Outdoor Kitchen Ideas For Your Pergola

This article was originally published on January 11, 2019 and updated on February 1, 2024

Are you daydreaming of warmer days ahead? Bring your outdoor living dream to reality with an outdoor kitchen and louvered pergola that will have you grilling under the sun and dining alfresco in spring.

Benefits of Adding an Outdoor Kitchen

People prefer outdoor gatherings with family and friends over being stuck indoors. An outdoor kitchen gives everyone space to prepare food and comfortably relax while catching up. Outdoor kitchen and dining areas also reduce house cleaning chores and simplify post-event cleanup. People love outdoor kitchens so much that research from the National Association of Homebuilders estimates they can add up to 130% of their investment cost to your home’s purchase price. How’s that for an outdoor living dream made a reality?

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What to Add to Your Outdoor Kitchen Design

Your outdoor kitchen features should include functional and fun ‘must-have’ additions. How will you personalize your space?

• • Built-in grill Gas grills remain integral in outdoor kitchens. Choosing built-in over freestanding models ensures a finished look reminiscent of interior kitchen designs. Top-of-the-line models offer many bells and whistles for amateur and professional cooks alike. Keep size in mind while shopping to ensure you meet recommended clearances for safety, considering spacing from your home, flammable outdoor features, and where children play.
  • Specialty cooking additions If you or your family favor certain foods, consider adding accessories like a built-in rotisserie, griddle, or smoker. Families with kids especially love pizza ovens, which inspire kids to join their parents in cooking specialty pies.
  • Countertops and cabinets Incorporating outdoor cabinets and countertops can turn the simplest outdoor kitchen into a high-end, luxury space. Adding upper cabinets to attached walls greatly enhances storage space.
  • Outdoor sink An outdoor sink may require a bit of additional plumbing, but it dramatically simplifies food prep and cleanup, eliminating the need for frequent trips in and out of the home.
  • Outdoor refrigerator An outdoor refrigerator offers a convenient place to store temperature-sensitive food and drinks year-round. Like outdoor sinks, outdoor refrigerators significantly reduce trips to and from the home for food and beverages.
  • Patio shelter A versatile patio shelter is essential to avoid dining and dashing in the rain and melting in the summer sun. It can also help you quickly manage the occasional grill smoke-out. StruXure heat-resistant adjustable aluminum pergolas pair perfectly with grills and fire features. Dial in the ideal amount of sunlight, seal for leak-free rain and snow protection, or adjust to improve ventilation when cooking with the click of a remote or smartphone button, ensuring comfortable outdoor kitchen use year-round.
  • Outdoor lighting Proper lighting is essential to outdoor kitchen safety. It can help you avoid a hot grill in the dark, chop and prep effectively, monitor meat doneness, and more. Integrating dimmable LED lighting into your pergola design ensures the ideal setting, allowing you to turn up the lights for prep and cooking and dial them back down for the perfect dining ambiance.

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• Seasonal comfort additions When designing your dream outdoor kitchen, remember to incorporate a ceiling fan into your pergola for improved summer comfort and ventilation. Don’t forget infrared patio heaters for winter warmth and motorized screens to manage wind, precipitation, and sunlight for enhanced climate control every season.
• Fireplace or fire pit A large fireplace, gas fire pit, or fire table can make a stunning focal point, beckoning family members with warmth and a welcoming glow. There are more options today than ever before, from modern linear designs with glass media to traditional log insert.
• Outdoor TV or projector screen Keep young kids entertained while cooking, plan regular family movie nights, or watch the big game outdoors. Add fun and excitement by integrating an outdoor TV or budget-friendly projector screen.

Add Year-Round Usable Square Footage

Extend your living space with the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. Contact StruXure Denver at 303-500-6669 and start bringing your design to life today.

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