If you’re tuning in to watch or attending the Chelsea Flower Show, look out for some stunning state-of-the-art outdoor kitchens being featured centre stage. The latest trends in garden design include covered entertaining areas being incorporated, to overcome the changeable British weather. No longer does the start of the Barbecue season rely solely on the weather or automatically signal burnt burgers.
Material Choice
Originally, for outdoor applications, the only choice was natural stone, either granite, marble or slate. Caesarstone have developed colour-fast pigments and lead the way offering quartz, in the appropriately named Midday, Clear Skies and Palm Shade colours.
In addition, sintered stones and porcelain products such as Dekton, Ceralsio and Lapitec provide an excellent range of colours & designs. Available in full slabs, they really come into their own when cabinetry needs cladding. They are available in thinner thicknesses, which avoids adding significant weight to doors or drawer fronts.
Performance
Some of the porcelain options also have a matt or textured finish. This works well visually in an outdoor situation but can be a practical solution too. If the worktops are not under cover, smooth polished surfaces will be very slippery when wet. So a slight texture can help in some circumstances e.g., dancing on the table – not that we are recommending that!
Other performance considerations are mainly with regards to heat-resistance. Natural stones and porcelains are the most heat-proof whereas, quartz is marketed as heat-resistant. As with any other kitchen worktop, we always recommend the use of heat trivets or pads. This is to avoid thermal shock between hot and cold surfaces.
Appliances & Features
As with indoor kitchens, the usual cut outs for sinks and hobs can be incorporated into outdoor worktops. Likewise, if a special area to house a pizza oven or Bar-BQ needs to be constructed, we can fabricate special shapes and sizes. Low walls that double up as extra seating could easily be capped with stone to complete the look.
So, as Brits, we will always need to remain optimistic for a prolonged spell of sunny summer days, but the lack of sun needn’t curtail our enjoyment of our outdoor spaces. It’s time to dust off the novelty apron and head outside!
