When you want to expand your outdoor cooking beyond wheeling out the Weber, an outdoor kitchen awaits you. This remodeling project can be as simple as a grill and dining table on a concrete patio, or you can create an outdoor room with a full kitchen and a full suite of furnishings for lounging and dining. Outdoor living options are endless, so let’s consider the following areas that help determine what type of outdoor kitchen would satisfy your vision.

Creating An Outdoor Kitchen

Do you need a simple cooking area or a full kitchen? A grill and counter space are the essentials of outdoor cooking, while a refrigerator and sink make it a regulation kitchen. Adding these fixtures requires adding water and electrical hookups, and it can boost your home’s value because you’ve created a second kitchen. So, consider how long you will be in your home, and let then let your cooking and entertaining desires frame the scope of your outdoor kitchen.

Cooking Preparing meals for family and friends is the basis of an outdoor kitchen, and choices include gas or charcoal grill, or would you like a wood-burning pizza oven with a separate stove top? Should the cooking fixtures be portable or permanent? If you want an outdoor kitchen that can be rearranged or taken with you to a new home, choose a grill on wheels. If you desire is to enjoy the kitchen for years to come, then go with built-in appliances just as you would for an indoor kitchen.

Prep Area Preparing food and storing cooking utensils informs outdoor kitchen design. A simple countertop with drawers and shelves underneath may be all that’s required. For the gourmand, the plan may have the same items as the indoor kitchen: refrigerator, wine chiller, warming drawer, double sinks and plenty of countertop for multiple cooks working together. How you wish to cook and entertain is how simple or extensive the kitchen could be.

Weather-Friendly Materials Everything needs to be waterproof and low maintenance, so the materials that fill this requirement are stainless steel, enamel, red woods and teak, stone veneers, concrete and brick. For flooring, avoid slick materials like glazed ceramic tile or marble to reduce slipping, and  choose countertop materials that are durable and easy to clean, like concrete, which can be cleaned with the garden hose.

Construction An outdoor kitchen is, essentially, an outdoor room, so professional remodelers consider this project a room addition. Typically, building an outdoor room won’t disrupt household routines, which can make it a pleasurable project to undertake. This is a significant home improvement, so it is important to build to local zoning codes, follow proper building methods and obtain proper building permits. Use licensed plumbers and electricians so the space is up to code.

The kitchen can be built on an existing patio if it is in good condition and take the extra weight and use. Existing decks can also be used, but may require additional support because of the extra weight being added. Whether expanding what exists or starting from scratch, ensure that areas directly underneath grills and stoves can withstand high heat and sparks from embers that fall.

Another consideration is how many months out of the year you want to use the space. The outdoor cooking season extends into deep fall with the inclusion of gas patio heaters or a fireplace, and a gazebo or other shelter can buffer the elements.

Placement An important decision is where to place the kitchen. Placing it on level ground near existing utilities is ideal. Placing it off to the side of the yard is better than smack dab in the center, as it provides more privacy and can improve a spot in the yard that needed attention, anyway. What views you want to capture is an aesthetic consideration, as well.

An attached kitchen let’s your home’s exterior wall act as a weather buffer, and makes it easy to tap into the kitchen’s existing utilities. Ventilation for an attached kitchen is very important, as smoke-producing appliances must either be out from under roof eaves or have an exhaust system to avoid trapped smoke.

Freestanding kitchens give you more leeway with layout, space and style. For instance, most outdoor entertaining takes place in the late afternoon and early evening, so locating the area in a northern area will provide natural shade that keeps everyone cooler. Erecting a pergola, gazebo or pavilion nicely defines space and provides ample shade and protection. Wind and the elements are another key consideration; landscaping can be employed as a windbreak on the perimeter of the space.

Layout The floorplan of an outdoor kitchen follows the same principals as the indoor version. Consider the configuration and spacing of work zones for how many cooks will be attending, and allow for enough foot traffic around the cooking areas to avoid accidents.

People can gather at a counter with bar height seating to watch you cook and keep you a part of the party, or you can create separate areas for entertainment, lounging and dining. These decisions form the basis of what furniture and fixtures are needed to complete your vision. And remember to place seating so that smoke blows away from guests!

From the simple to the elaborate, an outdoor kitchen requires much coordinating and thought. The Mosby Building Arts planners and designers make it easy for you and excel at working with you to create the ultimate outdoor living experience, and the Mosby carpenters will bring these visions to life. Browse examples of Mosby outdoor living projects that have improved the homeowners’ lifestyle, and when you’re ready for your own backyard oasis, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Would you like more room for living and entertaining?  Well, simply walk out your back door to see an untapped resource for extending your living space. Your back yard easily transforms into an outdoor living oasis with the addition of a deck or patio, so let the planning begin.

