A weird concept that we’ve been playing around with recently goes like this: what if you moved certain rooms in your house and made them completely outdoors? What would they look like, and how would you design them to best make use of the open space?
It’s fun to think about, in a mind-bending way; your living room, the dining room, a bedroom, all the associated imagery and furniture and designs that are conjured when these words even pop in your head are all turned upside-down when taken into the outside world.
Take, for instance, your kitchen. All that counter space, the seating arrangements, and the space you need to mix recipes and store all of your cooking materials: what would that even look like if you tried to take it into your backyard? It would certainly look a bit more complex than your little charcoal grill and picnic table…
Well, we’re here today to tell you that not only have people actually designed and implemented some outdoor kitchen ideas, but they look absolutely fantastic. Take, for instance, this beauty pictured below, constructed by the preeminent landscape design firm in San Diego, Torrey Pines Landscape Company.
Combinations of brick and marble facades with white wood trestles and gleaming stainless appliances provide a working amalgamation of our image of both kitchen and patio, while avoiding the trap of looking too much like one or the other. These are ideal and extremely comfortable outside social gathering spaces, providing heat via heaters and fireplaces during the winter and excellent shade and breeziness during the summer.
An interesting aspect of constructing your outdoor kitchen is that some of the structures can complement your home’s architecture, either by utilizing coloring that brings out the house’s color scheme or mirroring some of the house’s architectural designs. A well-made outdoor kitchen can act as almost an extension of the house into the backyard, and this kind of design works especially well in those yards that have limited space.
To exemplify what we mean, the above pictured outdoor kitchen in Coronado, again designed and built by Torrey Pines Landscape Company, utilizes a unique centerpiece for their yard: a large fireplace that uses a mix of wood, brick, and stonework. The fireplace is designed to mimic the sloping tiled roof of the house, creating a pleasing geometric aesthetic that is complemented by the homey comfort of the mantlepiece and sofa arrangement.
Seen again at a different angle, this particular design gives us a taste of not only what an intricately designed outdoor kitchen would look like, but also an extra comfy outdoor living room. These kinds of outdoor designs can do wonders for smaller homes built on older lots, providing extra entertainment space without the need to fully expand the house.
If you live in the San Diego area and look at these designs and find yourself wondering how you’d make your outdoor kitchen work, maybe let the experts do their thing and provide you with a concept and an estimate. Give Torrey Pines Landscaping a call or visit their website.
Torrey Pines Landscaping Company
(858) 454-1433
5560 Eastgate Mall, San Diego, CA 92121
