The brazier grill that was typical in the 1950’s has gone by the wayside. Today, we want full outdoor kitchens with the works. The landscape of the backyard today includes all the amenities we have inside our homes.

The granite counter tops and stainless-steel appliances, including not just a refrigerator but a wine cooler, too! And, we don’t just want a grill these days. We expect a wood-burning pizza oven along with a fireplace instead of just a fire pit.

Designing outdoor kitchens isn’t necessarily a fun process. You should be prepared for what will seem like a complicated process and have a big budget. A few of the main design features you want to focus on are:

The Placement

As it is said in real estate, it holds true in the placement of outdoor kitchens, too: Location, location, location. The importance of where to place outdoor kitchens includes convenience to the house and the swimming pool, but not too close so that smells of the grill are filling the house or smoking out the swimming pool. Electricity, gas, and water should all be easily accessed so that installation of your appliances can be kept.

The placement of outdoor kitchens should also include things like privacy, shade, wind, and the view you have as well as who can see you. A pergola, or some other structure, can keep your neighbor’s view minimal and still let you enjoy your family and guests in the swimming pool as you cook.

The Cost

Before looking at outdoor kitchens, you need to know your budget. Designing a dream kitchen can cost, so create your list of wants in order of what you MUST have and what you WANT to have. Your budget may not have room for everything, so you’ll need to be flexible. Designers of outdoor kitchens biggest recommendation are not to go cheap on the grill feature. This is the one item that will get used over and over above all other features.