Skip to main content

Check out these small outdoor kitchen ideas to turn your limited space into a chef’s paradise

Outdoor kitchens have become popular these days, especially when everyone wants to enjoy the beautiful evening weather outside. Many families appreciate outside dining, especially during the summer months, whether it’s a full-scale family barbecue, a picnic with friends, or just a relaxing drink after a long day at work.

But what happens if you’re limited on space? Good news! An outdoor kitchen (and that oh-so-necessary barbecue stand) can be fitted for a small space. Developing outdoor kitchen ideas for small spaces sometimes takes time because there are a lot of important aspects like available space, budget, and needs to consider. But once you have your own kitchen outdoors, you’ll realize that the time, effort, and money you put into planning, designing, and developing your outdoor kitchen ideas were well worth it.

outdoor kitchen
Ozgur Coskun/Shutterstock

How much does it cost to build a small outdoor kitchen?

Is it possible to build an affordable outdoor kitchen? What must you consider prior to beginning such a project? Before you extend or remodel your property to include an outdoor kitchen, it is important to first organize and plan everything. You’ll need to know what you want to accomplish with your new outdoor kitchen, what you will need to achieve those goals, how much it will all cost, and what the end result will be.

Price is definitely one of the most important components of any remodel or addition. How much do you want to spend on the design of your kitchen? The price range for outdoor kitchens is usually between $3,000 and $15,000. For a small outdoor kitchen, the cost should be closer to the lower end of that range.

Equipment in your outdoor kitchen doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can choose anything from a bare-bones, economical style to a luxurious and extravagant outdoor kitchen with a large, impressive built-in grill, bar, sink, and refrigerator. That’s up to you, your space, your budget, and your needs.

Once you’ve done your homework and gotten a rough idea of the cost, it is important to also learn about outdoor kitchen design and layout for small spaces. The design or layout of your desired outdoor kitchen should not affect your house, yard, or porch design. This is a kitchen that can add to the value of your home, so make sure it doesn’t contrast with the original home design. Remember, you’re bringing a little of the indoors outside, so try to plan accordingly.

How do you plan the layout of an outdoor kitchen?

man and little boy in summer kitchen outside
Tatiana Syrikova/Pexels

Once you’ve done your research, you can plan, design, and develop the layout of your outdoor kitchen, along with its construction. However, If you don’t feel confident in your planning skills and you have the room in your budget, you can use a professional (either a kitchen-making brand or an expert kitchen designer) to take care of the project for you. Obviously, hiring an expert will cost more than you developing it yourself, but you might decide that the expert’s experience is worth the additional cost.

There are many suitable small outside kitchen layout ideas to choose from, such as an L-shaped island, a basic island, or a U-shaped center. L-shaped layouts provide separate spaces for cooking and preparing food. A basic island layout, on the other hand, often includes a small cooking space, a sink, and a grill. It is most suitable for light cooking. The U-shaped center layout partitions the kitchens into several areas. These are special areas for you to prepare, cook, and eat, and are ideal if you plan to prepare a lot of food at once.

In addition to the above three projects, there are other kitchen projects and programs. You can really create a unique design to perfectly complement the size and shape of your house. The highlighted layouts can also be modified to suit your particular needs.

What should I put in my outdoor kitchen?

person grilling food on barbecue outside
Jo Jo/Unsplash

What types of accessories and appliances will you need in your outdoor kitchen? These can be as critical as deciding on which ones to put in your regular kitchen inside, but most of the outdoor choices will need to be weatherproof. Make sure to also take into account cabinets, tables, and other storage options. Keep in mind as well that you will need to run electricity and plumbing for outdoor appliances and sinks. If you aren’t hiring an expert to do the installation for you, be sure to check how easy these items will be to install on your own.

An attractive and fully-equipped outdoor kitchen just isn’t complete without a BBQ island. This grilling hotspot will be an eye-catcher in your outdoor kitchen space.

Even if you’re limited on space and funds, you can still create a pleasant and functional outdoor kitchen and dining area for all your get-togethers.

Editors' Recommendations

What you need to know before you install an outdoor pizza oven
Pizza cooking in a pizza oven

An outdoor pizza oven is a beautiful addition to any outdoor cooking area. Not only does it produce delicious pizzas, but you can cook many other foods with it. Usually made of brick, stone, or concrete, outdoor pizza ovens can easily be built on a wood deck. A pizza oven is sure to make all your friends and family happy.

Creating a new cooking area for your outdoor kitchen isn't necessary to enjoy the benefits of a pizza oven. A slab will suffice nicely if you don't have much space available in your yard but do want that special outdoor feel to your cooking environment. Of course, you can include many other kinds of custom built-ins to your outdoor or patio kitchen.

Read more
A tiny oasis: Herb garden ideas for small decks
Herb plants in ceramic pots on table

An herb garden is a lively, practical addition to almost any deck. Container gardening involves less plant maintenance, as weeds are usually nonexistent. Potted plants can be easily transported as needed. And a well-planned herb garden can serve as attractive decor. Here are answers to common questions relevant to herb gardens.
Which herbs do well in small pots?

Conveniently, many herbs grow well in pots. You might choose a mix of fragrant and particularly pretty herbs, or you might choose a medley of those you use most often in cooking. If you want to grow different herbs in the same pot, be sure that those you group together have similar care requirements. We suggest picking a few of the following:

Read more
4 outdoor kitchen countertop ideas that we think you’ll love
Outdoor island kitchen

Outdoor kitchens are excellent places to entertain friends and family. They not only provide cooking and dining space, but they also offer a place for your kids to sit and snack when they're playing outside. Outdoor kitchen countertops come in many different types of materials. Therefore, you should decide which is best for you based on how it will be used and where it will be situated.

There are four countertops that we will be discussing: concrete, quartz, stone, and tile. Each has its pros and cons, but there's no right or wrong answer when it comes to which you ultimately choose! With that said, we've got some great outdoor kitchen countertop ideas. Let's examine each so you can make an informed decision about which works best for your needs.

Read more