Outdoor Kitchen Trends in Luxury Homes
Luxury homes are loaded with plenty of over-the-top amenities, but one that has become a staple in these expensive properties are lavish outdoor kitchens. More and more homeowners are spending an increasing amount of time in their kitchens preparing meals and entertaining guests, and outdoor kitchens have simply extended that useful space beyond the interior walls.
From whipping together a gourmet sit-down meal to enjoying a quick and simple wood-fire oven pizza, today’s luxury outdoor kitchen can create the most amazing backyard paradise.
Here are some features of luxury outdoor kitchens that are common among the rich (and often famous).
Variety of Cooking Stations
Forget about just having a solitary barbeque to do all the grilling and cooking. Today’s modern outdoor kitchen offers plenty of options when it comes to preparing various dishes.
Many luxury outdoor kitchens feature not only grills, but also pizza ovens, meat smokers, deep fryers, griddles, and gas cooktops. Many of these pieces come in different designs, including countertop, built-in, and freestanding models that can serve as a piece of art on its own.
Complete Kitchen
The outdoor kitchen spaces that are being designed for today’s luxury homes are not just limiting the features to the cooking station(s). These days, luxury homeowners are asking to have the whole shebang complete with all the frills one would expect an opulent kitchen to have. Many of these outdoor kitchens rival some of the best indoor spaces around.
Cooking appliances, extended countertop space, full-size refrigerators and coolers, built-in barbeques, sinks and faucets, garbage disposals, dining room tables and chairs, and credenzas create a complete kitchen in the backyard. There’s no reason to have to go indoors to prepare and enjoy and meal, nor to have to clean up afterward – it can all be done surrounded by Mother Nature’s best.
Extension of the Living Area
Many homeowners love the idea of seamless flow from their interior space to the outdoors. This is typically done by bordering the indoor and outdoor spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass sliders that lead to an exterior space. An extended roofline often follows to allow family members and guests enjoy the outdoors without being exposed to the elements.
In addition to the outdoor kitchen itself, the exterior space can also be decked out in elements that would typically be found inside. Homeowners are creating outdoor areas that are mirror images of the indoors, including living spaces that accompany the kitchens themselves.
Sofas, recliners, coffee tables, fireplaces, movie theaters, fire pits, lounge seating, and bars are just some of the luxury features that extended outdoor living spaces boast. Add a pergola over top and some ambient lighting and you’ve got the most intimate and comfortable living area that many indoor living areas often lack.
Ice Machines & Wine Fridges
No need to lug the portable cooler out to keep your favorite beverages cold on a hot day. Today’s modern outdoor kitchens come with built-in ice machines that can keep ice frozen in outdoor temperatures as hot as 115°F. Not only do they store ice cubes, they produce them too.
Complementing these high-end ice machines are wine fridges to help keep your prized Pinot Grigio or Baco Noir chilled to perfection. While wine fridges are nothing new, today’s models are much more innovative and are able to maintain consistent cool temperatures, even if the outside hits as high as 90°F. Older models would have conked out at outside temperatures that high.
Built-In Heaters
The outside temperatures can dip in the evenings during the winter months, especially in northern parts of the state. Built-in heaters can come in really handy during these chilly nights.
Overhead heaters are especially popular, as are heaters along outdoor kitchen walls. Some homeowners are taking things even further by installing heated floors in their outdoor kitchens for the ultimate in coziness.
Draft Beer on Tap
You don’t have to visit your favorite local bar to get a pint of draft brew, nor drag a keg to serve all the guests at your backyard bash. Luxury outdoor kitchens are increasingly being equipped with beer dispensers that serve cold ales on tap. Just stock it with your favorite brands and you’ll be sure to keep yourself and your guests happy.
Wi-Fi Smart Grills
Forget about having to check on the grill every few minutes to check on the temperature. Now there are wi-fi-compatible grills available that allow you to check on your steaks without having to step outside or get off your lounger.
With these wi-fi grills, you’ll have remote access to controls that let you not only keep an eye on the grill temperature and the status of your meat, but you can even fire it up and shut it down all from a handy little app on your smartphone or tablet.
Entertaining Countertop
In addition to the prepping and cooking countertop space, many luxury outdoor kitchens have either extended the countertops or created a separate countertop space specifically for serving dishes or for socializing. Parties most often wind up in the kitchen, so having a separate countertop area specifically for this purpose frees up the sink area for clean-up only.
The Bottom Line
The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating the most luxurious and opulent outdoor kitchen spaces. For homeowners who have no issue with their budget, there are seemingly endless ways to put a lavish spin on their outdoor kitchens to match their equally opulent interiors.
