4 Outdoor Kitchen Design Styles Explained
Outdoor kitchens are becoming increasingly common in today’s homes. Often, summer homes have a space for a barbecue on a deck or patio area. But when you’re able to bring your whole kitchen outdoors, you can enjoy great efficiency and the great outdoors while cooking.
With the increase in outdoor kitchens in homes comes many unique design styles. Today we’ll be going over some different outdoor kitchen designs to shed some light on their beauty.
We’ll focus on the types of homes that are more likely to have outdoor kitchens. Regions that have year-round warm weather, like southern California and Arizona have inspiring designs galore. States that have large mountain ranges like Colorado, Washington, and Utah have some of the best design styles out there too!
Tropical British Colonial
Tropical style outdoor kitchens resemble the simplicity of beach life. British colonial style resembles the early British settlers who arrived in America. Combining the two of them yields a wonderful style that was often seen in more tropical parts of the southern United States, and in the tropical islands off the coast of Florida.
This outdoor kitchen above is a good example of tropical British colonial style. A pergola sits atop the entire kitchen, shielding people from the sun during the most intense hours of the day. Stone tiling is a sturdy material, and is used to make up nearly the entirety of this kitchen.
Cement tiling composes the floor, and is more durable than wood. Because this is a tropical based outdoor kitchen, the cement is not in danger of the usual wear and tear caused by winter elements. The design is beautiful!
The beautiful barstools by the counter have backrests and armrests, making this spot the perfect countertop to enjoy a drink and talk to the grillmaster. A large range hood sits overhead to take away any excess smoke and grease given off from intense grilling.
There’s not much in the way of decorations, and that doesn’t matter much given the beautiful view!
Farmhouse
Farmhouse style is hard to replicate outdoors since so much of it is based on wooden features and decor. Decor isn't usually prevalent outdoors since it’s exposed to the elements.
What makes this style farmhouse style is the exposed ceiling beams, neutral tone, and the outdoor wicker style furniture.
This kitchen is three-toned, following the 60-30-10 color rule! It’s also nearly a full kitchen, complete with a full-size refrigerator, drink station, sink, barbecue, stove, outdoor rated range hood, and a wood-burning pizza oven.
There’s lots of space for storage of pots and pans, and a knife block for cutting your food. The beautiful backsplash adds a flair of personality to the scene, and the brick chimney for the range hood tops off this beautiful space!
Another example of strong farmhouse style, this small outdoor kitchen brings in more materials we’re familiar with.
A similar styled backsplash surrounds the barbecue and counterspace, but above the shelving is where it gets interesting. Unfinished wooden paneling encircles the kitchen, and a barn door sits to the left of the barbecue. It’s a beautiful addition and really drives home the farmhouse style!
Spanish
This Spanish colonial style house has all the right elements for a beautiful outdoor gathering space. Complete with a pool, this space is the space of dreams! You can access this kitchen from three different doorways from the house which is typical of this design style.
White and brown make up the majority of this style, with brown pillars lining the way from the pool to the kitchen. Now, for the kitchen and gathering space!
This is a pretty simple setup: a barbecue pit with a range hood overhead, lots of counter space, and a nice gathering space. A table large enough for six to eight people takes up the right side, and some couches and chairs sit around the fireplace and a wall-mounted TV.
Ceiling fans help circulate hot summer air, and lights along the walls illuminate this outdoor space for long nights spent out on the patio and by the pool.
As for the kitchen, the design is simple but elegant! We mentioned the barbecue pit and island range hood. There’s also a small refrigerator on the end of cold drinks, a full sink, and plenty of storage space on this long island.
Check out the small bar space on the right side of the island, perfect for serving drinks of all sorts!
Modern
If sleek is your go-to look, then these kitchens are your inspiration!
Both of these outdoor kitchens have large patio spaces with tile flooring. Moving up, both have sleek counter space designs and smooth finishes. The ceilings are very similar as well, with wooden paneling stretching from one end to the other and puck lights illuminating the space below.
Both barbecues sit in the center of their design with a large island range hood overhead.
Now, for the differences! The blue kitchen is, well, blue! A sleek, subtle but noticeable blue finish is applied to the cabinets. It’s reflective, too! This kitchen also has a wall mounted range hood on a tiled backsplash.
Instead of a more complex design, this kitchen is a single line, keeping your focus on the food and pleasure of your guests.
The tan kitchen is an L-shaped design, and larger in size. It has some additional features, including a mini refrigerator, and some storage space. A nice, long countertop allows for easy food preparation!
While these kitchens are somewhat similar, they differ in the types of material used and how the kitchen is designed. Both represent modern setups!
Hopefully you found this post helpful! Learning about new design styles can be really fun, and help you make a better decision regarding your outdoor kitchen.
Follow us along on Pinterest! We have numerous boards around outdoor kitchens, outdoor gathering spaces, and the design styles listed in this post. We update these boards regularly with new content so there will always be new ideas to crave!
Good luck with your kitchen design and have fun building it!