While most of my work is done on the inside of houses, I’ve tackled a few outdoor projects over the years. And I know that a well-designed, nicely furnished patio really does add to the square footage of your home for a good chunk of the year.
One project in particular that I worked on stands out in my mind. It featured a full-on kitchen complete with a six-burner grill, stainless-steel fridge, a sink, cabinets, a separate seating area – the whole works. There was even a 1½-inch stone counter that we matched to the patio stones.
Tying the room together was a pergola that we constructed out of ipe, a gorgeous exotic wood that helped soften the look of the stone. We also installed a 20-foot-wide retractable awning over the patio area. The owners could open it up to provide shelter from the sun or light rain.
These types of elaborate outdoor spaces involve a lot of planning. You’re faced with all the same decisions you need to make for an indoor kitchen – which appliances to buy and where to put them, what kind of counter material do you want, how many cabinets do you need, and so on – but with specifc considerations for outdoor construction.
Any light fxtures, for example, will have to be exterior grade. And, to avoid having exposed wiring all over the place, you might want to bury some cables, which means the wiring will need to be protected with conduit. For overhead lighting, hide as much wiring as you can by running it along the tops of the joists of your outdoor structure.
Rather than an oven, your barbecue will be the action centre in an outdoor kitchen. And you’re probably going to want to include a hook-up for a natural gas barbecue, instead of dealing with propane tanks that inevitably run out of fuel mid-meal. Keep in mind, though, when you start adding really large, multi-burner barbecues and gas-fred patio heaters you will need to fnd out how many BTUs each requires. In some cases, you may need to upgrade your gas service.
Top-of-the-line outdoor kitchens come fully equipped with running water. Very handy, but remember that you’ll have to shut it down in the fall, making sure you’ve properly cleared out all the lines.
If you’re building in a rural area where bugs can make being outdoors unbearable around dusk, consider enclosing your seating area in a screened porch or gazebo.
Finally, don’t forget to budget for new patio furniture. When you’ve invested this much effort and money into creating the perfect outdoor dining area, there’s no way you’re going to want to sit on battered folding chairs at a weathered old plastic table.