Room Study: Outdoor/Indoor Kitchens

These kitchens show how to offer clients the allure of eating al fresco with the security of being in a sheltered space.

2 MIN READ

The urge to cook and eat outside has been around since humankind first discovered that, sushi aside, using fire to sear a bird or fish makes it taste better and last longer. Fully-equipped and covered outdoor kitchens or indoor kitchens with disappearing exterior walls both allow homeowners to feed that primal craving. In addition, these mutable spaces fulfill increasingly popular demands from custom clients for year-round outdoor living spaces.

The accompanying slideshow features outdoor kitchens sheltered from sun, rain, and wind as well as indoor kitchens that can be completely exposed to those same elements. The designers and builders of these projects share insights on how to make an indoor/outdoor kitchen functional and feel good. Industry pros agree that you have to create a room with a wide-open feeling and the ability to be enclosed. Plus, linking indoor and outdoor spaces with strong, seamless connections visually and physically increases the size and usefulness of a kitchen.

The best techniques used to produce kitchens that bridge the gap between afternoon picnic and elegant dinner party can be seen in all of these projects. Keeping floor levels and materials the same strengthens an indoor-outdoor bond and makes spaces seem larger. Take that philosophy up the walls or onto the ceiling and continue those finishes beyond the kitchen area. Along the same lines, using traditionally outdoor materials inside and vice versa also enhances the room’s indoor-outdoor ambiance.

More practical tips include using outdoor-rated appliances along with durable, weather-resistant materials like stainless steel, stone, concrete, and marine-grade woods. The use of mostly natural materials also amps up the outdoor atmosphere. It’s also essential to give occupants some exposure to sunshine and moonlight while keeping shading in mind through good orientation and siting. Making indoor-outdoor rooms usable year-round also means adding climate control such as radiant-heated floors, ceiling fans, or an oversized fireplace.

About the Author

Shelley D. Hutchins

Shelley D. Hutchins, LEED AP, writes about residential construction and design, sustainable building and living, and travel and health-care issues.

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