Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet News and Press

Chicago Sun Times
May 31, 2009

Outdoor kitchens add value to the home and fun for the family. These design pointers help you make the most of your investment.

Outdoor Kitchens Offer Convenience and Value

BY SHIRLEY REMES - Special to the Sun-Times

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Outdoor kitchens are a popular feature that not only adds value to the home, but also provides an additional fun area for family enjoyment and entertaining.

But in a city like Chicago with its frigid winter? You bet. Because more than half of all grill owners use their grills year round, according to the Propane Education & Research Council.

"I have people asking me about outdoor kitchens all the time," said Jon Hirsch, owner of Krugel Cobbles in Lake Bluff, which builds about five outdoor kitchens a year.

In the home, entertainment often revolves around the kitchen, said Rosalind Reed, landscape designer and president of the Midwest chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. "People want the same ambience outside."

In this soft real estate market, an outdoor kitchen could help clinch a sale, because a complete outdoor kitchen increases the value of a home comparable to an indoor kitchen remodel, according to the National Association of Home Builders.

Russ Faulk of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, a manufacturer of outdoor cooking appliances, recently gave pointers on designing outdoor kitchens to the local members of APLD.

If you're planning on installing an outdoor kitchen yourself, or hiring someone to put one in, Faulk said, keep these important 10 tips in mind:

1. Usage

Do you cook yourself or do you hire a chef? Do you cook simple meals, or complicated? Do you need additional burners, a pizza oven, wood-smoking features, or a gas-and-charcoal hybrid grill? Do you cook just for your family or for many people at parties?

2. Location

Do you want the kitchen to be near the house and your indoor kitchen? This can be more economical because fewer appliances and less storage will be needed, plus gas and electrical connections are closer. Or, do you need a complete, stand-alone kitchen farther out from the house, for instance by the pool?

3. Design principles

Be sure to consider traditional kitchen design -- cold areas, hot areas, wet areas and dry areas, as well as adequate counter space. The National Kitchen & Bath Association's Kitchen Planning Guidelines is a good resource (nkba.org/guidelines/kitchen.aspx).

4. Seating & Dining

Include dining, lounging and bar areas in the design and consider the flow of traffic. Try not to isolate the outdoor cook from the rest of the party. Place him where he can interact with guests and family.

5. Durability

Use materials that will withstand outdoor conditions, are easily cleaned and are grease resistant, such as stainless steel, stone and tile. Check to see if the materials get hot under constant sunlight. Use outdoor-rated appliances.

6. Appearance

An outdoor kitchen design should complement the look of your home and landscape. Use appropriate materials and consider adding similar architectural details.

7. Cooling & Heating

Consider pergolas or awnings to provide shade and shelter from rain. Natural gas patio heaters, portable propane patio heaters, radiant heat under patio tiles and countertops, fireplaces and hearths all extend use of an outdoor kitchen into cool weather.

8. Entertainment

Incorporate music with an outdoor speaker system or video monitors and televisions.

9. Lighting

Adequate task lighting for cooking and dining at night is a must, as well as safety lighting for moving around after dark. Decorative ambient lighting can set a mood and highlight special features.

10. Utilities

Provide plenty of outlets, and check to see exactly what wattage and BTUs are needed for your appliances, and consider an exterior circuit breaker panel with easy access for utility maintenance.

Outdoor kitchens can cost anywhere from a few thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands. At the low end, complete prefab units can be ordered and installed as is. Many medium-priced outdoor kitchens are custom framed but save money by using a stone veneer finish.

The most expensive outdoor kitchens are usually constructed of solid masonry, with stone slab countertops, weather resistant finishes, appliances that can stand variations in outdoor temperatures, and custom outdoor lighting.

Whatever your choice, installing an outdoor kitchen guarantees to enhance the enjoyment of your home atmosphere.