An outdoor kitchen provides additional cooking space and a great area for entertaining friends and family. When building or remodeling your outdoor space to include a kitchen, you might consider a raised bar with seating and top-of-the-line kitchen appliances like a full-size refrigerator, range and microwave. Adding an outdoor kitchen to your property gives you a wide variety of benefits, such as lowering your energy costs and saving you money on eating out. Explore nine benefits of having an outdoor kitchen on your property and why it makes such a good investment.
Creates a Unique Dining Ambiance
An outdoor kitchen creates a unique dining ambiance for your friends and family to enjoy. Nothing is as magical as eating under the stars or enjoying a freshly prepared dish on a warm summer evening. For the home chef, cooking outdoors provides a pleasant, spacious experience that can’t compare to preparing food inside a hot, stuffy kitchen. Adding an outdoor kitchen to your backyard area enables you to offer your guests and you an atmosphere of comfort and relaxation for dining.
You can enjoy a laid-back breakfast under the morning sun or design a stunning dinner party for the twilight hours in your outdoor space. Or maybe you’d like to offer outdoor cooking classes for special diets or regional favorites? You can display your cooking prowess while your students enjoy the fresh air before sitting down to vegan barbecue tempeh or Indian dosas.
Encourages Healthy Eating
Eating fresh fruits and vegetables and high-quality meats is important to your health and well-being. Giving yourself extra space where you can cook these foods encourages healthy eating for your family and you. You may feel more apt to prepare fresh food dishes when you cook outside, rather than eating processed food from a box or can. If you grow your fruits and veggies, an outdoor kitchen makes it easy to harvest your plants, clean them off, and prepare them without gathering them up and taking them inside.
Provides Additional Space for Entertaining
If you enjoy having people over to watch a sports game or talk and reminisce, it can feel overcrowded inside your home. You may also dislike cleaning up after your guests if they leave cups or dishes all over your living room or kitchen. You may also struggle to stock your fridge with enough drinks for your company or lack the space to access your microwave or stove when you have company, especially in a galley-style kitchen. Including a premium kitchen appliance package in your outdoor kitchen design gives you the space you need to entertain a large party of guests. You can invite as many friends and family as you want without crowding everyone into the house, and you can prepare and store extra food on your outdoor stove and in your outdoor fridge.
Lets You Get in Touch with Nature
Having an outdoor kitchen where you can prepare and enjoy food can benefit your mental health. According to the American Psychological Association, spending time in nature has a variety of cognitive perks. Exposure to greenery has been found to encourage cognitive flexibility and improve memory. Spending time in nature can also help you wake up and feel more alert. Listening to the natural sounds of your backyard, such as birds, crickets, and running water, can also help your mental functioning.
Raises Your Home’s Market Value
Outdoor cooking spaces are one of the most sought-after features of homes on the market. HomeLight found that adding an outdoor kitchen can boost your home’s value by nearly $9,800, a $3,700 increase from before the pandemic. Although adding an outdoor kitchen may cost you upfront, you gain a higher ROI on the project. It adds to your home’s quantifiable market value, and it also serves as a magnet to attract potential buyers. If you decide to sell your home, you can post pictures of your outdoor kitchen on the listing to drive interest and improve the property’s curb appeal.
Reduces Cooking Odors in the House
If you’re cooking foods with strong odors, an outdoor kitchen keeps these smells out of your home. Seafood, garlic and vegetables like cabbage or broccoli can leave unpleasant scents lingering in your home for hours after cooking or cleaning. Preparing and cooking these foods outside allows the scent particles and smoke to dissipate quickly. Along with reducing odors, this keeps your indoor air healthier.
Helps You Save on Eating Out
A fully equipped outdoor kitchen, dining and entertainment space make you less likely to go out to restaurants for your meals. The cost of eating out quickly adds up, so having more of your meals at home will save you money. It’s almost five times more expensive to order food from a restaurant than to do your own cooking at home. You will save on the cost of food and reduce your gas and transportation expenses by preparing and eating your meals in your outdoor kitchen.
Lowers Your Energy Costs
There’s nothing worse than heating your oven to make dinner in the hot summer months. When you turn on your stovetop or oven, you raise the temperature in your kitchen and throughout your home, causing your air conditioner to work harder to keep your house comfortable. Having an outdoor kitchen solves this problem and can help lower your energy costs. Depending on your climate, you could save between $20 and $50 per month. This amount can be higher if you cook outdoors on high-quality Thor appliances more often or have an older, less efficient range indoors.
Allows You to Spend More Time with Family
Instead of being stuck inside cooking while your kids play in the backyard, your outdoor kitchen allows you to enjoy their company while making meals. Join in with family conversations while you prepare vegetables or cook on your grill. Your kids or spouse may be curious about your activities and ask to pitch in, helping create new family memories. Outdoor kitchens are great for entertaining family and friends, whether it’s a special occasion or a run-of-the-mill dinner. You and your guests can enjoy being out in nature and socializing while waiting for food to be ready.
Create a Stunning Outdoor Kitchen Space
With the right appliances, furniture and landscaping, you can create a stunning outdoor kitchen for your home. Your outdoor kitchen can provide extra space to entertain your guests and spend time with family. It can also help you save money on energy costs and eating out and raise your home’s value on the real estate market. Add ambiance and luxury to your home with a well-designed outdoor kitchen complete with high-quality cooking appliances.
