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So, you've decided you want to add an outdoor kitchen to more fully enjoy your backyard. If you are just in the beginning planning stages, here are a number of questions you'll want to consider so you can get a better idea of exactly what you need:
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Are you planning on cooking complete meals (while you can make outdoor kitchens pretty fancy, replete with ovens and refrigerators, it's usually a better idea to do temperamental dishes in your regular, climate-controlled kitchen, and use your outdoor kitchen for simpler cuisine) or is this just going to be a place for poolside snacks and the occasional barbeque?
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Meat smokers and rotisserie ovens are popular choices in outdoor kitchens where you don't have to worry about the smells overpowering the house for houses at a time. Is this something you're interested in adding?
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Will you need electricity for refrigerators or electric burners/stoves?
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Will you need water run for a food preparation area that includes a sink?
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Will the weather in your area make a roof a necessity? If you don't want a roof, you'll need to get weather proofed appliances and installations for the occasional rain shower.
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Where does the prevailing wind come from when it enters your yard? Can you place a wall so that your items won't consistently be blown around?
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Do you want an attached outdoor kitchen or an island farther away from the house, perhaps as a poolside bar?
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Do you have young children? You need to consider safety, especially for grills and burners.
These are just a few of the questions to consider when in the planning stage of your outdoor kitchen. A book like Better Homes and Gardens'
Outdoor Kitchens can help you further and even provides do-it-yourself plans for a number of different outdoor kitchen scenarios.
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