The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Kitchens
Discover how to plan the perfect outdoor kitchen, from layout and materials to appliances, lighting, utilities and creating a space made for entertaining.
An outdoor kitchen can completely change the way you use your garden.
What starts as a place to cook can become the centre of outdoor entertaining, giving you somewhere to prepare food, enjoy drinks, sit with family and entertain friends without constantly going back and forth to the house.
But a good outdoor kitchen isn't simply a barbecue with a worktop around it.
The best results come from thinking about the layout, cooking equipment, preparation space, storage, materials, lighting, utilities and the relationship with the rest of the garden before anything is installed.
Whether you're considering a compact cooking area or a fully equipped outdoor kitchen with a dining space, pizza oven and integrated lighting, this guide will help you understand what goes into getting it right.
Is an Outdoor Kitchen Worth It?
For people who regularly enjoy cooking and entertaining outside, an outdoor kitchen can be a very worthwhile investment.
The biggest benefit isn't necessarily having more cooking equipment. It's having a dedicated space that makes outdoor living easier.
Instead of carrying plates, food, drinks and cooking equipment between the kitchen and garden, everything you need can be positioned where you're actually using it.
A well-designed outdoor kitchen can also create a natural connection between your cooking, dining and seating areas.
However, whether it's worth the investment depends on how you use your garden.
If you rarely eat outside, a large fully equipped kitchen may not make sense. If you regularly host friends and family, a properly designed outdoor cooking and entertaining area can become one of the most-used parts of the garden.
What Should an Outdoor Kitchen Include?
There isn't a standard list of features every outdoor kitchen needs.
The right specification depends on your cooking habits, available space and budget.
Barbecue or Grill
For many homeowners, the barbecue is the starting point.
Built-in gas and charcoal options are available, with different sizes and specifications depending on how often you cook and how many people you normally entertain.
The important thing is choosing equipment that suits your actual use rather than filling the kitchen with appliances that rarely get used.
Preparation Space
This is one of the easiest things to underestimate.
You need somewhere to prepare ingredients, put down hot dishes and serve food.
A kitchen with an impressive barbecue but very little usable worktop can quickly become frustrating.
Storage
Integrated storage can make the kitchen considerably more practical.
It can provide space for utensils, plates, cooking equipment and other outdoor essentials, reducing the need to carry everything from the house each time you use the garden.
Refrigeration
If you regularly entertain, an outdoor-rated refrigerator can be a useful addition.
Keeping drinks and ingredients close to the kitchen means less time walking back and forth to the house.
Pizza Oven
Pizza ovens have become a popular addition to outdoor kitchens and can also become a social focal point.
If you're considering one, think about how often you'll genuinely use it and where it should sit in relation to the rest of the cooking area.
Sink
A sink can be extremely useful for food preparation and cleaning, but it introduces additional plumbing and drainage requirements.
That means it should be considered during the initial design rather than added as an afterthought.
How Much Space Do You Need for an Outdoor Kitchen?
You don't necessarily need a huge garden.
A well-designed compact kitchen can provide everything you need without taking over the available outdoor space.
The key is efficient layout.
You need to allow enough room to move comfortably between cooking, preparation and serving areas while also considering nearby seating and dining.
For a larger garden, you have more flexibility. You might create a complete outdoor entertaining zone incorporating:
Outdoor kitchen
Dining area
Comfortable seating
Pergola or covered area
Fire pit
Swimming pool
Garden lighting
Planting
The important thing isn't simply how much space you have. It's how that space is used.
Where Is the Best Place for an Outdoor Kitchen?
The ideal location depends on the property and how you want to use the space.
A position close to the house can make carrying food and drinks easier, while placing the kitchen closer to a dining or entertaining area can make socializing more natural.
You should also consider:
Access to the garden
Existing paving
Sunlight and shade
Wind exposure
Views from the house
Existing utilities
Drainage
Relationship with seating areas
Future landscaping plans
If you're planning a wider garden renovation, it's worth deciding on the kitchen location before the surrounding landscaping is completed.
Moving services or changing paving later can be considerably more disruptive than designing everything together from the start.
Choosing Materials for an Outdoor Kitchen
An outdoor kitchen has to deal with conditions that an indoor kitchen doesn't.
Rain, frost, temperature changes, moisture and prolonged exposure to the elements all need to be considered.
That means the materials shouldn't simply be chosen because they look good in a showroom.
Worktops
Your worktop needs to balance appearance, durability and practicality.
The right material depends on the overall design and how exposed the kitchen will be.
Cabinets and Storage
Standard indoor kitchen units aren't automatically suitable for outdoor use.
Outdoor cabinetry and finishes need to be selected with the environment in mind, particularly where they will be exposed to moisture and changing temperatures.
