With summer well on its way now over here in Australia, Dads around the country are popping on their novelty aprons and snapping tongs at their unsuspecting children, just to make sure they work of course. This can only mean one thing, it’s barbeque season. However with the return of outdoor cooking comes the need for an indoor-outdoor kitchen, no longer will we be satisfied with a simple barbeque built for occasional use. No, for those who love entertaining, a landscaped outdoor entertainment area is a dream come true. Today, we’ll take a look at some indoor outdoor kitchen ideas that’ll get you back in the great outdoors (where your barbeque happens to be), read on to find out more.
1. Tonal Tastes
Have you ever heard the phrase “look good, feel better”? Well, don’t think it doesn’t apply to cooking. When you create a beautiful kitchen space, suddenly you’re more enthused to create, rather than just cook. And, what better way than to create a beautiful space with a cohesive, tonal theme? Suddenly, your outdoor cooking equipment looks stylish and enticing, so why wouldn’t you want to barbecue up some ribs in a spot that makes you feel like you’re a guest star on a cooking show?
2. Matching Features
When it comes to the approach you take when designing your indoor outdoor kitchen, you need to consider its surroundings. After all, your indoor kitchen’s design scheme usually isn’t in stark contrast to the rest of the home, is it? You wouldn’t opt for a bright maximalist kitchen design scheme juxtaposed with a minimalist home. So, why create an outdoor space that directly opposes the natural setting it resides in? If the rest of your garden is filled with lush greens then incorporate this into the design, add a climbing plant wall or an adjoining vegetable garden, add pops of green and blooming flowers throughout. This stops the cooking area from sticking out like a sore thumb amongst an already lovely space.
3. Consider The Weather
There’s an especially important factor that might stop us from using our outdoor kitchen area as much as we’d like to, and it actually has little to do with pure aesthetics. The weather is something we generally keep in mind in many factors of our life, what to wear, where to go? The answer to these questions is heavily dependent on what the temperature happens to be outside. So, if you create a gorgeous outdoor cooking space, but don’t factor in that you reside in an area with a particularly rainy climate, you’re going to be in trouble. Ensure you have adequate coverage, as well as waterproof or resistant decor and appliances. This ensures that you can not only cook and create in your outdoor kitchen but eat there too, and isn’t that the most important part?
4. Never Underestimate The Weather
Whilst we will obviously consider the lighting in our homes when creating any kind of space, it can be easy to overlook in an outdoor kitchen, after all, it’s outside, there should be natural light, right? Well, to a certain extent, yes, but come nighttime, suddenly you’re plunged into darkness and that perfectly cooked steak becomes charcoal. This not only limits your cooking time but takes away any ambience that comes with an outdoor cooking space. Ensure that adequate lighting is installed, both in the form of downlights if the outdoor kitchen has a roof, and in the form of lighting above any major cooking or serving areas, both for functionality and safety. To help spice up the kitchen you can also incorporate fun little touches like fairy lights to both serve a purpose and add a feeling of fun and intimacy.
4. Avoid Clutter
Clutter is the mortal enemy of a livable space, it takes all the enjoyment out of being there and instead creates a feeling of stress. An outdoor kitchen space is no stranger to clutter, when it isn’t being used to cook, it suddenly becomes the home of old pool toys, bikes and other exercise equipment, washing lines and rubbish. Really, who wants to cook and relax amongst all of that? To avoid clutter, find new storage options, this could be under the deck, in dedicated tubs, or just through a deep-clean every month or two. When your space feels fresh, you feel better, and suddenly you’re inviting friends over for barbecues each weekend, did somebody say chicken skewer?
5. All In The details
Sometimes the difference between a space you do want to use and a space you don’t is those tiny little details. Sure, when building or creating an outdoor space you need to look at the larger details first, like the flooring, roofing and appliances, but after a while, things might start to look a little bare. Add those little personal touches that change the feel from “model home” to “wow, I want to model my home after yours”. This can be as simple as personalised napkins, and unique glassware. Or it could be intricate vases and greenery throughout the space. There are so many indoor outdoor kitchen ideas that you could come up with, it’s your home so make it feel like it.
6. Clear Direction
Sometimes an indoor outdoor kitchen idea can go underutilised because it simply feels like a bit of a mishmash of things. It has ultra-modern appliances, and then rustic outdoor furniture that just doesn’t match. Whilst you can like both design styles, it’s best to pick a clear theme. This creates a feeling of harmony within the space and makes you more likely to use it.
7. Walking In A Straight Line
One way to create some extra pizazz in your outdoor space is to treat it essentially as an adjoining component of your indoor space. If your indoor kitchen backs onto the backyard where your outdoor kitchen begins, create a layout so that the kitchens blend together into a cohesive line. This is fantastic for when company is over, simply open the doors that separate the outdoor from the indoor and suddenly you have an entertainment space that is double the size.
8. Add A Vibrant Pop
Something that’s sure to spice up your kitchen is a fun pop of colour. Whilst you don’t want to make the space too jarring to its surroundings, a vibrant shade in a specific spot is sure to create a funky feel, not a mess. A shade you’re unlikely to find in your backyard is the best way to ensure it really pops against the rest of the kitchen. We’d vote for a royal blue or magenta against a kitchen cabinet or fridge. You’re sure to be the trendsetter amongst your fellow indoor outdoor kitchen owners.
9. Indoor Outdoor Jungle
Sometimes you have to embrace the outdoors, and what better way to do that than to make your outdoor kitchen space a modern jungle? On each wall should be a sprawling trellis and keep the cool, metal appliances to a minimum, instead opting for wood coverings. As for furniture, a natural rustic set-up should complement the greenery nicely and create a fabulous ambience for when guests come over, or simply for a midweek family barbeque.
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Having access to an indoor outdoor cooking space is a gift, but it can be difficult coming up with indoor outdoor kitchen ideas. You can use it as a second kitchen for when guests are coming over, or as a relaxing spot to park yourself for a Friday afternoon G&T. So, if you’re underutilising yours, it could be because of the design style, so with the help of one or two of these tips, you’ll be grilling, baking and creating out there in no time!
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