Outdoor Kitchens Are Sizzling

Considered a luxury a few years ago, outdoor kitchens are now becoming a standard feature in moderate to high-end remodels and new construction.

It’s not just about the barbecue anymore. It’s about our ongoing love affair with nature, expanding our living space and alfresco entertaining with ease and elegance.

Blurring lines between inside and outside, a well-designed and outfitted outdoor kitchen can seal the deal on a property. I see developers using them to set their product apart. Using covered shelters, fireplaces, and attractive heating solutions, these rooms can be used year-round.

An outdoor kitchen not only adds value to the house, but it also improves the homeowner’s quality of life. The continued craving for a connection to nature is satisfied by staying home and extending the living space to the outdoors.

Grilling is an easy, inexpensive, and healthy cooking option. For the guys it’s the perfect “man-toy”; it’s like having the coolest or fastest car on the block. Beyond grilling, televisions, and pizza ovens are even becoming a must-have in outdoor kitchens. Picture relaxing on game day at a make-your-own pizza party!

Want to add an outdoor kitchen to your home? Find trade professionals educated on the wide range of options available, including landscape design. The new kitchen must be fully functional. This means you should be able to do everything outdoors you can do indoors- and then some.  Beyond the basic capabilities, dream!  The outdoor kitchen concept is just getting started and the sky may just be the limit.

Lisa Stewart is an interior designer serving the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, NC.