10 Ways to Make Your Hamptons Outdoor Kitchen Fabulous

A beautiful, functional and efficient outdoor kitchen can be exactly what a Hamptons homeowner needs to entertain guests while never actually having to bring anyone into their personal interior spaces. Here, Michael Gotowala, of Outdoor Kitchen Design Store and HamptonFabulous.com, offers 10 things to really make your outdoor kitchen fabulous in the Hamptons.

1. Be particular about positioning your outdoor kitchen space.
A correctly positioned outdoor kitchen becomes the central hub for outdoor leisure activities while remaining conveniently useful near the indoor kitchen.

2. A well-equipped and organized outdoor kitchen keeps the party outside.
With everything at hand in the outdoor kitchen, friends and guests have no reason to go in and out of the personal space of a homeowner’s indoor kitchen.

3. A covered outdoor kitchen offers so much more than realized.
A covered outdoor kitchen extends the season tenfold. Shade is a must. The ability to mount overhead heat, fans and lights in the ceiling is essential in hosting an outdoor kitchen space for the many family celebrations throughout the year, both day and night.

The secret to a really outstanding outdoor living space is that it elevates the quality of life for all family members. A fabulous design incorporates each and every family member’s lifestyle indoors and portrays part of that comfort level outdoors. Designing and building a fully equipped outdoor kitchen for both culinary and recreational use allows guests to mingle freely and indulge in their surroundings. A grand outdoor kitchen also invites guests to participate in food preparation and serving.

4. You can never have enough outdoor counter space.
Outdoor counter space welcomes guests to put down their belongings, encourages people to sit and supports a great buffet presentation as food becomes ready.

5. Offer much more than grilling.
A grand fireplace with an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven equates to pizza by the pool. What a way to enjoy the afternoon.

6. Carefully crafted outdoor furniture in vibrant colors personalizes the space.
The red striped pillow tufts add comfort and visual presence to the outdoor living space. Note the Solid red umbrellas in the background near the pool splash deck below.

7. Design your outdoor living space to accommodate the elevation.
This free-form gunite pool with raised beam upholding the elevated splash deck makes for a great escape. The pool form is literally dug into the slope—a more expensive approach with rewarding benefits worth the effort. The sound of the waterfall coming over the splash deck into the main pool says it all.

8. Professional outdoor lighting adds beauty, safety, usefulness and emotion.
A close look at the sconces directs the light upward and downward without seeing the source. The hidden bulb set produces no glare making it easy to look into the outdoor kitchen from anywhere in the backyard. Large mirrors mounted on the back wall magnify the illumination and visually electrifies the space, while lights hidden in the ceiling can be controlled and dimmed with a hand-held remote.

9. A fabulous outdoor kitchen becomes a family lifestyle.
Professional outdoor living design and masterful outdoor kitchen builds should not be left to chance. Hear out a few ideas and go with a designer or design builder that listens to your needs and has experience to elevate the lifestyle in mind. Look at references and projects suitable for your needs. You pay for experience, and it’s the best investment of the whole project.

10. Your outdoor kitchen should look, feel, cook and entertain fabulously day or night.
The trendy outdoor kitchen is quite an investment. It will add great home value, as it is perceived to be the best room outside the house. If you can ever imagine all the family hours spent outdoors celebrating life together, an outdoor kitchen project is truly successful.

Visit HamptonsFabulous.com for more information about building the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.