Surrounding Surfaces
The paving around the kitchen is just as important as the kitchen itself.
A high-quality outdoor kitchen can look completely out of place if it's surrounded by tired paving or poorly planned levels.
This is why outdoor kitchens work particularly well when they're considered as part of the wider landscape design.
What Affects the Cost of an Outdoor Kitchen?
Every outdoor kitchen is different, so the overall cost can vary considerably depending on the design and specification.
Factors can include:
Size and layout
Cooking appliances
Worktop materials
Cabinetry and storage
Refrigeration
Plumbing and drainage
Electrical requirements
Gas installation
Lighting
Ground preparation
Existing paving or landscaping
Access to the garden
Bespoke features and finishes
A compact cooking area is obviously very different from a fully integrated outdoor entertaining space with multiple appliances, seating, lighting and landscaping.
Rather than working from a generic price range, it makes more sense to design the space around your garden and requirements and then get a quotation based on the actual project.
Planning and Regulations
Depending on how an outdoor kitchen is designed and built, different planning or building requirements may apply.
Requirements can vary depending on factors such as whether the kitchen is freestanding or part of a permanent structure, its size and location, and the property itself.
Electrical, gas, plumbing and structural work may also have their own requirements.
If you are planning a substantial outdoor kitchen or covered entertaining area, it is important to establish what permissions or approvals may apply before work begins.
What About Gas, Electricity and Water?
These services should be considered before construction starts.
Trying to add them later can mean disturbing finished paving, walls or other landscaping.
Think about where appliances will be positioned and what they will require.
For example:
Where will the power supply come from?
Will the kitchen require a gas connection?
Do you want an outdoor fridge?
Will you need water?
Where will wastewater go?
Will lighting be built into the kitchen or surrounding landscaping?
Planning these details early helps create a cleaner and more practical finished result.
How Important Is Lighting?
Lighting can completely change how an outdoor kitchen feels after dark.
It should be practical as well as decorative.
Task lighting can help around preparation and cooking areas, while softer lighting can be used around seating and dining areas.
Lighting can also be used to highlight planting, walls, paving and other features around the kitchen.
The result should feel like an outdoor living space rather than a brightly lit cooking station.
Can You Use an Outdoor Kitchen All Year?
Yes, but the design needs to take the seasons into account.
Shelter can make a major difference. A pergola, covered area or other form of protection can make the kitchen more comfortable during cooler or wetter weather.
Lighting, heating and weather-resistant materials can also extend how often the space is used.
The aim is not simply to build a kitchen outside. It is to create an outdoor area that remains enjoyable for as much of the year as possible.
How Do You Make an Outdoor Kitchen Feel Like Part of the Garden?
This is where the wider garden design becomes important.
The kitchen should work with the surrounding landscaping rather than looking like a separate object dropped into the garden.
Consider how it connects with:
Patios and paving
Planting
Garden walls
Pergolas and structures
Outdoor seating
Garden rooms
Swimming pools
Lighting
Other entertaining areas
Materials and colours can be repeated throughout the garden to create a more cohesive design.
Good planting can also soften the edges of the kitchen and help integrate it into the surrounding landscape.
What Should You Consider Before Starting?
Before committing to an outdoor kitchen, think about how you actually want to use it.
Ask yourself:
How often will I cook outside?
If it is only occasional, you may not need a large number of appliances.
How many people will usually use the space?
A kitchen designed for family meals will have different requirements from one intended for larger gatherings.
Do I want a dedicated dining area?
If so, the kitchen and dining space should be planned together.
Will I use it in the evening?
If the answer is yes, lighting should be considered from the beginning.
Do I want to use it throughout the year?
This could influence the need for shelter, heating and weather-resistant materials.
What do I want the kitchen to look like?
The design should complement the house and the rest of the garden rather than feeling disconnected.
Designing an Outdoor Kitchen as Part of Your Garden
One of the biggest mistakes is treating the outdoor kitchen as a standalone feature.
The best results usually come when the kitchen is considered as part of the wider landscape design.
The position of the kitchen can influence the layout of patios, planting, pathways, lighting and seating.
For larger gardens, it can also become part of a wider outdoor living scheme alongside features such as garden rooms, swimming pools and entertaining areas.
This is particularly important when several elements are being installed at the same time. Planning everything together allows the garden to feel considered and cohesive.
Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen?
An outdoor kitchen should be designed around your garden, your lifestyle and the way you want to use your outdoor space.
Whether you're looking for a simple cooking area or a fully integrated outdoor entertaining space, Surrey Oak Landscapes can help bring the wider design together.
Serving homeowners across Surrey and the South East, our team can help create an outdoor kitchen that's designed around your property and built for how you want to use your garden.
Get in touch to discuss your project and request a free, no-obligation quote.
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