Beyond the Barbeque

Today's outdoor kitchen is often as nice as the one inside, with every imaginable appliance and creature comfort. They're also getting bigger, with defined spaces not just for cooking and eating but also separate "rooms" for socializing with family and friends.

It's still built around a grill, of course. But refrigerators are increasingly a part of the outdoor culinary landscape, along with icemakers, warming trays and pizza ovens. Elaborate ventilation systems control grease and keep smoke from perfuming the air. For people who like to socialize, there's also an array of beverage coolers and drink accessories.

What's nice is that there are so many products you can design with. Even cabinetry is now made to go outside, and withstand the extreme weather. For high-end kitchens, the story often begins with a top of the line grill, including searing burners, infra-red rotisserie burners, smoker boxes and more. Some manufacturers even provide a wok-ready cook top delivering 32,00 BTU's of cooking power. An outdoor wood-fired oven can be the perfect addition to your outdoor kitchen area, creating a Tuscan elegance for the space and quickly becoming the center piece of your outdoor kitchen.

It wouldn't be a kitchen without plenty of counter space on which to dice and slice and salt and pepper. The most popular choices include natural stone such as granite and quartz, which are impervious to the weather. An extremely popular option in the last few years is concrete counter tops, which are easy to maintain and can be colored and customized to any shape. The style can be very contemporary and clean, or aged and rustic depending on the look you desire.

Entertaining can be messy so accessories that allow for quick clean-up are appearing everywhere, from sinks to under counter refuse containers. Functionality and versatility are integrated into today's outdoor kitchens so that the hosts can not only entertain but enjoy themselves along with their guests. And speaking of entertaining, don't forget the outdoor speakers and weather resistant outdoor HD television.

And lastly, another must have in the well equipped outdoor room is a fire pit or fireplace. While you can over build an outdoor space, its more typical to under build. Thinking in terms of spaciousness is paramount. You are going to love living in your new outdoor space once your project is complete, so plan an area that you, your family, and guests can really enjoy.