Barbecue, outdoor kitchen .... How to harmonize with his garden?
What a pleasure when the days lengthen and that the sun makes its big return to be able to go outside to take a good breath of fresh air and finally to leave its cozy interior! It is outside, in your garden, that you will now be able to receive your guests at your table. It is not surprising to see your terrace turn into a real living room with a barbecue area or an outdoor kitchen. H ow to integrate preserving the tranquility of your garden? Here are a few tips.
Who has never wished to receive his friends for a party on the terrace or a barbecue when the sun comes to the tip of his nose? An evening where you do not constantly have to go back and forth between the kitchen and the guests? The solution for sunny days is to install a barbecue area or outdoor kitchen on your terrace or nearby. You will be able to cook without losing a crumb of conversations. Before embarking on this project, some details are to be taken into account.
Many advantages
The reasons to adopt the outdoor kitchen are multiple. It allows you first of all to create a new space in the garden, provided that it is big enough. The possibilities of development are numerous as the cooking styles. The outdoor kitchens adapt to all tastes and budgets and are the place of conviviality par excellence. The choice of materials and budget will depend on the fixed or mobile nature of your kitchen.
Plan
If the idea of a barbecue area or outdoor kitchen seems more than attractive, it is not always accessible to all for reasons of space and / or money. Before you buy, carefully plan how much space you have.
Neglecting your planning can lead to unpleasant surprises that are easy to avoid. For example, check if access to equipment is possible and estimate the volumes that will be occupied by the elements of the kitchen and its furniture. The movement of people must remain fluid and aesthetics must not be neglected in favor of the functional.
Solid materials
Even if you only use it in the spring or summer, your outdoor kitchen is normally out all year round. Think about it when choosing materials. These must withstand frequent weather in our regions: cold, rain and temperature changes. Avoid wood, prefer stainless steel, stone (marble and granite), ceramic or brick.
Materials seem to stand out. Dekton, made from raw materials used in the production of glass and quartz surfaces, is particularly strong and suitable for modern kitchens. The lapitec does not deteriorate with time. It is resistant to bad weather (UV, high temperatures, freezing) but also to collisions and abrasions.
The new family kitchen
The outdoor kitchen looks more and more like a family kitchen. If the barbecue often replaces the oven, it is not uncommon to find integrated cabinets, a sink, a cellar, a smokehouse or even a fridge and a bar with beer keg. Compose your kitchen according to your needs and your habits. The more your kitchen will be equipped, the more comfortable it will be. Do you want to install a dishwasher? Think of the drain in winter. For cooking, indulge yourself and plan different types of cooking: grill, griddle, oven, etc. In general, opt for a strong and energy efficient appliance.
Creating a summer kitchen means using part of your yard to cook and eat. The outdoor kitchen is synonymous with new lifestyle. It encourages people to spend more time outdoors and is often pledging friendly parties in the garden. The garden and terrace are places where we celebrate life and friendship. This conviviality passes by the kitchen and the barbecue but also by the garden furniture or a bar. And to prolong the pleasure, when the temperatures are cooler, install a brazier around which your loved ones will settle.
Multiple layouts
Incorporating a barbecue or outdoor kitchen therefore requires other amenities. If you have not done so already, consider building a terrace. Do you opt for a barbecue? Lay out a work plan. If you want to add a corner bar to your kitchen, choose a corner bar masonry.
Also plan a pergola, to protect your electrical installations, as well as storage, lighting, kitchen furniture and possibly a blind and external partitions. Attention, each additional development obviously increases the budget of your project.
The good location
Would you like an open kitchen, open between three walls or under an awning? The choice is yours but keep in mind that some urban planning rules will be respected, especially the distance from neighbors. No question of smoking them.
To find the right location, also keep in mind that your kitchen must be equipped with water and electricity, appliances and lighting. The pipes must be buried and the outlets must be watertight. Better not to install it too far from your home. It is generally placed in the extension of the house, as extension, or autonomous in the garden. The ideal location is therefore sheltered from the wind, prying eyes and rain. Hence the interest of protecting it with a roof.
Make your plan
Once the materials and location have been chosen and the layout planned, draw the plan for your kitchen. For the necessary space, plan at least 10 to 15 m2. You will have a practical but airy space.
On a scale plan, test different organizations and clearly indicate the location of each element:
walled, pergola, tables and chairs, barbecue, worktop, etc. Using tracing lines, reproduce your floor plan to see if it is technically feasible or not. Get yourself accompanied by a landscaper if needed.
Determine your budget
The most important step and often the most painful. She will decide what amenities you can afford. The budget depends on several criteria: additional amenities, equipment chosen, the surface of your summer kitchen and the use or not of a professional.
For the barbecue you will find all the price ranges from simple outdoor barbecue to barbecue with gas burners, worktop and storage. To help you budget your project, ask a quote to one or more professionals. Keep in mind that installing a summer kitchen will ultimately increase the resale value of your home.
Gas, wood or plancha?
The centerpiece of your outdoor kitchen, the choice of barbecue should not be left to chance. The charcoal barbecue gave way to a wide choice of grills. The gas or electric installations are today a great success. Some appliances are even able to grill, steam, smoke and boil.
More difficult to operate and with its random cooking, the wood barbecue is not as many fans as before. The gas barbecue and plancha, easier to use, are preferred. A button is enough to turn them on. The risk of fire is also limited. As for the electric version, it is more interesting for terraces than for gardens. To privilege if you arrange an outside kitchen as extension.
Choose your barbecue
Several criteria are to be taken into account when buying your barbecue. This is the case of the power of the burners, the cooking surface and the weight of the appliance. The storage space for tools and accessories is a real plus. They reduce your trips back and forth with the kitchen.
The materials used are also important. To add your fixed barbecue to your summer kitchen, choose brick. In general, choose a barbecue that is weatherproof or that you can easily put away.
3 options for your outdoor kitchen
1. You have a garden shed or shed:
The simplest case: you convert the existing building into a kitchen. Check if the available space is sufficient and the necessary connections exist. All you have to do is set up your kitchen.
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Advantages: savings in construction to achieve and better integration in the garden.
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To realize: opening and possible extension of the frame, possible connections water / electricity.
2. Layout of the kitchen next to the pool:
Ask a specialist to integrate the kitchen into the bathing area. If it is close to the house, arrange it as an extension. Otherwise, plan to build a frame. Add toilets and showers to your pool house for autonomous space.
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Benefits: real outdoor living space.
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To realize: simple extension or complete construction of a kitchen with connections and terrace.
3. Development of a mobile and versatile summer kitchen:
No construction is necessary. All you need to do is use barbecues, carts and mobile outdoor furniture with the necessary accessories. However, plan a flat and regular ground like a terrace with a possible pergola.
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Advantages: quick and easy installation, storage during the winter.
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To realize: laying of terrace and pergola, possible connections to the wastewater.