People love to spend time outdoors when the weather is nice, and one way that homeowners in New Jersey and New York are getting to enhance their outdoor enjoyment is by having outdoor kitchens built that have all the bells and whistles incorporated into them that used to be reserved only for gourmet indoor kitchens.  No longer are outdoor spaces meant for cooking and entertaining confined to just a barbecue grill and an area for dining.

With today’s outdoor kitchen design, the sky is virtually the limit when it comes to the amenities that can be included.  For example, in addition to a place to cook outdoors, modern outdoor spaces are being outfitted with sinks, storage areas, and appliances from wine fridges to ice makers and from microwaves to warming trays.  In fact, even the way food is cooked outdoors has been turned up a notch or two from what used to considered “typical”.

Although some kitchens still include standard grills, there are also options available that can smoke, sear, roast, sauté and do just about anything to food that you would do inside the house.  Another option that is becoming increasingly popular is the addition of pizza ovens to the outdoor cooking and entertaining space.  Not only do these structures create fabulous food over a natural wood fire but they are also attractive focal points of an overall outdoor design.

In addition to amenities that are used for cooking, storing and chilling food, today’s outdoor kitchens also have more thoughtfully laid out space to enhance entertaining.  Just as the kitchen is the gathering spot indoors when family and friends come to visit, the kitchen is still the place that everyone seems to congregate when the party heads outside.  For this reason, amenities often include countertop areas and islands that can fit stools around them for people to sit and congregate while sharing some good food and drinks (or waiting for some to be prepared), as well as outdoor bars and dining areas so that there is plenty of room for everyone to enjoy each other’s company while also enjoying the smells wafting from the grill.

With so many options available, some homeowners are choosing to build a covered area over all or part of the outdoor kitchen space so that they have more leeway when it comes to what can be contained below.  By doing this, extra electricity and water lines can be run, if needed, and options such as outdoor televisions and sound systems can be installed in areas where they will be out of direct sunlight.  Covered areas also allow the space to be utilized more often, despite weather conditions that may otherwise keep family members indoors.

There are as many ways to design an outdoor kitchen as there are homeowners that are looking to impart their own personal touch on their outdoor space.  The key to an effective design is to consider all options before jumping in so that the final outcome turns out just as you want it.

For more information about outdoor kitchen design, contact Millenium Stoneworks in NJ at 732-519-1112 or 347-723-6990.