Outdoor Kitchens Long Island NY - Focal Point of Landscape Design
Outdoor living is an essential element to enjoying your summertime. You can make your outdoor space both fun and relaxing. To spend even more time outside, and for the added element of convenience, incorporate an outdoor kitchen into your landscaping. Here are some tips for making the outdoor kitchen the focal point of your landscape design on Long Island, NY.
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For anyone who loves to cook or grill, an outdoor kitchen will be a dream come true. Today’s outdoor living spaces are sophisticated and well-designed, which allows you to customize your outdoor kitchen with features that make it just right for you.
Functional & Elegant Design
Every outdoor kitchen is unique, based on the space available and each homeowner’s personal style. While you consider whether to do a sleek and modern kitchen or an elegantly rustic design, make sure to put thought into how your kitchen layout will be designed. Which appliances will be most useful to you outside, and where will be the most convenient spots to place them? Also plan for how foot traffic will flow through the space, if you have kids running around the yard or if you and your partner enjoy cooking together.
Appliances and Storage
Invest in a couple of main appliances that you know you will use regularly. You will probably want some sort of small sink and a stovetop range or gas grill, but if you don’t plan on baking much outdoors then you may not need a full range/oven combination. You may even incorporate a wood fired pizza oven into your kitchen’s hardscape. How about a dishwasher, mini fridge or wine cooler? Believe it or not, you can get all of these appliances made specifically for outdoor kitchens; it’s up to you what you feel is necessary to include in yours. Make sure you have a few small cabinets or drawers for easy access to your outdoor set of dishes, utensils, pots and pans and other essential cooking supplies.
Natural Appearance
Many outdoor kitchens fuse the modern look of stainless steel with the natural appeal of stone or brick. Most appliances for your outdoor kitchen will be stainless steel, because it is strong enough to withstand the elements of an open-air environment while maintaining high quality functionality. You can keep the sophisticated and sleek look by using smooth pavers and stones in shades of light and dark grey, or find a stylish, rustic contrast with rougher stones that are cut into various sized pieces and come in shades of cream and brown.
Herb Gardens
There is nothing more satisfying than walking out to your garden and picking herbs to use while you cook. For a natural accent to your outdoor kitchen, not to mention incredible convenience, plant your herb garden as an inclusive feature of your kitchen space. A retaining wall planted with herbs can make a functional border along one edge of your kitchen area, or use tiered planters to add dimension to the space. Depending on your style and the vibe you want to create in your kitchen, choose from wood, stone or even ceramic pots to add the finishing touches to your kitchen’s visual appeal.
Add-Ons for Practicality and Ambiance
Customized features will give your kitchen the exact comfort, functionality and style that you are looking for. Install a pergola to provide shade to your kitchen area (and then use planters to grow your herbs up one side of it)! Seating is essential, whether it is a table and chairs for your family dinner or bar stools for an informal gathering. Landscape lighting is a must for enjoying your outdoor kitchen into the evening. An open fire adds a cozy vibe to complete your space.
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