An outdoor kitchen is a great way to turn your backyard into the perfect summer living space. Cooking outside has always been a popular hobby, but with so many advancements in technology and design, it's now possible to cook outdoors all year long. In this blog post we will discuss some of our favorite ideas for outdoor kitchens as well as their costs. Get ready to make your outdoor cooking experience easier and more stylish than ever before!
Outdoor Kitchen Ideas
Go no further than Pinterest to find that there are virtually dozens if not hundreds of outdoor kitchen ideas that you could add to your custom home build. Everything from outdoor stone fireplaces to expansive pergolas to perfectly frame your outdoor patio dining area. Take a look at just a few of our favorite outdoor kitchen ideas and designs.
Outdoor Kitchen Island
Outdoor kitchen islands are a great way to provide the chef with extra counter space and storage. They allow you to be more productive while cooking, which means less time spent running back and forth between your indoor kitchen and grill. It's possible to buy a whole island as a kit, or to have it custom built in the exact design that suits the space available.
One feature that you could add to your outdoor kitchen island are under-counter refrigerator drawers. This is a nice feature if you live in a really hot area, like California, or if you use your outdoor kitchen a lot. Leaving your lettuce for burgers in the draws or your extra beverages isn't a problem with under-counter refrigerator drawers in our outdoor kitchen island.
Outdoor Kitchen Grill
Ah yes, the outdoor kitchen grill or BBQ, the "piste de resistance" of your outdoor kitchen and patio area. Without the grill, you're eating sandwiches or hitting up the nearest bistro instead of enjoying your backyard.
When it comes to your outdoor kitchen grill, there are a multitude of options, some pretty reasonable, other high end options require a lot of space and a 10 year HELOC to afford. (Ok, we're kidding about the HELOC!) Check out a few picture examples of outdoor kitchen grills that are just dying for a filet.
Outdoor Fireplace
A feature of your outdoor kitchen area that has become popular in recent years is an outdoor fireplace. Cozying up on your outdoor lounge, sipping hot cocoa and watching the crackle of your outdoor fireplace is pretty appealing. The design and size of your outdoor fireplace can vary, but it's pretty unanimous that the appeal is not - everybody wants one!
A unique twist on the outdoor fireplace is adding an outdoor wood fired pizza oven as part of the fireplace. Essentially, the wood fireplace is below an area where you can slip in a homemade pizza above a brick layer. Having an outdoor wood fired pizza oven in your backyard is pretty cool - and we think your friends will think so too. We doubt they would want to gather any other place than your backyard. Introverts beware!
Building An Outdoor Kitchen
There are ways to build your own outdoor kitchen, (DIY’ers rejoice!), but for best results, leave building an outdoor kitchen to the professionals. When you think about the overall project of building your custom home, building an outdoor kitchen almost seems a no-brainer.
Decide on the features that you want to include, and then talk with your builder about how best to include the outdoor kitchen in the design of your home.
Outdoor Kitchen Cost
Of course an outdoor kitchen cost will widely vary depending on what features you decide to include. Yet, for the purposes of this article, let’s give some ballpark estimates based on certain components that most may include in their outdoor kitchen.
The outdoor kitchen grill or BBQ can cost as little as $1200, or as much as $10,000 depending on size, material, quality, and brand. To be safe, count on at least $2000 for a quality outdoor grill.
The entertaining patio and area cost will depend on if you cover it, the overall size, and if you include stone work or other custom features. These vary too much to give an accurate estimate, but talk with your builder about your ideas and they can price it out for you.
Conclusion
Building a custom outdoor kitchen is a must if you live in an area like Sacramento, CA where you can use the space virtually year-round. Not only does it add to the usable living space of your home, it adds a magnitude of charm and attraction to anybody visiting (or looking to purchase) your home.
Contact Bianchi-Tillett Developers today to understand the best approach to adding an outdoor kitchen to your custom home design.
Additional Reading:
- Best Places to Live in Sacramento
- Building a New Home Checklist
- Pros & Cons of Building a Custom Home
- Cost to Build a Custom Home
*Featured image courtesy of memphisgrills.com