An outdoor kitchen can form the perfect complement to just about any home and landscape. Maximizing the aesthetic impact of these spaces requires treating them as though they were rooms indoors, though, which means the kitchen must be designed perfectly and decorated. Read on to find some tips for how to get this essential process right.
Go For Quality
While most designers recommend treating outdoor kitchens as though they were rooms inside the home, there’s one major difference that homeowners can’t afford to ignore. Outdoor kitchens are exposed to the elements, which means all of their fixtures and features must be made from durable, weatherproof materials.
Check out RTA Outdoor Living for some good examples of outdoor fixtures. For more decorative features, just be sure that they are weather- and water-resistant.
Come Up With a Theme
Themed rooms can look outdated in an era where homeowners are prioritizing modernism and chic design, but the same doesn’t necessarily hold true for outdoor spaces. Coming up with a theme for the outdoor kitchen can bring the whole area together in a way that sticking to more traditional design ideas intended for indoor spaces will not.
Take a look at the settings and try to think of an idea that will look good with the natural backdrop. In some cases, the right direction to take things in will be obvious. Nautical themes for beachside outdoor kitchens will always look great and create a well-integrated feel. In others, it takes more creativity. Homeowners can look at this design tip as an opportunity to express themselves that they wouldn’t necessarily have indoors.
Incorporate a Kitchen Garden
There are few things more quaint than a kitchen garden. Homeowners who want to embrace the recent cottagecore trend will find that it’s easy to find ways to add plants to the kitchen area, especially if they stick with popular herbs. Not only will they be more likely to see frequent use but herbs are typically much more forgiving than vegetables.
When it comes to using herbs as natural kitchen decorations, it’s important to balance fashion and function. There are plenty of culinary herbs that also look beautiful year-round, and many of them can be grown successfully in small container gardens.
Pay Attention to Lighting Design
Most people think of outdoor kitchens as spaces that are designed for daytime use. However, the right lighting design can make them just as perfect for nighttime entertaining. Developing the right lighting plan will also influence homeowners’ decorating schemes, as any key focal points should be carefully illuminated.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with lighting design and decorations. Combining water features, even small ones, with lighting can create a unique ambiance that adds a touch of elegance to the space, for example, while adding solar-powered globe lights either inside of the kitchen or in the surrounding area will give it a whimsical feel.
Don’t Be Afraid to Try Different Things
Creating the perfect outdoor kitchen isn’t just about choosing a grill that’s large enough to accommodate extra burgers at family barbecues or figuring out how best to incorporate seating into the overall design. The decor and individual decorations can make a big difference when it comes to creating the right ambiance. Thankfully, it’s much easier to redecorate than it is to move built-in fixtures and features after a kitchen has been built, so DIY designers have plenty of room to play around and try different things.
