Outdoor Kitchen Trends 2011

Attributing homeowners’ interest in outdoor kitchens in part to cable networks’ emphasis on travel and cooking, Elizabeth O’Leary of Teacup Gardener says,  they “want to have a little slice of paradise just on the other side of their own back door.”
She adds, “The driving trend involved in outdoor kitchens and outdoor entertaining is the notion that any homeowner can have a special spot for entertaining or escaping the fast pace of American lives.”
The outdoor kitchen is all about lifestyle, allowing homeowners to bring comfort and design to a natural setting. An ever-growing variety of fixtures and accessories makes it easy to create a convenient cooking space—outdoor refrigerators, storage drawers, sinks and faucets mean no running back and forth from the house to the grill.
Many outdoor living rooms include lounges or sofas, televisions and/or sound systems, fireplaces or fire pits, and a pool or game area. Even if budget doesn’t allow for all the desired features now, proper planning can make them easier to add later.
Building onto an existing deck or terrace is an easy way to tie your kitchen into the rest of your home. Just be sure to keep the grill far enough away from the home to avoid smoke or heat damage.
Barbara French of French’s Cabinet Gallery says that an outdoor kitchen and living area allows people to vacation at home, which can be less costly than an expensive vacation and lasts much longer. “The main elements in an outdoor kitchen are a matter of taste, just as they are in an indoor kitchen,” she says.
Cari Sokoloff of Soko Studio, which offers long-lasting decorative stainless steel and bronze cabinet hardware, says even caterers are using outdoor kitchen areas. “Customers want function but they also care about the look,” she says.
Homeowners are choosing to invest in their current property by renovating instead of purchasing new homes, according to Jim Sokol of Unique Outdoor Solutions. “An outdoor living space, especially an outdoor kitchen, can add real value to a home’s value,” he says.
Sokol says selection of a quality grill comes first and that the design is created to incorporate it. “Stone is very popular and durable and the use of stone in creating outdoor kitchens is quite popular,” he adds. The outdoor kitchen can include just a grill and stonework, or can incorporate a whole range of appliances from refrigerator and wine cooler to pizza oven.
Sweeney recommends that thought be given to the size of groups to be entertained when considering the outdoor kitchen. “There’s a big difference between 20 guests and 50 guests,” she says. “The main function of the outdoor kitchen is for its entertainment value, the easy clean-up, and the additional living space outdoors that the kitchen will offer the homeowners.”
O’Leary says the outdoor kitchen needs to flow easily from inside the home to the kitchen space. “A custom outdoor kitchen can enhance the quality of life for the homeowner who frequently entertains and enjoys outdoor dining,” she says.
Considerations for an outdoor kitchen include accommodating nearby dining space, sitting space, and placement of furniture and container gardens.
Be sure to place the grill out of the path of prevailing winds. This detail is often overlooked until smoke from the grill has already blackened nearby walls, seeped into the home, or bedeviled guests.

There are a number of sources for outdoor kitchens in the Nashville area including:

Embers Grill & Fireplace Store
Franklin
615/ 309-7738

French’s Cabinet Gallery Inc.
Brentwood
615/ 371-8385

Just Design This
Auburntown
615/ 578-4738

Natural Creations
Nashville
615/ 254-5229

NaturEscape
Murfreesboro
615/ 848-7070

Soko
California
415-285-7656

Teacup Gardener
Nashville
615/ 262-7441

Unique Outdoor Solutions
Franklin
615/ 415-0767