Room Design
Outdoor Spaces
Outdoor Rooms
By
Kristin Hohenadel
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Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
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Updated on 03/15/24
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Outdoor cooking is a primal pleasure that recalls childhood campfires and simpler times. As the best chefs know, you don't need a lot of space to create a gourmet meal. If you are lucky enough to have any amount of outdoor space, creating an open-air kitchen can turn the routine of cooking meals into an opportunity to dine al fresco under the blue skies or the stars.
Whether it's a compact outdoor grill or griddle station or a fully equipped mini kitchen, check out these compact outdoor kitchens that are as functional as they are stylish.
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Rooftop Garden Kitchen
This rooftop space in Williamsburg from New Eco Landscapes includes a custom kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, sink, and grill. The storage cabinets are finished with stained wood, while natural wood planters and backsplash add a natural feel and provide privacy.
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Penthouse Kitchenette
The sleek kitchenette in this Tribeca home designed by Studio DB is located on the roof terrace of a single-family home in a converted 1888 grocery distribution center. Built along a single wall, it has warm wood cabinetry and sliding glass doors to shelter it when not in use.
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All-Season Outside Kitchen
Outdoor kitchens aren't just reserved for summer use, as demonstrated by this scenic space from Shelter Interiors in Bozeman, MT that is anchored around a grill from Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. Located off of the family rec room, the kitchen has a scenic view, with light gray stone finishes that allow it to blend into the natural landscape.
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Light and Airy Outdoor Kitchen
This outdoor pool house kitchen designed by Mark Langos Interior Design is what quintessential California living is all about. The corner kitchen has an outdoor sink, stove top, oven, and a glass front fridge for beverages.
Natural materials like stone, wood, and rattan blend in seamlessly with the natural landscape. White subway tiles, black-framed windows, and dishware add a crisp modern touch. Accordion windows open up all the way when in use to the open terrace and pool house.
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Outdoor Kitchen With a Graphic Punch
Give your home a sense of cohesion by using the same patterned tile on both indoor and outdoor kitchens. Shannon Wollack and Brittany Zwickl of the West Hollywood, CA-based interior design firm Studio Life/Style used the same dramatic black-and-white patterned tile on both the outdoor and indoor kitchen of this Los Angeles home to blur the lines between inside and out.
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Indoor-Outdoor Kitchen
Use cool blues and greens to give your outdoor kitchen a coastal feel. This indoor-outdoor cabana kitchen from Christina Kim Interior Design has rattan bar stools, a soft white, mint green, and blue palette inside and out and an ombré surfboard leaning up against the side of the cabana to reinforce the coastal ambiance.
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Open-Air Dining
The kind of outdoor kitchen that makes sense for your home partly depends on the climate.
"I love having an outdoor kitchen," says blogger Leslie Saeta from My 100 Year Old Home. "We grill here at least three times a week (all year round)."
The outdoor kitchen is fully equipped for family meals and entertaining with everything from a barbecue to a gas burner, sink, ice maker, and refrigerator.
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DIY Pergola
Photographer and blogger Aniko Levai from Place of My Taste built her DIY outdoor kitchen around a pretty pergola inspired by Pinterest images to give the space a visual anchor. To complement all the wood, she added stainless steel appliances to create a durable, clean look.
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Urban Backyard Kitchen
UK blogger Claire of The Green Eyed Girl turned the small outdoor patio off of her kitchen and dining room into an adjunct kitchen by adding a wood-burning pizza oven constructed from a kit.
She used carefully chosen reclaimed brick to match the extension and garden wall and planted herbs nearby for sprinkling on freshly homemade pizzas.
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Pull-Out Kitchen
For Steps, a tiny house project in Sweden designed by Rahel Belatchew Lerdell of Belatchew Arkitekter, features an innovative retractable Siberian larch wood kitchen that pulls out when needed and slides seamlessly into the outdoor staircase structure of the house when not in use.
The minimalist kitchen is equipped with a sink and has counters for food prep or placing portable cooking equipment, and there is additional hidden storage space built beneath the steps.
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Small Outdoor Kitchen On Wheels
Use a rich wood stain to give your outdoor kitchen a homey look. This outdoor kitchen from Ryan Benoit Design/The Horticult in La Jolla, CA is rendered in construction-grade Douglas fir.
The outdoor kitchen anchors the rental beach cottage garden, creating space for entertaining. Kitchen cabinetry also houses the garden hose, trash bin, and additional pantry items.
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Modular and Streamlined Outdoor Kitchen
For a modern feel, choose streamlined elements. This contemporary modular concrete outdoor kitchen from Dutch designer Piet-Jan van den Kommer of WWOO can be sized up or down depending on how much outdoor space you have.
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Screen Porch Kitchen
A small outdoor kitchen located on the screen porch of this Prior Lake, MN bungalow from Martha O’Hara Interiors has an outdoor feel while being protected from the elements. Located on the other side of the indoor kitchen makes plumbing and water hook-ups easier to install.
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Small Outdoor Pizza Kitchen
Blanco Bungalow built a small DIY outdoor pizza kitchen in this Southern California backyard. The minimalist space is rendered in white stucco to echo the architecture of the Spanish bungalow-style home.
