Cooking and Dining Al Fresco – Keys to Creating a Great Outdoor Kitchen
With many homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA continuing to work from home either full or part-time, having a place that provides fresh air, a natural environment and a refuge from the home office is a welcome addition. An outdoor kitchen remodel checks all of those boxes plus outdoor kitchens make entertaining easy, enhance your social life, keep the inside of your home cleaner and can even lower energy bills by reducing the need for extra air conditioning to offset the heat generated by your range and ovens.
The keys to creating a great outdoor kitchen are not dissimilar to an indoor counterpart. Great design accounts for the different functional zones kitchens require. These include places for sinks, refrigerators, countertops, storage and cooking. The major difference between indoor and outdoor kitchen design is the need to account for mother nature. Outdoor kitchens are exposed to the elements. That’s why we often recommend to homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA materials that can withstand natural elements that are also easy to maintain and clean. For example, we often recommend engineered quartz designed specifically for outdoor applications or stainless-steel countertops, sealed pavers or concrete decking because they are grease and stain resistant and easy to clean. There are also cabinet manufacturers that make products specifically for outdoor applications.
Another popular feature of an outdoor kitchen among homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA is a structure that provides shade. These may include an open-air roof structure, arbor, pergola or canopy that provide protection from the sun, rain, wind and other weather conditions.
Your outdoor kitchen should complement other outdoor features that can include landscaping, outdoor dining rooms, living rooms or even a swimming pool. When we design outdoor kitchens for homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA, we account for traffic flow from one area to another, not dissimilar to the same approach used when designing indoor kitchens.
Your dream outdoor kitchen also should include adequate lighting for cooking under the stars, socializing with family and friends and navigating the different “outdoor rooms,” that adjoin the space. Many homeowners in Pittsburgh, PA also include a separate pizza oven, fireplace, fans, heaters and sound systems in their outdoor spaces.
Give us a call at 412-922-1200 to learn more about Jacob Evans Kitchen and Bath.
