Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen with A Pergola

Determine Where to Locate Your Outdoor Kitchen

There are two options for kitchen location, each with benefits and drawbacks:

• Perimeter Kitchen
  A perimeter kitchen is added along the perimeter of your home, offering easier access to utilities like water, electric, and gas. This location potentially reduces construction costs and can make life easier, providing fast-access to in-home cooking accoutrements.
• Satellite Kitchen
  A satellite kitchen is located away from your home, making access to utilities such as water, electric, and gas more difficult and costly. This remote location, however, can make a satellite kitchen feel like a backyard oasis.

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Consider Your Outdoor Kitchen Layout

When considering placement of outdoor kitchen features, designers recommend following the ‘kitchen triangle’ rule, placing the grill, fridge, and sink within a comfortably walkable space for ease of access. Make grill location your first priority, placing it in an area where you can cook undisturbed and unworried over the safety of passersby or children.

Don’t Overlook Shelter for Your Outdoor Kitchen

There’s nothing worse than planning for a nice dinner cooked on the grill, only to be thwarted by the rain. StruXture adjustable aluminum pergolas keep you and your delectable dinners protected from the elements, offering flexible shelter year-round. If Mother Nature attempts to foil your outdoor cooking and dining attempts, simply close the louvers of your StruXture pergola for leak-proof rain protection. When skies clear, open louvers to the perfect angle for sun, shade, or added ventilation.

Compare Outdoor Countertop & Flooring Choices

The counters of an outdoor kitchen should be deeper than indoor countertops to accommodate a built-in grill, with a depth of 30-36-inches. Height is the same, at 36-inches for countertops, 42-inches for bar tops. The most popular choices for outdoor countertops, as well as flooring, are concrete and natural stone. Each has its benefits and drawbacks, so be sure to consider carefully when choosing between these surfaces.

Include Essential Outdoor Kitchen Appliances & Accessories

• Grill
  Investing in a high-quality indoor grill is wise, as this will be the heart of your outdoor kitchen design. Gas versus charcoal models often depends on the preference of the cook (and cleanup crew). Built-in and drop-in options are preferable over portable models and are nicer looking. Carefully comparing features will ensure lasting performance and enjoyment.
• Sink
  Beautiful, durable, and low maintenance, a stainless steel sink is best at withstanding the elements. Tip: Skip the hot water line for installation savings.
• Fridge
  A stainless steel fridge much smaller than your indoor fridge will keep food safely stored. Be sure to choose a model rated for outdoor use for longevity and safety.
• Storage
  If you don’t want to tote grill gear back and forth, built-in storage is a wise addition, particularly for satellite kitchens.

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Top Off Your Design with Quality Furnishings

Comfortable seating and tables such as modern cast-aluminum sets, casual wicker, or traditional teak furnishings, setting the stage for outdoor enjoyment. 

Cooking up your dream outdoor kitchen? We’ve got the recipe for success. Contact StruXure Denver Pergola Systems and schedule a free design consultation today.

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