The team here at CENA love using our gardens all year round, and with an outdoor kitchen you can even cook a full English for a fun al fresco breakfast on a frosty, sunny morning! However, we have to admit that this week the seriously sub-zero weather, snow and black ice has driven even us indoors in search of radiators and snug sofas. Winter can be a frustrating time for those who love their gardens, but it also presents us with cosy dark evenings and ample time to plan ahead.
Whether you spend that time researching planting schemes to enliven your garden or planning renovations to transform your home, we have some advice to share about our particular area of expertise – outdoor kitchen design. This is the first instalment in a series of blogs which aim to guide you through the process of designing your dream outdoor kitchen, and we’re thinking about location.
Deciding where to build your outdoor kitchen may seem obvious, but we know it’s worth taking some time to think it through carefully. You want to love and enjoy your kitchen for decades to come so it is imperative it’s in the right place for your needs. Here are some things to think about:
Where do people congregate in your garden?
Cast your mind back to the last time you used your garden for entertaining and think about where people tended to gather. It could be that where they chose to linger was simply due to the location of a BBQ or table of food, but there could be something else that will help you find the right spot for an outdoor kitchen.
Where are the sunny or exposed spots?
Consider your garden’s aspect and think about when you’re most likely to want to spend time. If you want evening sun to sit and enjoy the culinary delights from your kitchen, choose the best spot in the garden for that. Or, you might live on a hillside and so avoiding the wind is the most important factor in your decision.
Are you planning to remodel an area already?
If you’re already looking into building a new patio or garden shelter, or perhaps landscaping an area of your garden, then including your outdoor kitchen in the same project can help to minimise disruption and keep costs down.
Could there be a convenient area that can save you some money?
If you’re operating on a shoestring, then choosing an area where there is already water, power and drainage can really help to lower project costs and ensure you can channel that all-important budget into high-quality materials, fixtures and fittings.
Have you got a favourite area of the garden?
Is there a view that you love or perhaps an area of mature planting that you’re rightly proud of? If it’s possible to include these areas in your plan, then you’ll ensure you want to use your outdoor kitchen as much as possible, and it will become the heart of your garden.
If you need a little more guidance or would rather someone else takes a look and your garden and decides on the right path, you can always call on the experts! Here at CENA we love to help people discover their perfect outdoor kitchen, and that always starts with a FREE design consultation. Click here to book yours.