Video: Considerations for an Outdoor Kitchen Island

SAN JOSE — Roger Van Alst: When you’re looking at building an outdoor island, there are certain considerations that you definitely want to take into account. The first consideration is the shape of the island. Would you like a U-shaped island, which this is? You can also consider a straight island that will have just one straight line, and then an L-shape is usually a good idea if you have the space for it. When you’re deciding the location and the shape, it’s important to consider the entertaining area. You want to make sure your guests have the best view, so consider what they’ll be looking at when sitting at the island. And then also, where the barbecue itself will be located. By giving your guests the best view, and a good place to sit, you can both cook and entertain at the same time. When you only have just a barbecue, you end up having a choice of burning the meat, or entertaining your guests. So, this way you can definitely do both. Also, you want to consider the siding that you’ll place on your island.

This particular island has a natural stone on it. It’s a cladding that goes on the hardy backer of the board. This natural stone is an emerald green natural stone from SUI. You can also consider a stucco surface on the side. The counter top in this case is a granite countertop, which is a beautiful option. You also can use a tile. There’s various tile options that you can place on the top, as well as certain porcelain outdoor-rated tiles for the island.

This particular island has a fire feature, this is a fire table. Great where you get those cooler nights to be able to turn this on for both ambiance and warmth. When you’re looking at equipment, you obviously want to consider a refrigerator. This particular island has both a wine fridge and a meat and beverage fridge. So, these are excellent choices for any island. This is a side burner. This one’s called a power burner by fire magic, and you’ll also have your standard side burners as well. This is if you would like a larger pot, for lobsters and large quantities of corn. The barbecue itself, there’s lots of choices here, but consider the size of your barbecue. When you’re installing equipment, you always want to make sure your island is big enough. You’re going to need the size of the equipment and at least six inches in between each piece of equipment.

Then many people will consider an ice storage chest or an ice maker in this case, lots of storage drawers and potentially a sink. If you are considering an outdoor sink for your island, do keep in mind that there are additional costs associated with plumbing. The waste water has to be brought to the house, and then sent out through the sewer system, and then there’s plumbing required to bring the water out to the island itself. For hot and cold, you can consider having a local centralized insta-hot underneath the sink, or you can attempt to plumb the hot water if you’re not too far from the house. So, by having a beautiful barbecue island, you can entertain while having the functionality of an outdoor kitchen. It really does create that additional living space in the outdoor environment.