Nashville outdoor kitchen construction & remodeling
Outdoor kitchens are a major new trend in Nashville residential remodeling. What in years past served as a practical outdoor grilling area, paver patio, and perhaps a fire pit, has evolved into the Nashville outdoor kitchen. Although not every grill area construction job includes a full kitchen, many remodeling and construction projects involving outdoor spaces are now including full outdoor kitchens – and there are many reasons for doing this.
The outdoor kitchen offers a wide area of tempting benefits and advantages: they’re wonderful for entertaining – and they can reduce your utility bill, add value to your home, and produce better tasting food, for starters. Check out our article detailing the many benefits an outdoor kitchen can provide.
If you are considering Nashville-area home remodeling or renovation that includes the improvement of outdoor space, it would be wise to at least think about constructing a full outdoor kitchen. We are here to help you with that.
General considerations and big-picture questions concerning a possible outdoor kitchen include any existing codes or regulations in your neighborhood (if applicable), your potential budget, how often you think you’d use an outdoor kitchen, the types of social gatherings you’d like to be able to support and host, the usable space available on your property, any outdoor features you already have, what amenities and features you consider to be “must-haves,” and so on.
Broderick Builders – the Nashville remodeling specialists – are in the business of Nashville outdoor kitchen design and build. Broderick Builders has been designing and building outdoor grill areas, paver patios, and fire pits for Nashville-area homeowners for more than four decades – and as such, we have been at the forefront of the outdoor kitchen trend here in Middle Tennessee, which has really taken hold in the last decade.
The popularity of outdoor kitchens is rising in lockstep with the growing trend of outdoor living in general. Outdoor kitchens can serve as a major hub of social activity to an even greater extent than the indoor kitchen.
Nashville outdoor kitchen ideas
There are few limits to the kind of outdoor kitchen (or similar outdoor space) that can be designed by the experienced and creative minds at Broderick Builders in concert with your input, wants, and needs. Here’s a sample list of outdoor kitchen amenities to think about:
- Grill, BB grill
- Burners
- Habachi/teppanyaki (Japanese steakhouse-style)
- Smoker
- Pizza oven
- Firepit
- Natural outdoor countertops
- Food preparation surfaces
- Sink(s)
- Refrigerator
- Ice maker
- Storage space for food
- Storage space for games, equipment, other items used at outdoor gatherings
- Wet bar
- Permanent light fixtures
- Tiki lights
- Solar-powered lighting
- Ceiling fan
- Tables
- Heating
- Chairs, benches, couches, other seating
- Entertainment system
- Weatherproof speakers
- Plants, trees, flowers, vines, ground cover
- Pergolas, arbors, roofs, extended roof overhangs
Graph: Most important features of an outdoor kitchen
Increasingly, our clients are expressing the desire to entertain guests and enjoy family dinners outside. Here in the Nashville metro area, the cold season seems to get shorter and less severe every few years; in fact, Nashville winters have been growing progressively warmer over time. Well into the 21st century, Nashville typically experiences many nice days throughout late fall, winter, and early spring. Your outdoor kitchen can be useful just about any time of year, especially with the right amenities.
Outdoor kitchen features, amenities
Built-in grill, portable grill, other cooking surfaces
What are your favorite kinds of meats and veggies to grill? What other foods would you like to be able to cook in your outdoor kitchen? You could have a portable grill, or a grill that’s a part of a larger set of outdoor kitchen appliances, or you could have a permanent grill set in brick or stone… charcoal, gas, wood pellet, etc. Some folks want to engage in habachi-style or teppanyaki grilling (cooking on a flat, solid surface for preparing food Japanese steakhouse-style). Many outdoor kitchens also include coils or burners like a standard stovetop.
Countertops & food preparation surfaces
For countertops, many opt for natural materials. What food preparation space and surface material you want will depend on various factors such as what foods you want to be able to prepare and how much food you might be preparing. Materials are, out of necessity and common sense, those that can withstand changes in weather and extremes in temperature.
Built-in cabinets, portable storage, & other storage space
Broderick Builders will assist you in all these areas, helping you design the layout of your cabinets and storage compartments. Adequate outdoor cupboard space will be needed to keep you from having to run back and forth between your indoor and outdoor kitchens.
Sinks, taps, other plumbing
Having a sink with running water is essential to convenient meal preparation. You’ll want a sink near your food prep station for cleanup, adding liquid to recipes, etc. Stainless-steel sinks are preferable for outdoor kitchens since they don’t corrode.
Permanent lighting, solar-powered lights, tiki lights
Good lighting is crucial for preparing food in your outdoor kitchen. Task lighting is required for the grill-master and any other food preparers; ambient lighting so the area is sufficiently lit; and walkway lighting to brighten the path to and from your backyard paradise. There are many lighting options, including the more traditional permanent fixtures. There are plenty of newer solar lighting options to keep your outdoor space as green as possible, and don’t forget the torch-type lights to create a fun mood and a more interesting ambiance.
Refrigeration
Outdoor kitchens often include a small- to medium-sized fridge; it really depends upon what you’d like to store outdoors. Other refrigeration-related possibilities are a cold beer dispenser, a wine fridge, and water dispenser.
Flooring, patio surface, deck
Stone, brick, pavers, concrete, and tile are all suitable materials for the flooring of your outdoor kitchen. The qualities you want in outdoor flooring or patio surfaces are low maintenance requirements, a somewhat rough texture to prevent slips and falls when it gets wet, and good weather and temperature resistance.
Considering an outdoor kitchen?
Call Broderick Builders at 615.385.3210 to learn more about outdoor kitchens. We’re ready to answer any questions you may have and to help any way we can… or use our contact form to schedule a free onsite consultation for an outdoor kitchen, grilling area with fire pit, paver patio, built-in seating, countertop, storage areas, and whatever other amenities you’d care to consider for your outdoor space.
Resources: Nashville outdoor kitchen
Outdoor kitchen design inspiration, ideas
50 Enviable Outdoor Kitchens for Every Yard – The Spruce
Motivated by the mouth-watering aromas and seasonings that only come with cooking on outdoor barbecues and grills, the act itself has evolved into a favorite at-home activity. Whether it’s a small family meal or a weekend party, having an actual well-equipped (outdoor) kitchen is at the top of many homeowners’ list of home improvements. (Lisa Hallett Taylor, The Spruce)
12 Outdoor Kitchens That Will Get You Outside – HGTV
12 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas to Create an Al Fresco Oasis – House Beautiful
20 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas That’ll Make You Want to Eat Outside All Season Long – Country Living
Top 60 Best Outdoor Kitchen Ideas – Chef Inspired Backyard Designs: There’s nothing like the taste and sensation of feasting outdoors, and any camping and barbecue enthusiast will tell you that food prepared out in the open is twice as mouthwatering!
Designed with all the conveniences of an interior kitchen, these outdoor kitchen ideas provide ample space to prepare meals and likewise entertain, with added shelter options to ensure against increment weather. With state-of-the-art plumbing, refrigeration, and full stove and oven utilities, the outdoor kitchen is a gourmand’s second home. Full-scale dining amenities allow for optimal ambiance, with a multitude of possible seating and serving arrangements. (Brian Cornwell, Next Luxury)