Update 5-4-23
The online home design and style gurus at Livingetc wrote last month that “outdoor kitchens have become a new essential luxury.”
From our perspective at Deck and Patio, we would have to agree. We are getting more and more requests for such luxuries, including being flexible where some of the outdoor kitchen/bar amenities are housed.
In our earlier blog (below), most of the outdoor kitchens we showcased have the components of a combined kitchen/bar contained within one structure.
However, we thought our readers would enjoy seeing a recent project we completed in Smithtown, NY, (left/immediately below) where we housed the bar features often associated with an outdoor kitchen (refrigerator, etc) within a new custom pavilion.
As you see from these two photos, set within a partial stone-faced wall are bar elements that are handy and do not require those relaxing there to go to the barbecue for a cool drink, etc.
“There are so many ways to configure the elements of an outdoor kitchen or bar. We love coming up with creative ideas that fit our clients’ lifestyle,” says our own Dave Stockwell.
Enjoy below our earlier blog that showcases a couple of our customers’ combined outdoor kitchens/bars.
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It’s hard to imagine an outdoor party that doesn’t include yummy food cooked up on a barbecue. Outdoor get-togethers like Communions, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, graduations, and anniversaries, not to mention Memorial Day and July 4th, invariably include a food element.
Deck and Patio clients are no exception. We’re frequently asked for more than a barbecue. Outdoor living is so valued in our neck of the woods, clients frequently want a full-sized activity center, partly for flexibility in cooking, but also to allow the “cook” or “cooks” to be part of conversations and fun.
The outdoor kitchen we’re highlighting today was part of an overall backyard upgrade that boasts a two-level Techo-Bloc patio, custom fire pit, dining and seating areas, and a water feature with stream and waterfalls that flow alongside a new portable Bullfrog Spas’ hot tub (right).
Space, however, was an issue when planning this upgrade. Rather than a fixed pergola, the clients chose moveable outdoor umbrellas — or, ‘flexible shade.’
Both patio areas were built with Borealis’ modular slabs from Techo-Bloc. Note how the colorful umbrellas behind the outdoor kitchen can be moved as needed in their yard, and offer such nice pops of color wherever they are positioned.
Their new custom fire pit is overlaid in a facade of natural stone that mimics that of their outdoor kitchen. The outdoor kitchen’s amenities include a built-in stainless steel grill, expansive work area, sink, refrigerator and eating/drinking bar with stools.
Project’s Feature Photo (Also Top of Page): The outdoor kitchen’s handsome and expansive granite countertop allows for an eating/drinking bar, while leaving plenty of “prep” space for cooking. Ice and cold drinks fit in the fridge immediately below the eating/drinkingbar area. Note also how the outdoor kitchen is only steps from their hot tub and relaxing water feature.
A full-sized activity center is the perfect spot for a break anytime. Whether entertaining or not, it’s the heart of outdoor living.
Note: You can see more Deck and Patio outdoor kitchens/bars here.