Great Outdoor Kitchen Furnishing Ideas
An outdoor kitchen is addition to the home that is becoming more and more popular these days, especially since more people are choosing to spend more time entertaining at home rather then eating in pricey restaurants these days. Furnishing an outdoor kitchen can be as much fun as furnishing an indoor one and even if you are on a tight budget it is a chance to get a little creative and create a space that really reflects you. Here are just a few ideas to get you started.
The Cooking Space
Whether you have a traditional barbecue, a fire pit or even a built in brick oven your outdoor cooking space has to be functional as well as attractive. In addition to your cooking station you will need a work surface of some kind, even if it is a simple folding table. You also need a place to store all of the cooking utensils you need.
One great idea is a rolling kitchen island or kitchen cart. These handy pieces of furniture can provide the storage space you need, an additional work surface and many are attractive enough that they can serve as the centerpiece of the food preparation area.
The Eating Space
Most outdoor kitchens are really a kitchen/dining combination so a great place for people to sit, eat and drink and just relax is a must. There are lots of outdoor dining set options out there for you to choose from, everything from a bistro style metal table and chairs set designed for elegant, intimate dining to large family sized dining sets.
If you intend to entertain a lot of people, bench seating can be a great alternative to trying to find the right number of chairs to accommodate everyone.
The Chill Out Space
Any good outdoor kitchen area needs a great place to chill out and relax. If you are looking for furniture that will stand up to the the weather very well a big teak rocking chair can be a great choice, especially if you add a big comfy cushion topper. Another great, inexpensive choice are beanbag chairs, which are easy to carry inside once the weather is not so nice and make a great, fun addition to an outdoor kitchen space.
Great Lighting
Outdoor kitchen lighting is one area where you can really get creative and solar lighting - the best choice for outdoors - lets you do just that. You will need good task lighting in the cooking area and one great choice for this are solar powered LED spotlights, which can actually be purchased from a big box home store for less than $20 each. For the more ambient light you need in for the dining area you can choose from fairy lights and lanterns, solar lights that can be staked into the ground or even tiki torches if you want to add a really fun touch!
