Whenever you design and build a custom home, you have the benefit of working with a clean sheet of paper and if you have enough space and resources, the sky is the limit. If you're going to do this properly, you will need to have a long, hard look at your current needs, together with the wants and aspirations of your family. Take full advantage of the opportunity and think outside of the box as you do, so you have a comprehensive plan to help you move ahead. Now if you really like to socialise, you should give careful consideration to one area in particular. Why should you think about an outdoor kitchen?
Moving it All Outside
Australians are blessed with an outdoor lifestyle that lasts most of the year. It's not surprising that custom homes often include sliding doors that can fold all the way into a wall, providing a seamless link between the interior and the exterior. If much of your life is going to be spent outdoors, you should bring some of the workspaces outside as well.
Social Hub Number Two
Think about how much time you and your family spend inside your current kitchen at home. For many families, this is the social hub and if you're going to be spending a lot more time in your back garden, why not have another hub out there?
When you carefully design your outdoor space, you can make the kitchen the centrepoint and could install an island in the middle, complete with stools for all your visitors. Everyone can take part in the cooking process (or watch you slave over the stove) before enjoying the fruits of this labour.
Where to Put It?
In an ideal world, the outdoor kitchen should not be too far away from the interior counterpart, to make it easier to transfer food from the refrigerator and so on. You do need to make sure that it is placed downwind, however, as otherwise smoke may get blown inside on a windy day.
What about Infrastructure?
Certainly, this type of outdoor kitchen will take some additional planning especially when it comes to plumbing in electrical or gas connections and other utilities. Yet if you do it right, it will add a lot of money to the value of the new build, while keeping your family entertained through the seasons ahead.
Moving Ahead
Talk with your home builders and ask them about incorporating an outdoor kitchen into their plans.
