How to Remodel an Outdoor Kitchen
The order the work happens in, and what to settle before anything is ordered. A kitchen that has to survive weather, and still be worth walking out to.
BeforeAfter
- 1
Work out what the room has to do
An outdoor kitchen is a run of masonry or cabinetry carrying a grill, a counter and somewhere to put a plate down. What separates the ones that get used from the ones that do not is shelter, counter space either side of the heat, and being close enough to the house that nobody is carrying trays across a lawn.
- 2
Decide what is actually changing
On this project the work touches grill and burners, counter surface and run, base cabinetry or masonry, overhead shelter — and often sink and fridge and task lighting. Settling that list first is what stops a remodel growing sideways once it has started.
- 3
Hold the dimensions
Whatever the finishes, these do not move. Give the grill 24in of counter on one side and 36in on the other — the landing space is what makes it usable. Keep the whole run within about 20ft of the kitchen door, or it stops being used on a weeknight. Allow 42in of clear standing space in front of the counter; 48in where people pass behind the cook.
- 4
Plan the light before the finishes
Two layers, both dimmable and warm. Task light directly over the grill and the counter, bright enough to see whether meat is done, and a low ambient layer over the eating area. Anything mounted high and aimed outward turns the patio into a stage and kills the evening.
- 5
Check it against the room you have
Photograph the space and render it before anything is ordered. A Standard run costs 4 credits and a new account starts with 4, so the whole thing can be seen before a single decision is paid for.
Questions
- What should I decide first in an outdoor kitchen remodel?
- An outdoor kitchen is a run of masonry or cabinetry carrying a grill, a counter and somewhere to put a plate down. What separates the ones that get used from the ones that do not is shelter, counter space either side of the heat, and being close enough to the house that nobody is carrying trays across a lawn.
- What goes wrong most often?
- A grill with no counter beside it, so everything is carried back indoors anyway. No shelter, which limits the whole thing to about four months a year.
- Will it work in a small outdoor kitchen?
- A 6ft run with a built-in grill, counter on both sides and a light over it beats a sprawling island nobody sheltered. Depth matters more than length — 30in gives you a working counter, 24in gives you a shelf.
- Can I see it on my own outdoor kitchen before starting?
- Yes — photograph the space and run it through the Studio. It is generated imagery, so compare the render against your photo rather than treating it as a plan.