The outdoor kitchen is becoming one of the most popular arrangements for enjoying sunny days. On a terrace, under a garden shed or in a shed, it transforms every meal into a moment of conviviality. Fixed or modular, compact or fully equipped, it is now available in a multitude of versions to adapt to all spaces and all budgets.
Nomadic or built, the summer kitchen transforms the garden or terrace into a real living room when the weather is nice. Preparing a barbecue, washing vegetables from the vegetable garden or setting a large outdoor table becomes a real pleasure. Friendly and practical, it invites you to fully enjoy the outdoors throughout the summer. Before you get started, however, there are a few points worth knowing about designing a space that is as functional as it is durable.
Meals in the garden are often synonymous with trips to the kitchen and time wasted not enjoying your guests. The summer kitchen is therefore ideal for no longer spending time behind the stove. Above all offering a cooking pointit can be equipped with a barbecue or plancha. It also has a sink and work surface to best meet your needs and prepare a good feast. A summer kitchen with bar, for example, will allow you to create a real convivial space in your garden.
Which location should you choose for a summer kitchen?
Prefer a location that is within the continuity of the houseon the one hand to facilitate possible water and electricity connections, but also to shorten the distance of the various comings and goings between the garden and the house. Nothing stops you from choosing a corner closer to the pool if you have one, to create a real holiday atmosphere, it will only require a little more organization.
Whether you choose to build an outdoor kitchen all year round or whether you plan to install one during the summer, it is above all advisable to ensure that cooking odors and fumes will not be directed towards your house or that of your neighbors. So take into consideration the prevailing winds where you plan to place it. Also take care of the environment. Do not set up your summer kitchen under trees or near a hedge, to prevent the plants from catching fire.
How to build a summer kitchen?
It all depends on the intended use for your outdoor kitchen: do you want a real additional room with all the necessary household appliances and a dining area, or a simpler structure with which you can organize your summer barbecues in a more comfortable way?
Once the location has been defined (terrace, garden shed, patio), imagine the plan and its implementation. Ideally, your summer kitchen must be more than 10 m² to allow you to cook, clear the table or even prepare your food (washing, dressing, etc.). If it exceeds 20 m² on the ground, it will however be necessary to apply for a building permit at the town hall. Regarding the hot spot, opt for a gas barbecue or electric hotplates. On the sink side, remember to carry out the plumbing upstream before installing your storage units and worktops. Electricity is also essential. Call a professional to connect the circuit in your home.
The permanent summer kitchen can be built wooden to delimit and/or shelter the area, but also in concrete block for a real extension of the house.
Materials to build a summer kitchen with worktop, splashback and floor
To build your outdoor kitchennothing like the cellular concrete. It sticks very easily and allows a wide variety of coatings to be applied. Polished concrete, lime… depending on the style you want to give it, you can decorate your kitchen as you wish.
Also consider setting up a metal or tiled splashback to easily clean grease splashes. Provide equipment not afraid of frost or can be lubricated to prevent rust. Regarding the floor, protect your slab from anti-stain product especially if it is made of cement or terracotta.
Choosing a summer kitchen kit
If you do not want to embark on the permanent construction of an outdoor kitchen, know that there are kits allowing you to create a pleasant and friendly corner. Made of metal or wood (usually acacia or teak), these modules are equipped with storage, a concrete worktop or even a stainless steel splashback. They can also offer a zinc sink as well as cast iron cooking points (plancha, barbecue). Mounted on casters, they are easily movable and allow them to be stored under cover during the winter.
And if your budget is limited or you live in an area with a shorter summer period, you can always choose a large stainless steel barbecue which you will easily move on your terrace. More and more equipped models have appeared in recent years, for example with a water point and numerous storage spaces such as a bottle rack.
Why prefer a covered summer kitchen?
Whether tailor-made or kit, your outdoor kitchen will last longer if it is protected by a roof, a garden shed, a shed or a pergolawhich will not only allow you to shelter during summer storms but also protect any household appliances and electrical outlets that you may have installed.
If the kitchen is not covered, you can equip it with protective covers during the winter period. In the case of a mobile kitchen, it is better to store it in a garden shed or in the garage.
How much does an outdoor kitchen cost?
Depending on your desires, the cost will of course be very different: you will need to count at least 6,000 euros for an outdoor kitchen custom made completely fitted out of approximately 20 m2while modules to install yourself will cost you around 1,200 euros for an installation over 2 meters in length.
