A recent article on the thechronicleherald.com website takes note of an unexpected and growing phenomenon in home design here in the frozen north: the outdoor kitchen!
What was once something we dreamed about while flipping through the home-design magazines from southern California has finally become a reality in Canada, and homeowners are embracing it like never before! Outdoor kitchens and appliances are no longer just for those living in warmer climates.
>We now have all of the ingredients for making our own outdoor kitchens that will withstand our winter climates. Anything you can imagine in a gourmet kitchen inside your home is now available outside.
Exactly when the phenomenon of the backyard kitchen spread beyond the comfy confines of Napa Valley is anyone’s guess. An article on the New York Times website suggests the concept took off on the East Coast of the US around the turn of the century. That would have been about the time the landscape was populated by newly minted dot.com millionaires looking to make a social splash. After that, the article suggests, things died down a bit.
Others believe it’s more difficult to put a finger on when the phenomenon started and suggest it began years earlier when people first started installing fixed grilles on their patios. From there it was just a short leap to setting up a refrigerator next to the grille then some counter space to work with then, well, you get the picture.
But regardless of when the outdoor kitchen became the must-have domestic app they’re here now and everyone is getting into the act with some rivaling anything from the great indoors you’ll see in the pages of those aforementioned home-design magazines. The most elaborate outdoor kitchens can feature expensive masonry, enormous grilles and built in beer taps. Wood fired pizza ovens are also not unheard of.
That Outdoor Kitchen May Be More Affordable Than You Think
Of course all this plein-air luxury isn’t free. But is the cost prohibitive? Not really. A backyard kitchen will typically cost about the same as an equivalent indoor kitchen and will, according to thechronicleherald.com article return about 60% of its cost upon sale of the house. Of course if your tastes are driving you to install that wood-fired pizza oven, a high-end kegerator and heated masonry flooring you’re leaving the typical kitchen behind and will pay atypical prices.
Some other things you’ll want to consider before investing in a backyard kitchen include:
- Will you use it often enough to justify the expense? – If you’re a dedicated barbequer from way back chances are you’ll be right in your element with your new patio kitchen. However if you haven’t had an outdoor meal since you ate that hotdog at the Blue Jays game when you were 12 you might want to take a pass.
- How extravagant are you interested in getting? – With proper overhead protection folks have been known to install big screen TVs in their outdoor kitchen. Running water and direct gas lines are amenities that will add convenience but also add cost.
- Will a backyard kitchen work on your property? – You may want a patio kitchen that will send shockwaves through the neighborhood but your backyard may dictate something a bit more scaled back. Be realistic.
- And what about maintenance costs? – If you’ve chosen the right appliances (read: stainless steel) and had your kitchen designed and built by experienced craftsmen like those from Toronto Deck and Fence it should be relatively maintenance free.
Toronto Deck and Fence: The Only Company You Need to Call About an Outdoor Kitchen Project
When you hire Toronto Deck and Fence to build your backyard kitchen you’ll enjoy the benefits of working with the GTA’s premier deck, porch and patio design and installation professionals. We’ve helped hundreds of area homeowners add value to their property by extending their usable living space into the open air. A beautiful outdoor kitchen from Toronto Deck and Fence will become the focal point of your social life and add an entirely new dimension to your lifestyle. Call us today on 416-238-2589 to find out more.