The best outdoor living spaces always encourage you to be outdoors as much as possible, and an active outdoor kitchen is at the center of that vision. You have probably dreamed of an outdoor kitchen that draws visitors to your backyard, so you can show off your culinary and nourishing side and create amazing memories with family and friends. There are ways to make your outdoor experience even more incredible and none are better than using masonry to make dreams come true. As you plan your landscape renovation, consider these masonry ideas for an active outdoor kitchen in Port Jefferson and Smithtown, NY.
Related: 12 MASONRY IDEAS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR NEW LANDSCAPE DESIGN IN GLEN COVE, LONG ISLAND, NY
The Patio
Like with any great outdoor living space project, you’ll want to begin with the right ground surface. Pavers have become the go-to for many homeowners due to their beauty, durability, and practicality. Pavers will last much longer than lesser patio surfaces such as poured concrete, and will remain beautiful for generations to come. When choosing pavers, select those that feature a stain-resistant sealant to prevent food and beverage spills from staining the pavers. In the areas surrounding your outdoor kitchen, you could take the extra step and choose permeable paver technology to help prevent collection of water on the surface.
The walls of your outdoor kitchen should also use gorgeous stone work that ties your cooking space in with the rest of the patio and matches other important features such as an outdoor fireplace, water feature, or retaining wall. It’s not necessary to build the entire foundation out of solid stone, however. Instead, you could take a modern approach and design the core of the structure with concrete blocks and add a stone veneer for aesthetics.
Island Bar
For the most interactive outdoor kitchen experience, design with a masonry island bar concept. With most of the prep area, bar accoutrements, and maybe even a grill, this idea centralizes the attention of your guests. Whether you’re a good cook or ready to let someone else take the mantle, this is the perfect location to showcase some talent and cook some delicious meals while keeping your guests in on the action. You can plan your island bar outdoor kitchen to be in the center of your patio as a focal point for the entire outdoor living space, or you can tuck it away in a secluded area off to the side to add a bit of mystique and intimacy.
Retaining Walls with High-Backed Seat Walls
Since your outdoor kitchen will automatically become a gathering place, make sure that your guests always have a place to sit. While space at the bar might be a little hard to come by in a party setting, you can always rely on the boundaries of your outdoor living space to add comfortable seating without cluttering your patio with furniture. Seat walls may not be the most comfortable places to sit, but the idea is to keep people talking, so adding a few cushions will do the trick temporarily – especially if the seat walls are close to a fire feature. For a more comfortable option, include high-backed seat walls to block undesirable views or wind, and provide more comfortable seating.
Outdoor Fireplace & Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
With any outdoor kitchen, there should be the promise of warmth and hot food. There is no better masonry feature than a combination outdoor fireplace and wood-fired pizza oven to act as a magnet for your guests. This structure will pull double duty in providing warmth and assisting in some delicious meals. Beyond just pizzas, a wood-fired oven can be your go-to for all things broiled and braised. It will quickly become the center of your outdoor kitchen and make the entire space look much more utilized and grand.