For homeowners considering an outdoor kitchen today, the design possibilities are more plentiful than just a few short years ago. With the explosion of the outdoor living market, manufacturers and designers have brought to market many great products for creating the perfect outdoor kitchen for home in Huntington Bay, Islip, or the surrounding Long Island area. Here’s we take a look at some important things you must consider when working to extend your home out back.
What is the Vibe You’re After?
With many design options comes many decisions to be made. Deciding on the right outdoor kitchen to suit your specific space and style can be challenging. A great place to begin the process is to decide what vibe your hoping to have when everything is finished up. Check out the Unilock catalog for awesome design ideas and decide what the perfect kitchen feels like for you and your family. Here’s a few popular choices:
Secluded and Private – For those who want their landscaping to provide a peaceful retreat from the chaos of daily life, consider creating a space that is private, relaxing, and shielded from view. Working with a trained professional, you can integrate your outdoor kitchen’s retaining walls, cooking elements, and hardscapes seamlessly with privacy shrubs or even a privacy fence. Knowing that you’re after this private feel from the start is key for success in the end.
A Home Extension – Your outdoor kitchen can feel like a true extension of your indoor space. By integrating your landscaping with the existing style and layout of your home, you can achieve an outdoor kitchen space that works as an open-air counterpart to your indoor kitchen or living room. While entertaining, guests can easily and naturally spill out of the indoor spaces onto your patio space you’re your outdoor counter seating.
An Oasis – Developing an outdoor kitchen around a swimming pool is a great way to create the ultimate summer oasis feeling. With the pool as the backdrop, the new outdoor kitchen becomes a calming, relaxing retreat where you and your guests can feel as though you’re on a remote island vacation. If you go this route, however, be sure to consider the distance that your outdoor kitchen is from your indoor spaces. The further away it is from the main home, the less integrated into indoor life it becomes. For the poolside oasis that sits far off, consider including a more modest grill close to the backdoor sliders off the indoor kitchen.
What is Your Design Style?
With the overall vibe confirmed, along with the the relationship of your new outdoor kitchen to your existing home determined, it’s a great time to consider your style likes and dislikes. To provide some guidance to the limitless options, we have included a list of some popular favorites in the Long Island, NY region. Check out this related post on designing your Long Island landscape >>
Traditional Mediterranean – From the Italian coast to the Spanish mainland, there are beautiful styles that represent all of the European sophistication that you could ever want. Bringing some of this styling back to your NY outdoor kitchen design is fun and possible, especially if you’re along the coast in Long Island.
Scandinavian Chic – With a range of muted colors, slate stone, and sharp edges, you can create a contemporary yet comfortable style. For those who want to add a modern touch to their landscaping, there is no better option. Outfit your new outdoor kitchen with the clean-lined pavers and wall stone from Unilock’s vast product line. Consider Unilock’s Belpasso or Umbriano pavers and the new Belmuro Wall.
Natural Beauty – You can bring the natural setting of upstate New York into your landscaping and escape into nature whenever you want. This is the perfect option for those that want a secluded getaway just a few steps away from their home. Consulting with a landscape professional, choose a product like Natural Stone by Unilock, nicely complimented by a naturalistic planting design.
Tropical Paradise – The Pacific Islands is a style that is popular for those that want to transform their outdoor cooking experience into a vacation-like experience. There is nothing better than firing up the grill and feeling as if you have been transported to the tropics. Light colored stone like Unilock’s Porcelain Pavers are a great choice for this design style. Be sure to include many potted tropical planters throughout the design.
For more style options, download the free Unilock catalog below, or for a free estimate, find an Authorized Contractor here.
Key Features Not to be Overlooked
With the setting and the style decided, be sure to work with your landscape professional to include all the features that are a good fit for how you plan to use the space. Taking the time to research the available options before construction begins is the best way to save money and end up with a finished outdoor kitchen that is an amazing addition to your home. Let’s have a look at a few of the key considerations.
Seating – Many outdoor kitchen designs will incorporate a bar area that provides a few seats for guests. If you would like to also have a more formal dining space in addition to the bar, consider including an outdoor dining space adjacent to the outdoor kitchen island. Either way, ensuring you have adequate seating for your lifestyle is critical to enjoying the space.
Countertops – Having sufficient preparation space is vital, especially in an outdoor kitchen located a distance from the property. Their should be landing spaces on each side of the grill for plating and preparing food. Just like with interior kitchens, counter space is king.
Fully Functioning– A quality grill is a good start to achieving your ideal kitchen, but for many Long Island homeowners, it’s just the beginning. There are many additional options to suit your exact needs such as:
* Woodchip smokers
* Refrigerators
* Outdoor Sinks
* Cooking utensil storage
* Specialized items, such as a pizza oven and warming drawers