Decks and patios can easily incorporate gazebos, pergolas, pools, fountains and gardens…the options are limitless!  Which is why collaborating with design professionals is the best way to get an “outdoor room” that truly enhances your lifestyle and the value of your home.

When you work with a Mosby Building Arts design planner, dreams become reality by exploring the details on paper before the first hammer swings. Areas of consideration include:

Size Matters Picture how you’d like to live with a deck or patio; will it be a private space for your family to relax, or a place for entertaining large groups? Or would you like a flexible plan that can accommodate a combination of the two? Answers to these questions will determine how much furniture and square footage is needed.

Follow the Sun South-facing backyards need shaded areas on the deck, while a northfacing backyard may not require the awnings, pergolas or overhangs that create cool respite. Observing the sun, shade and wind will inform the overall design and function of the area.

Water & Light If you long to spend evening outside, you’ll need good lighting for safety, security and ambiance. Plan ahead for fixtures and electrical outlet needs. And install the proper number of outdoor faucets for watering gardens or a sink in an outdoor kitchen.

Maintenance & Durability You deserve to enjoy your outdoor room, not maintain it.  Work with a planner to choose the materials, finishes and sealers that protect your investment and leisure time.

Design Harmony An outdoor living space is an extension of your home, so it should enhance the exterior. Select materials, finishes and colors that coordinate with roofing, siding and windows. Consider the size, color and placement of landscaping around the patio. Mosby planners can keep an eye on the big picture so your new spaces harmoniously integrate with the whole.

Build It Right There are multiple structural and safety concerns when attaching a deck or patio to your home. Mosby carpenters apply for permits and build to the regulations of your municipality so you have a safe, watertight deck that serves  your family for decades.

Imagine your family room expanding into the backyard and realize the boundless potential for outdoor living.  To begin your backyard adventure and improve your warm-weather lifestyle, collaborate with the Mosby Building Arts planning and design team by calling 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

Your home is much larger than you think.  We typically measure the square footage within the exterior walls of our house and consider only the interior as our livable space.  But when you look beyond the walls and consider the usable land your home sits on, the size of your home practically doubles in size.

A home is a place for your family, and the function of each room is determined by how the family uses the room.  For instance, the kitchen is for everyone of every age that lives in or visits your home, while your bedroom has specific functions for a limited number of people.  The family room is for varied levels of constant interaction, while a bathroom is for solitary retreat.  It is the number of people and how they use a space that creates the identity of a room.

Rethinking Your Backyard

Think of a typical backyard deck and how it is used.  Decks tend to be accessed by public spaces from inside the home and serve as an informal entertainment area for family and guests.  The deck has flexibility of use; yesterday it was a dining room for an intimate dinner for two, today it hosts a child’s birthday party and tomorrow it will let you relax and read a book on a lazy afternoon.  In essence, your deck is an outdoor extension of your family room, and a room addition without walls.

A patio may just be a slab of concrete in your backyard, but when you add a table and chairs, lighting and a grill it becomes the second kitchen of your home.  And just like your indoor kitchen, the patio is where everyone will gather, so furnish it the way you would a kitchen and you’ve just added another room to your house.

Endless Summer?

Outdoor living in, say, Southern California makes sense because of its year-round temperate weather, but why would you invest in creating outdoor rooms that can’t be used during Midwest winters?

Let’s observe that we in Metro St. Louis have a solid 4 months of cold weather that can preclude using a deck or sunporch, which leaves 8 months when our outdoor living spaces can be a part of daily life.

But even when the temperature is chillier than you’d like, patio designs can include fireplace accessories like a fire pit or fire ring to create warmth and cozy light for cold-weather get-togethers.  Another deck design option is various sizes of heaters powered by the same type of natural gas or propane tanks used for outdoor grills.

A 4-season room is essentially a screened porch with storm windows, insulation and a heat source for colder months, and when the weather changes, it converts back to an open-air room for enjoying nature in your outdoor room.  So, for those who thrive in the great outdoors, there are endless options for an endless summer all year long.

The designers and architects at Mosby Building Arts excel at creating unique outdoor living spaces perfectly tailored to your personality and lifestyle.  We work with you to craft a master plan of desires, needs and practical solutions that will transform your yard into an extension of your home, all year long.  To explore the possibilities of outdoor living, call our office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

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