Fun in the Sun

Backyard essentials for a summer outdoors

(Family Features) From a leisurely afternoon watching the kids play in the sprinkler to an evening cookout with friends under the stars, it’s the perfect time of year to bask in the comfort and beauty of your own backyard. Take this year’s outdoor enjoyment to a new level with items designed to keep you and your fellow revelers safe and ready for food and fun.

Easy Summer Entertaining
There’s something about summer that makes casual get-togethers great. The menu can be simple, an outdoor setting makes decorating a cinch and the options for entertainment are nearly endless. Put a special touch on your celebrating with these ideas:

• If you find yourself short on seating, create conversation areas using colorful quilts or blankets.
• Add lighting to dim corners with a simple strand of twinkling Christmas lights or take it up a notch with festive strings of lantern-style lights.
• Create a refreshing breeze and help keep pests at bay with fans set on low to circulate the air. For a simple decorative touch, add some streamers that will dance in the wind.
• Thread a variety of fresh fruits on bamboo skewers and insert ends into the rind of an upside-down watermelon half for a pretty and practical centerpiece.
• Greet young guests with small buckets filled with dollar store treasures like sidewalk chalk, jump ropes and water guns to ensure they stay entertained while the adults have some fun of their own.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images(three photos: people at party, cooler, and grill)

SOURCE:
Family Features

Smart, Stylish Designs for Outdoor Kitchens

(Family Features) Kitchens are moving outside. And they’re doing it in a big way. According to a recent study from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), outdoor kitchens are expected to be a top design trend in 2016.

“An outdoor kitchen can drastically improve the value of a home,” said Alana Busse, designer and NKBA Central Coast and Valleys chapter president. “They also bring people together. Whether, it’s simply your neighbors coming over for a weekend barbecue or a big family gathering, everyone loves being outside.”

Big or small, the basic principles of outdoor kitchen design remain the same. Get started by understanding these basics:     

Get the right heat
It all starts with the grill – the centerpiece of the outdoor kitchen. Russ Faulk, chief designer and head of product for Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet, which makes outdoor kitchen equipment, suggests basing your selection on the cook you aspire to be, not the kind you are now. Remember that there are no uniform depths, heights or widths when it comes to grills, so future upgrades can be a challenge.

More homeowners are also expanding their cooking capabilities with specialized products offering different types of heat. Smokers, pizza ovens and charcoal or wood-fired grills, such as Kalamazoo’s Gaucho Grill, are options to keep in mind as they can enhance the outdoor cooking experience.

Assess the space
Faulk recommends thinking about how you envision the relationship between your indoor and outdoor kitchens next.

If they are relatively close together, an outdoor kitchen can utilize the indoor kitchen’s capabilities, such as prep space and storage. Conversely, a fully independent outdoor kitchen with refrigeration, warming cabinets and cabinetry is more self-reliant, but will require more space and connections for gas, water and electricity.

Grill placement is also a key decision. If you entertain often, Faulk recommends keeping the cook in the party by positioning the grill perpendicular to the dining area.

In the zone
You’ll get the most out of your outdoor kitchen when you have different functional zones designated, Faulk said. Plot out where you will position four key zones – wet, cold, hot and dry – to make prepping, cooking, serving and cleaning much easier.

The cold zone should be next to the wet zone. This will simplify moving food from the cold zone refrigerator to the wet zone sink to wash and get ready for grilling in the hot zone.

Also plan for uninterrupted counter space, or landing areas, for placing platters and utensils while cooking. Grills should have at least 24 inches to one side and 12 inches to the other. Sinks should have 18 inches on both sides for room to wash food or place dirty dishes.

Be sure to dedicate enough space for each zone and think about the relationships among them for cooking and serving activities.

Left outside
Being outdoors means your refrigeration and cabinetry will need to be equipped to handle the elements.

When considering refrigeration for an outdoor kitchen, Faulk stresses food-safe rated options. With these products, meats won’t go bad and drinks will stay cold, even when it’s above 95 degrees outside.

Cabinetry should be equipped to handle rain and protect the items inside. Weather-tight cabinets have seamless rain gutters around the door and drawer openings to help divert water.

By incorporating the right design principles, an outdoor kitchen can be the place where you and your guests enjoy delicious meals for years to come. For more design tips, visit kalamazoogourmet.com.

Photos courtesy of Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet:
(Main image) Outdoor kitchen with Kalamazoo Hybrid Fire Grill
(Secondary) The functional zones of the outdoor kitchen, from left: hot, dry, wet and cold

SOURCE:
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet

Outdoor Kitchens Add Fun, Function

(Family Features) If your backyard beckons when temperatures climb, an outdoor kitchen may be the perfect answer for your next construction or remodeling project. Outdoor kitchens bring color, style and design to your backyard landscape while adding a fully functional living space to your home.

Whether you tend to enjoy your backyard with close family or frequently host a larger group, creating a work zone close to the action lets you keep tabs on all the fun. By bringing the same luxuries and conveniences of interior kitchens outdoors, you can stay in the middle of it all while serving up meals that keep the party going well into the evening.

The options are nearly endless when it comes to designing your ideal outdoor kitchen. Consider these key areas as you begin planning your project:

Location comes first. A well-designed outdoor kitchen flows from the home and creates a natural transition to the rest of the landscape. As you contemplate the location and orientation, think about how the kitchen will be incorporated into your existing outdoor living space. Let the land guide your design.

Seamless style. The aesthetic style of your outdoor kitchen is another vital ingredient to help ensure the design complements your home’s exterior architecture and landscaping. Create a unique, one-of-a-kind look with door styles and powder coat colors and realistic wood grain finishes, such as those offered by Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, to capture the exact look you desire.

Layout logistics. A grill is an obvious element of virtually every outdoor kitchen, but there are still plenty of decisions to make, such as the best placement of your grilling appliances. Don’t forget to factor in wind, which may force smoke into your house or dining areas, or create the need to incorporate a ventilation hood. Also keep your cooking style in mind, which may help you determine how to lay out other features, such as the work space and other cooking and cooling appliances, so they are in easy reach.

Menu options. Think about the types of foods and beverages you’ll want to serve outdoors. For example, a backyard bar may warrant an extra sink, larger refrigerator, ice maker, wine cooler and/or beer dispenser. For interactive kitchen fun, you may opt for a pizza oven that is both attractive and deliciously entertaining.

Know the code. Remember that the purpose of an outdoor kitchen is to provide function, which you can only achieve with proper plumbing, gas and electric. Do your research to determine any local building code requirements and be sure to check with your home owners association or any other group that may govern a remodeling project on your property.

SOURCE:
Danver Stainless Outdoor Kitchens