finishing options.
For the food-prepping area, tiling the top portion of the island normally will be flat and smooth. Serving as a flat surface is essential for your prep area. Also, the outside of this prep area could be another material, such as terra cotta, stucco, or natural bricks or cobblestones.
Get your tongs and grill on!
Why not DIY: there are various kitchen stoves and ovens that can be made for outdoor cooking. Here are the top 5 patio kitchens that you can prepare your patio for when you’re going to do-it-yourself.
- The Fire Pit – A custom cut ring of limestone or bricks encircles the fire pit, where roasting hotdogs or marsh-mellows are part of the laidback retreat during the summer nights; all seasons, in fact.
- The Dome style oven – pizza style ovens such as these are perfect for the winter, yet for summer, using them at night is Grande, under a moonlit night.
- The Stove Top Grill – Get your tongs and grill on! With this type of stove top grill, your cooking is Here is another example are here.
- The Fireplace – with sturdy and strong, grilling is an endless feat with the fireplace.
- Brick Oven with Chimney – This square or rectangle brick style is oven one of the strongest ovens that you can cook the largest game or pizzas, steaks, chicken,…etc.
The Restaurant Look
Your patio kitchen can be modeled after an Italian, French, Spanish, Mediterranean, or even Island themed restaurant. Besides, it will make you feel as if you’re out on the town. Making dinner at home in a patio kitchen will never be the same again.
The best part: personalizing your own patio kitchen yourself including upgrading you’re home with a patio kitchen is all you’ll need to a perfect outdoor patio. Some things you may want to add though in order to prepare for this project are chairs, lighting, and even the islands to prepare your feasts, or buffet style meals.
Finally, these five cooking stoves and ovens should transform you entertainment as well as your eating time with your friends and family. They are all equal to the enjoyment and entertainment of great cooking for year round, endless patio cooking. So, raise your tongs and spatulas and get cooking!
Image Credit: istockphoto.com