So after mulling it over, you’ve decided you want to design your own outdoor kitchen here in sunny Orlando or maybe you’re still on the fence. No matter what boat you’re in, it’s important to have a plan or at least a general idea of the direction you want to go in terms of your outdoor kitchen. From what questions to ask yourself, how to plan the site for your outdoor kitchen, and whether you should buy a prefabricated outdoor kitchen, hire a contractor or DIY, we’ll show you how to design an outdoor kitchen that will take your outdoor entertaining to the next level.
First: Ask Yourself the Important Questions
You can ask yourself the following questions at any time during the process and it may even be helpful to return to your answers, as some may change over time. However, asking yourself these questions before you get started in creating an Orlando outdoor kitchen that has everything you want and is within your budget, will make the process go 100 times more smoothly. We promise. Some basic questions to help get you started may look something like this:
- What’s my budget?
- What’s my style?
- How often do I cook outside or how often would I like to cook outside?
- What type of grill do I want to cook on? Gas or charcoal? If you’re not sure, you may want to do some additional research.
- What type of foods do I want to cook?
- Do I want to be able to do more than just grill outside?
- How many people will be using the outdoor kitchen?
- How large do I expect my parties or get-togethers to be?
- Do I want to be able to do prep work outside? If, so how much of it?
- Do I need storage space for barbecue tools, dishes, sides, equipment, etc?
- Will I be eating outside?
- How big do I want my outdoor entertaining area to be?
- Should there be a fire feature?
- How will I shade it?
- Would I like to wash my hands and dishes outside?
- Do I want my outdoor kitchen to be close to the home or farther away?
- Should my outdoor kitchen be a permanent fixture or moveable?
You don’t have to have the answer for all of these questions, but if you have a general idea of what you want to be featured on your Orlando grill and kitchen, you can easily move to the next step—getting inspired!
Getting Inspired
Getting inspired is really probably the first step that “inspired” you to look into getting an outdoor kitchen for your Orlando home. Now that you have the answers to the important questions you can do some serious work toward finding the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. For inspiration ideas, we suggest checking out such websites as HGTV, Pinterest, or our own of course. In addition to surfing the web for outdoor kitchen ideas, go window shopping! Go to a Paradise Grills showroom near you to get a first-hand look at the different types of bar and grill systems that you can customize to make your own unique outdoor entertaining oasis. The perk about going to see outdoor kitchens in Orlando in person is that if you have any questions a trained staff member will be readily available to answer any questions you may have.
Location
One of our customer’s favorite features of our outdoor kitchens is that every Orlando grill and kitchen system we offer is moveable. If you do plan on implanting a permanent outdoor kitchen, it’s best to consult with a professional as housing codes will vary by municipality, so you will want to make sure you are within your town or city’s zoning laws. Here are some other things to keep in mind for the location of your outdoor kitchen, according to this article from HGTV :
- Even if you are able to build your outdoor kitchen right up to the property line, it’s probably best if you don’t. Be considerate of your neighbors by keeping the noise and smoke away from them as much as possible. Bonus: you’ll get more privacy.
- Landscape architect, Richard Gibney of Gibney Design group says, “To prevent fire, the grill or any heat-producing appliance should be at least 10′ feet from the house or from any combustible material”.
- Make sure that the kitchen is lit sufficiently, as well as the surrounding areas such as steps, the patio, pathways, etc.
- If you plan on running water, gas, and electricity to your outdoor kitchen, keep the outdoor kitchen close to the source of the utility.
DIY or Buy
There are many options when it comes to getting your very own outdoor kitchen in Orlando. Some people choose the do-it-yourself (DIY) route, while others choose to have either a custom kitchen built for them or purchase a prefabricated kitchen with a built-in grill, Paradise Grills skirts the line of custom and “prefab” outdoor kitchens. There are some considerations before deciding which options are best for you. Each option has advantages and disadvantages that should be weighed against the answers to your questions when it comes to making any final decisions. Here are the pros and cons of each outdoor kitchen option:
- DIY – Building your own outdoor kitchen in Orlando means that you get to make every decision right down to the grill knobs. In addition to being in complete control of the overall build of your outdoor entertaining area, many people choose the DIY route to cut costs if possible. The main disadvantage of a DIY project, especially one of this size is time. There is a lot of planning and time-consuming work that goes into building an outdoor kitchen. Similarly, unless you’re a trained electrician or plumber you may need help with the wiring and plumbing to make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Custom – Having a contractor design the outdoor kitchen of your dreams can be a pretty lofty goal. Probably the most expensive of the three options, if you plan on working on a contractor do your research and talk with previous clients of theirs. Another thing to think about is when you get a custom Orlando outdoor kitchen, they are usually a permanent feature so make sure it’s built-in a location that you will love forever, or if you plan on moving it will increase the resale value of your home.
- Prefabricated – Prefabricated outdoor kitchens tend to give people the best of both worlds, which is why so many people opt for them over the other two choices. The cheaper of the three (even though DIY may “cost” less it still costs you time) prefabricated outdoor kitchens can be seen as almost a “pop-up-paradise”. These sturdy kitchens are usually designed to be added to other types of bar systems and are virtually able to handle any and all upgrades, such as Paradise Grill’s Flexbuild series, which give the feeling of a truly customized experience.
Contact us today or stop by our Orlando showroom to get inspired about building your very own piece of paradise.
