Embrace Outdoor Living

This land we love down under invites us to enjoy a life outdoors. And in more recent years, that’s meant adding an outdoor kitchen to your home. In fact, an outdoor kitchen has become a backyard must-have and brings a little bit of luxury to your life.

Top 5 reasons why an outdoor kitchen is right for you!

1. An outdoor kitchen lets you take all your entertaining outdoors. It allows all your guests to gather around and socialise while you do the prepping and cooking in the same place. And there’ll be no more running indoors for you to check that the garlic bread hasn’t burnt to a crisp!
2. No matter the size or scale you choose for your outdoor kitchen, it will enhance your outdoor entertainment area and increase your home’s livable space. And that means it will add value to your home. According to experts, outdoor kitchens offer one of the best returns on investment you can make and help elevate a home’s sale price.
3. When you cook outside, you keep the food smells outside (and also make the neighbours jealous!). No longer will odours linger in your home for days or permeate soft furnishings and linger for even longer.
   
4. Outdoor kitchens are generally built for BBQing, and with BBQed food being healthier for you it means you’re naturally encouraged to eat well. You can also ditch the sometimes calorie-laden marinades because BBQed food comes with a big flavour punch that doesn’t need further enhancement. And with so much deliciousness at home, there’s no need to buy as many takeaway meals. Think of the money you’ll save!
5. Being outside will maximise your enjoyment of spring and summer, and in the warmer Australian states, your autumn and winter too. Breathe in the fresh air. Soak up the vitamin D. Enjoy the view and being at home in your castle as you cook up a feast in your outdoor kitchen.

Planning your outdoor kitchen is almost all about location, location, location

The size of your garden and any established landscaping will help determine the location of your kitchen. Other things to think about include:

• Do you want your outdoor kitchen to be fully self-contained? Or are you happy to nip inside to do the prep and grab things like cooking utensils, cutlery and crockery? If it’s the latter, then you don’t want your outdoor kitchen to be too far away from your backdoor.
• Where is the sun at different times of day? If you plan to use your kitchen morning, noon, and night, you won’t want to find yourself in the blazing sun, or the rain for that matter. Think about the position of your outdoor kitchen and the potential for it being exposed to the elements at different times of the year.
• What will your neighbours see? You mightn’t mind them inhaling the deliciousness of what you’re cooking, but you mightn’t want them watching your every move. Think about the privacy (or lack of it) that your chosen location offers.

Common outdoor kitchen inclusions

Outdoor kitchens come in all shapes and sizes. What you include in your kitchen largely depends on the space you have available and your family’s needs. Oh, and your budget. Yes, budget always comes into play.

Here are some common outdoor kitchen inclusions:

• a BBQ for cooking
• a benchtop for prep and serving
• cabinets and drawers for cutlery, crockery, glassware, and cooking utensils
• a sink and tapware

If you want to step up the style and convenience, you can also add:

• a fridge
• an ice machine
• an oven and cooktop
• a dishwasher
• a bar
• a fire pit

Of course, you usually pair your outdoor kitchen with a table and seating. It’s a good idea to cover your outdoor kitchen space with a pergola, gazebo, awning, or roof extension. This not only maximises the time you can use your outdoor kitchen, it maximises your outdoor kitchen’s life.

Quality is key to making your outdoor kitchen last

In the words of poet Dorotha Mackellar, ‘We love a sunburnt country, a land of sweeping plains, of ragged mountain ranges, of flooding drought and rains’.

But what we don’t love is when something we buy falls apart after being exposed to Australia’s sometimes harsh weather and elements. So when it comes to choosing inclusions for your outdoor kitchen, choose quality above all else. Stainless steel and granite are the kind of materials that will give you the durability you seek.

For example, the stainless steel Oliveri Solitaire Round Bowl Sink and stainless steel Oliveri Essente Goose Neck Pull Out Mixer are two good options when it comes to your outdoor kitchen sink and tapware pairing. They’re designed to last.

Some final food for thought

The further you position your outdoor kitchen away from your home, the more expensive your plumbing and electrical costs are likely to be.

Outdoor kitchens aren’t just reserved for homeowners. Renters can enjoy them too. Consider portable options such as a BBQ paired with a movable trolley or an island bench that rolls.

Plan your outdoor kitchen space wisely. Much like your indoor kitchen, keeping the BBQ close to the sink makes cleaning up a breeze. You don’t want to have to walk a mile between these functional elements.

Let there be light, at night. Make sure you have enough lighting for cooking and food prep once the sun goes down.

Accessorise your outdoor kitchen with pots of herbs. They’ll look good, smell amazing and you can use them as ingredients in your cooking.

If you really want to go big, hang a flat-screen TV in your outdoor kitchen. That way you can kick back and relax long after the last course is served.

For extra advice and information on what’s hot in outdoor kitchens right now, why not talk to the experts at Tradelink. Visit a showroom or contact us and together we can toss around a few ideas.

Remember, life is what you bake of it. And an outdoor kitchen will help you to bake the most of yours.