Is it necessary to visit a restaurant to enjoy an open barbeque? Well, Canadians shout out “NO.” Although an open kitchen isn’t a culture-bound thing, Canadians love to get out of their homes when pleasant weather calls.
The cottage escape has gone out of reach for many Canadians with soaring property prices. For this reason, most homeowners in Canada are turning their backyards into open kitchens. Because of this flexible approach, outdoor kitchen setups have come into popularity.
Benefits of an Outdoor Kitchen
Entertainment
An outdoor kitchen serves best for those satiating barbeque nights at home. Your guests can enjoy socializing around the grill while cooking the meal. In contrast, an indoor kitchen doesn’t allow you to hang out while meal preparation is underway.
Odour-Free Environment
Some food does not smell pleasant; thus, the smell doesn’t stick to your clothes or surroundings. For instance, when you cook fish or any deep-fried meal, the aroma stays for days or even for a week. However, cooking these meals in your outdoor kitchen can help you keep your house fresh.
Especially in the summer season, the smell of the meals gets stronger because of the heat. Therefore, if you prepare these meals in your outdoor cooking space, the smell can easily dissipate into the air along with the garden smells.
Reduced Utility Bills
When you use an indoor kitchen in the summer, the air conditioner works more powerfully to cool down the inside temperature. Whereas having an outdoor cooking area setup saves a lot of energy consumption.
Increases Property Value
If your outdoor kitchen is well-built with quality materials, it adds value to the property. And it makes the property more marketable and re-presentable when put on sale.
Save Money and Time
An attractive outdoor setup with a cooking and dining area feels like a restaurant. Thus, you can enjoy weekends at home and save a lot of money.
Enhances the flavor of food
We are not saying that cooking inside does not taste good, but grilling enhances the food taste with natural flavors. It is also considered a traditional and healthier alternative for preparing food.
The high and direct heat of the grill retains the moisture of the food and ends up resulting in a tender yet properly infused and flavorful food than the indoor kitchen.
Increases Living Space
An outdoor kitchen offers you an extra open roof room to gather your friends in a relaxing outdoor environment. You can also enjoy the rain just by adding a roof to your outdoor cookhouse. If you add an island besides the grill, it will increase the living area.
This isn’t a farfetched idea, and it is also flexible according to your budget. If you are ready to avail of these benefits, let’s design your outdoor kitchen with the below-given easy steps.
Important Steps to Build an Outdoor Cookhouse
Space Survey
You must assess where you plan to build your outdoor cookhouse. Always consider that you need enough lightning to cook at night and good plumbing to provide fresh water. Although you can do it by yourself, it is advisable to hire an expert architect to avoid upcoming issues.
Layout Planning
A good layout of anything gives you a better idea of the outcomes. Thus, you must divide your kitchen designs into different zones to maximize the space. Also, prefabrication of your kitchen structure will help increase its efficiency, work speed, and quality with minimal waste and inspection.
- Zone of Food Preparation
- Cooking Zone
- Dishwash Zone
- Entertainment Zone
Weather Proofing
Any outdoor activity depends majorly on the weather. Shielding your space is the best weather escape to keep cooking in your outdoor kitchen. A retractable canopy is the best practical approach that escapes heavy rains or snowfalls and provides shade when the sun is out.
Work on Grill
Rusty and dusty grills make your outdoor cooking space look dull. You must change the grills from time to time, and it will cost you approximately CAD $150 to $300. It is advisable to buy a grill with the features you want and not just a trend.
Upgrade the furniture
A dining set is required for an outdoor kitchen because a stunning piece of outdoor furniture will not only add class to your outdoor cooking setup but also serves comfort to your guest. Thus, investing in quality chairs and an appropriate dining table for a proper outdoor kitchen setup is good.
Choose durable flooring
An outdoor kitchen could face extreme wear and tear due to weather conditions like moisture buildup, debris, or oil buildup. For these reasons, durable and strong flooring like poured concrete and sealed stone are the best options in the long run. Do not forget to keep the angle of the floor against the home structure and towards the drain to avoid water damage.
Pick the right appliances
Choose the right appliances as per your preference. For example, most people choose to install a grill while others opt for a gas grill. Besides this, some people have a wood-burning smoker, while others choose traditional charcoal smokers. You can also add an egg cooker or a pizza oven, but you must discuss your priorities with your designer before initiating the process.
Install Vents on Cooking Platforms
Vent hoods are not required in an open kitchen. Therefore, if your cook station is placed under a pavilion or a patio cover, keeping a ventilation system in your outdoor kitchen is better.
Maintain a Storage Area
A kitchen is always incomplete without storage space. Thus, you can opt for built-in trash cans, wine racks, and utensil drawers to maintain your outdoor kitchen.
The Right Placement of Light
Light is the most important part of your outdoor kitchen, so ask your designer to place it where it is appropriate. For instance, the kitchen would require proper lighting in the cooking zone, serving zone, dining area, seating area, and walkways to create a shadow-less environment.
Hire a Proficient Architect
It is advisable to have a few consultations before selecting a contractor company to initiate the outdoor kitchen project. An expert contractor initiates the project from scratch and takes care of everything from start to finish.
Over to You
Designing an outdoor kitchen is fun, especially when addressed with the plan. Thus, first, know the benefits of having an open kitchen so that you do not miss out on any possibility that you can possess.
An outdoor kitchen is always the best seasoning for your meals in any season. It amazes you with the most beautiful warm nights to spend with your family and friends. Thus, no matter if you have thousands or just a few hundred to spend, you can still create an outdoor kitchen by hiring an experienced architect.
FAQs
An outdoor kitchen can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $100,000, depending on the quality of the material you use. It also adds value to your house, just like an indoor kitchen model.
No, a planning permit isn’t necessary to build an outdoor kitchen because it is not considered a permanent structure.
According to real estate experts, an outdoor kitchen adds value to a home and has a potential ROI of 100 per cent to 200 per cent.
On average, the outdoor kitchen construction takes around three weeks to 4 months.
An outdoor kitchen usually lasts approximately ten years, but it all depends on the maintenance of space and appliances.
The average return on investment for an outdoor kitchen built into your home is 71 per cent.
Built-in grills usually last longer because they are designed to be strong, which increases their efficiency and convenience accordingly. Also, the built-in stainless-steel grills last the longest, rather than porcelain or iron.