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Small Outdoor Kitchen Grill
Make your small outdoor kitchen easily accessible to the indoors to facilitate open air grilling when the weather is right. This outdoor grill from Inspired By Charm is located on the deck just outside the door to the indoor kitchen for maximum convenience.
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Small Covered Patio Kitchen
Use a pergola to protect your outdoor kitchen from the elements while maintaining an open feel. This space from Fantastic Frank includes a minimalist outdoor kitchen and a dining table on a backyard patio that is shady and comfortable.
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Poolside Kitchen
Set up a small outdoor kitchen to make your pool parties more fun. A Beautiful Mess built a small outdoor kitchen on a large covered poolside patio with a grill and a bright yellow wood-fired pizza oven, plus a peninsula with a built-in sink that faces the dining area.
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Small Outdoor Kitchen Lounge
Add an outdoor fireplace and wall-mounted TV to turn your small outdoor kitchen into an entertainment lounge. This contemporary outdoor living space from Mary Patton Design has a seamless, contemporary look, with a built-in grill, sink, and food storage that is built into a white brick wall.
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Small Outdoor Grilling Station
Elevate a small outdoor kitchen with a pop of color. This simple poolside grilling station from Living With Lolo features a candy pink grill that creates a festive focal point.
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Small White Outdoor Kitchen
Tucked a small outdoor kitchen neatly into the corner for an understated look. Kern & Co. built this outdoor kitchenette to mimic the privacy wall, with white finishes and stainless steel appliances and refrigerated food and pantry storage.
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Sleek Small Outdoor Kitchen
Pay attention to give your small outdoor kitchen an elevated feel. This small San Francisco outdoor kitchen from Seed Studio Landscape Design has a wood-fired pizza oven and grill that is seamlessly finished with vertical wood veneer slats that match the horizontal wood fencing.
A vibrant blue patterned tile backsplash adds color, while pale concrete flooring and integrated lighting add modern polish.
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Small Outdoor Corner Kitchen
Create an indoor-outdoor feel on a patio kitchen by using similar finishes both indoors and out. This outdoor kitchen from Thomas Guy Interiors blends in perfectly with the gray-and-white palette of the adjacent lounge space. A large hood vent covered in wood echoes the interior flooring to tie indoor and outdoor spaces together.
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Painted Brick Outdoor Kitchen
A painted brick pizza oven adds a focal point to this Southern California backyard patio from Home Consultant. A table and chairs set up under a pergola allow for year-round al fresco dining.
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Small Outdoor Balcony Kitchen
Not everyone has a backyard, but if you're an apartment or condo dweller who is fortunate enough to have a balcony or terrace, a built-in grilling station like this one from White Sands is a little luxury that will feel like having an extra room. Keep fixtures and furniture neutral for a cohesive feel.
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Small Outdoor Kitchen With Seating
Create a seating area where you can share a drink and chill while waiting for your food to cook. Design Lines Signature set up a shaded lounge space steps away from a grill station, decorating it with plants and flowers for an inviting feel.
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Multifunctional Outdoor Kitchen
Build an open poolside cabana to structure a small outdoor kitchen. Michelle Boudreau Design outfitted this compact outdoor kitchen, dining, and lounge space with plenty of refrigerated food and drinks storage and a sink for cooking and mixing drinks. The small space includes a TV lounge and a peninsula with seating on both sides to maximize the compact space.
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Outdoor Deck Kitchen
Position a small kitchenette on the far end of a long deck for a clean look. AHG Interiors maximized space on this outdoor deck with a small outdoor kitchen and a dining table that seats eight.
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Tips for Maximizing Space
To maximize your small outdoor kitchen:
- Optimize your layout, such as locating all your appliances along a single wall.
- Choose compact appliances that suit your needs and lifestyle.
- Use refrigerated drawers for food storage and small beverage fridges to store drinks.
- Utilize vertical space for storage with stacked units or hang open shelving above the countertops if your kitchen is set up against a wall.
What is the least expensive way to build an outdoor kitchen?
The least expensive way to build an outdoor kitchen is to do it yourself, assuming that you have the skills and the time. Keep in mind that building a large outdoor kitchen is a major project that often requires permitting for gas and electrical lines and other requirements. A smaller, simpler, and less expensive outdoor kitchen can be set up around a grill or a wood-fired pizza oven.
Is an outdoor kitchen a good investment?
Assuming that you keep your outdoor kitchen updated and well maintained so that it is in good working condition, it can increase the value of your home by between 60% and 100% of the money you spent building it, according to Angi.
What are the disadvantages of outdoor kitchens?
While it’s easy to appreciate the benefits of an outdoor kitchen, it can also come with downsides. Building an outdoor kitchen requires space and up front costs; requires extra maintenance and weather-proofing to keep it clean and protected from the elements; and may have limited use depending on the climate where you live.
How much does it cost to build a small outdoor kitchen?
According to HomeAdvisor, it costs between $6,085 and $25,999 to build an outdoor kitchen, with an average of $16,004 spent. The final cost of your outdoor kitchen will depend on everything from its size to your choice of materials, finishes, fixtures, and labor costs in your area.
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