Bye-bye BBQ! If your rusty-old freestanding barbecue just isn’t cutting the (sausage and) mustard anymore, you may want to rethink your garden cooking set-up.
Are you dreaming of longer days and lazy sunny evenings? With the outdoor kitchen market continuing to boom, now could be the perfect time to upgrade to a fully functioning space (that can actually can be enjoyed all year round) if you want those burgers, pizzas, and steaks sizzling away by this summer.
Here, KBB journo Yvette Filer helps you design the outdoor kitchen of your dreams with a series of beautiful projects that provide plenty of inspiration.
Designed by Jon Gower Garden Design and built by S.Manders Construction Ltd. and St. Pierre Services Ltd., this project blends Iroko hardwood with heavygauge cabinetry. Grillo outdoor kitchens feature a marine-grade coating. Priced from £5910.
Why are outdoor kitchens so popular?
Outdoor kitchens have soared in popularity here in the UK, and for good reason. They can elevate your garden into a true entertaining zone – but careful planning is key. An outdoor kitchen should complement your indoor one, so consider incorporating practical features you might not already have, such as a grill, rotisserie, or a pizza oven.
An outdoor-rated drinks fridge is a convenient addition, as is a small sink, although these would require electricity and water to be connected from your property, which brings more complexity to the project.
Made from solid oak with Dekton worktops, Huckleberry’s L-shaped garden kitchen features a Beefeater 7000 Series BBQ and a Gozney Dome pizza oven. Prices start at £30,000 including appliances.
You’ll also want to ensure you have plenty of storage and preparation space, and it’s worthwhile investing in the right materials to increase the longevity of your outdoor kitchen. Stainless steel and porcelain are durable, low-maintenance choices, while composites such as Dekton can offer a robust, custom look.
Granite is a popular natural option that will add a luxury finish, but will need sealing to maintain its durability. Layout is important; think about your space and how you want it to feel before deciding on preparation, cooking, and dining zones.
Complete with a 12-seater bar table, HollandGreen’s fully integrated outdoor kitchen is ideal for entertaining, with a gas barbecue, wood-fired pizza oven, and built-in mini fridge. Price on application.
You may also wish to add a pergola to make the space usable all year round – most don’t require planning permission, but it is always worth checking if the structure exceeds the limits set out through permitted development rights.
Costs vary depending on the extent of your outdoor kitchen. Modular units start from around £2000, whilst large bespoke designs can exceed £15,000.
More outdoor kitchen ideas…
The Alfa Classico 4 Pizze gas oven takes centre stage in this bespoke Humphrey Munson outdoor kitchen. Markham cabinetry in Ardesia Grey offers storage below for logs. Bespoke outdoor kitchens start at £20,000 excluding appliances. Photography: Paul Craig.Are you after a chic wood finish? Hardwearing, stable types like Accoya are your best bet. It’s shown here in a Shaker-style kitchen by Thomas James Bespoke Kitchens, priced £36,000.Alfresco Jannah 20mm Paver 61cm x 61cm floor tiles, £65 per sq m, Baked Tiles.The outdoor kitchen at Bay House Studio is simple yet robust. Clad in crackle glazed green tiles, it features a Belfast sink, Garden Trading St Ives harbour wall lights, and a stainless-steel wall shelf that runs the length of the kitchen.Built using Accoya wood to ensure longevity in all weathers, this bespoke outdoor family kitchen features an integrated outdoor grill, pizza oven, and drinks cabinet. Priced £18,000 from Thomas James Bespoke Kitchens. Photography: George Heaton.The cedar panels that clad a stainless steel frame on this outdoor kitchen by MW Architects were constructed as ledged and braced so that they can expand and contract in the weather. The project cost around £10,000. Photography: Peter Molloy.The Hive outdoor kitchen, exclusive to The Outdoor Kitchen Collective in the UK, is a contemporary and customisable design, shown here in an Anodic Dark Grey powder coated finish with metallic gold wrapping and a Dekton work surface. Prices start from £28,000.For an outdoor kitchen that’ll last, invest in robust materials. Look for key features such as UV-resistance, thermal-shock resistance, and non-porous finishes. Dekton by Cosentino, shown in Avorio and Grafite, starts from £400 per sq m.For a bold design that will last through all weathers, opt for a porcelain enamel finish. The Vlaze ADAPT Modular outdoor kitchen, seen here in a striking Ochre, is available from Grid Thirteen, with prices starting at £15,000.Consider installing your outdoor kitchen beneath a roofed pergola to enjoy entertaining all year round, such as in this project by New Spaces Building & Remodelling. Architecture, Leftfield Studio, Heyward Lance Architecture. Interior design, Tilly Roberts Design. Photography: Adam McGrath.
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