What Is An Outdoor Kitchen And What Is Their Design Process?

WHAT IS AN OUTDOOR KITCHEN?

From a small BBQ area to a fully bespoke A La Carte outdoor kitchen, an outdoor kitchen can be whatever works for you and your lifestyle, no matter how unique your requirement. Our luxury outdoor kitchens redefine the outdoor cooking experience, bringing the quality of craftsmanship, not to mention equipment, that we expect for a kitchen inside the home to the outdoor space.

Our oak A la Carte Outdoor Kitchen collection features speciality appliances such as pizza ovens, hob burners, ceramic smokers and teppanyaki grills. Whether a top of the range, outdoor-rated fridge, a warming drawer, or just plenty of good storage space, the elements to make up your perfect outdoor kitchen will be as individual as you are.

CHOOSING YOUR OUTDOOR KITCHEN LAYOUT

Outdoor kitchen construction requires careful planning and design before beginning installation. It is important to think about the space available, function and the layout the kitchen will have. A well planned outdoor kitchen should have functional zones for food preparation, cooking, and socialising with family, friends and guests.

Just as for an indoor kitchen, appliances and storage will often define the layout of the area, while countertop choices, lighting and accessories will form the aesthetic. Good outdoor kitchen layouts include:

Parallel Run – Where space is at a premium, a parallel layout comprising two parallel counters allows for easy back and forth between stations. It provides plenty of storage space plus room for cooking and other appliances.
U shape – A ‘U’ shape outdoor kitchen area is one of the most versatile and gives you a great counter and preparation surface area, as well as lots of storage. Larger outdoor kitchens in this layout can benefit from being divided into multiple workstations to accommodate more than one cook.
Straight – A straight run or single wall kitchen is another popular outdoor kitchen layout equally suited to smaller spaces or longer runs. It provides good work space as well as areas for appliances and storage and can be designed to complement the aesthetics of a patio or pool area. A straight outdoor kitchen can be more discreet, and interpose less onto the terrace, if that is desired.
L shape – ‘L’ shaped outdoor kitchens are an excellent option which provides great open space for a garden. It includes all the storage and countertop benefits of a straight outdoor kitchen with an L shape return on one end – a great way of adding a bar area for extra socialising whilst cooking!

Get more outdoor kitchen inspiration

Outdoor kitchen with grill, big green egg, oak cabinets and counter

OUTDOOR KITCHEN STYLES

Our outdoor kitchens are all constructed using prime grade oak from sustainable sources, designed to withstand the weather and climate all year round. The oak is fumed – an ancient craftsman’s trick to slightly darken the wood, which also minimises tannin staining in the early weeks after installation. As oak is naturally impermeable and durable, it is the perfect choice for outdoor furniture and cabinetry. Over time, the oak naturally ages and requires some maintenance to keep it looking its best. We offer a full aftercare service to keep the outdoor kitchens in top shape through the years.

Interior kitchen design experts will tell you that you should have as much worktop area as possible, and the same is true for an outdoor kitchen. Additionally, enough storage space to save yourself from having to go indoors to fetch this or that item is also advisable.

Outdoor Kitchen APPLIANCES

The choice of outdoor kitchen appliances and accessories is very wide, but at Gaze Burvill we have worked with a range of excellent, reliable quality manufacturers, all making equipment specifically designed for the outdoor environment. A sink with running water and an area for waste are also practical for food preparation, proper hygiene, and cleaning up.

The simple modular concept at the heart of our outdoor kitchen design is that of ‘pick and choose’ – like selecting from the A la Carte menu in a restaurant. It is installed by our expert installation team which allows the kitchen to be reconfigured and added to later on.

Most of our standard outdoor kitchen units house appliances from Sub-Zero and Wolf, including a 30” BBQ grill with rotisserie and cooking lights or Teppanyaki Grill. We can also install a ceramic Big Green Egg with an option to have a outdoor-rated drinks fridge. To complete the package we can also add a power and charger points, outdoor rated bluetooth speaker and plenty of additional storage space.

For our countertops we use Dekton by Cosentino as standard, as these have excellent resilience to UV and weather, as well as an attractive range of colour choices

Outdoor cooking is a social event, therefore seating is a must. Depending on the layout of your kitchen, you can use traditional outdoor dining furniture in your kitchen or set up an area with barstool seating such as an island.

Outdoor kitchen with pizza oven and grill

BESPOKE OUTDOOR KITCHEN DESIGN

We offer a full bespoke outdoor kitchen design service, using an in-house design team, with around half of the outdoor kitchens we make having bespoke elements. 2D plans and 3D visuals of your kitchen can be provided before we commence production.