Outdoor Kitchens are a Popular Trend Among Home Buyers
Bringing indoor amenities to the outdoors is a popular homeowner trend. Outdoor kitchens are a great way for builders to incorporate this preference, while adding value to a new home. Here’s why you should consider adding exterior kitchens to design plans, plus some tips for creating sought-after space that will stand the test of time.
Appealing to Modern Buyers
Over the past decade, upscale kitchen amenities have been migrating from inside the home into outdoor living spaces. In fact, exterior cooking spaces have remained the most popular kitchen trend for two years running, according to the latest Home Design Trends Survey from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
While homeowners were once content with backyard barbecue pits, modern builders now have the ability to differentiate their homes further by adding higher-end exterior cabinetry, beverage dispensers, wine refrigeration, pizza ovens, grills with connectivity, televisions, speakers, fireplaces and design features that match indoor spaces for style continuity.
Balancing Beauty with Durability
As traditional backyards evolve into functional outdoor living areas, more and more builders are installing custom outdoor kitchens with stainless steel cabinetry. Celebrated for its easy maintenance, longevity and wide variety of attractive finish options, stainless steel is the perfect material for exterior spaces where durability is an issue.
Cabinetry
A nice design alternative to traditional stone and stucco barbecue islands, stainless steel cabinetry has become a popular option for exterior kitchens. Specifically engineered for outdoor environments, exterior stainless-steel cabinetry can include many indoor cabinet features, including frameless European stylings with double-walled drawer construction, overlay doors and full-extension undermount glides with soft-close/self-close technology.
This style of outdoor cabinetry also includes stainless steel hinges rated for exterior use. Glass inserts, hoods, upper cabinets and various door styles give builders a nice array of design options. Stainless exterior cabinetry can also be easily built to conform to virtually any manufacturer’s grill, side burner, smoker, sink, bartending unit or other outdoor appliance.
Countertops
In addition to remaining durable amid harsh conditions, exterior countertops need to complement a home and its surrounding landscape. While concrete, granite and soapstone are popular countertop surfaces, builders should prioritize materials that will remain beautiful and structurally sound over time. Ultra-compact surfaces such as Dekton countertops are ideal for exterior kitchens. In addition to holding up against abrasions and impact, these materials are also designed to resist fading due to ultra-violet light. They are also available in a variety of colors and cabinet styles which help builders create better indoor-outdoor style continuity.
Ventilation
Ideally, outdoor spaces should have similar functionality and flexibility as their indoor counterparts. To avoid problems with ventilation, builders need to install extra depth hoods to funnel away smoke and overbearing smells. They can also enhance overall comfort by installing mufflers which can reduce unwanted sounds.
By investing in the function and beauty of exterior kitchens, builders can create alluring entertainment spaces that add value to a home. They can also use outdoor kitchens to set their homes apart from similar inventory or competing properties that have superior interior attributes, more spacious layouts or larger outdoor living spaces.
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