Building your own outdoor kitchen opens you up to an entire world of DIY ideas! This project can be as simple as a BBQ corner, to as grand as a sprawling open-air cusina with four different cooking zones, a bar, a sunken dining room and a veggie patch to the side. So without further ado, let’s start sketching your dream diy outdoor kitchen!
How to plan your DIY outdoor kitchen
All great DIY projects begin with a great plan. Flick through this guide for tips on how to plan out your outdoor kitchen for maximum functionality! Once you know where you’re putting it, what you want to include and where each zone is going, you can start with the fun stuff.
Plumbing & lighting
This step falls halfway between the planning stage and the building stage; you’ll need to be sure of what services you need and where before you start building anything. Consider questions like:
- Where will you need power, and for how many appliances?
- What sort of outdoor lighting do you want to use?
- Are you going to need plumbing for a sink area?
- If so, where’s the closest water source? Does this affect where your wet and dry zones are?
Thinking ahead will save you a lot of time and effort down the track when you realise you’ve accidentally restricted access for laying pipes or running cables!
Outdoor kitchen designs
Think about how you want to use your outdoor kitchen; this will help you design a functional space that supports an organic flow. Some design decisions might include:
- Do you want power, or a more rustic outdoor kitchen?
- What appliances would you like to use?
- Where are your wet and dry zones?
- Do you want a sink area?
- How big do you want your prep area?
- How are you going to weatherproof your outdoor kitchen?
- How much do you want to build yourself?
DIY pizza oven
You can DIY the whole thing from raw materials by following this detailed guide, or you can purchase a handy DIY pizza oven kit from places like The Alfresco Factory or DIY Woodfired Ovens.
DIY fire pits
Chuck a few skewers over a grill, toast marshmallows or just retire to the dance of flames after a great meal! From easy fire pit bowls to full-blown sunken fire places, you can find inspiration in this roundup of fire pit designs!
DIY smokers
Love that rich hickory smell? Create your very own smoker with these 5 DIY ideas geniously crafted from household items! This is a perfect outdoor entertaining idea for the cooler months, when the drift of warm smoke takes the bite out of the fresh winter afternoons.
Edible gardens
There’s nothing like a sprig of rosemary on a spit roast or a scattering of marjoram and basil over a wood-fired pizza to add depth to your al fresco cuisine.
Position your DIY edible garden near the sink for easy watering and washing, as well as away from hot cooking areas. Vertical gardens are great if you have a wall space to fill, while a benchtop trench would make a gorgeous backdrop for your prep space and promote easy garnishing!
If you want to grow your own salad fillers as well, a DIY veggie patch next to the kitchen area would create a stunning rustic atmosphere.
Al fresco dining
So, the food’s cooked to perfection and ready to be served; where are you going to eat? There are traditional dining table tutorials, or more unique dining experiences like a picnic-inspired daybed! Built-in seating is also an excellent use of space and a great landscaping hack for sloping blocks; check out these epic built-in seating designs for more inspo!
Backyard bar
What’s dinner without a few drinks? Whether it be a tantalising aperitif, a perfectly paired wine or a full-bodied night cap (or two), having an outdoor bar effortlessly adds an air of sophistication and entertainment to your outdoor kitchen.
Go for a fully catered bar with kegged beer and mini-bar fridge, this easy DIY fold out bar, or an expertly styled bar cart in the corner; either way, you’ll appreciate it!
