Build Your Outdoor Kitchen with These Must-Haves
When the sun's out, there’s nothing better than cooking and dining outside. An outdoor kitchen is the perfect place to cook, serve, and relax without constant trips indoors or last-minute changes when the weather turns.
Shelter You Can Rely On
Oak-framed outdoor kitchens can stand open on two or more sides for easy access, but with a solid roof and optional clad sections to keep wind and rain out.
There’s plenty of room to include a BBQ, worktops, fitted storage, or even plumbing and electrics if needed. The structure also provides shelter for a dining table, so guests can sit and enjoy their meal, whatever the forecast.
Be Sure to Pick Weatherproof Materials
We use sustainably sourced oak for all our bespoke outdoor kitchens, since it lasts longer than any other alternative. But the materials you choose for your furnishings and decor should be just as carefully considered.
Oak, corten steel, and wrought iron are built for the outdoors. These materials age well, gaining character without losing strength. Unlike plastic or lightweight aluminium, they don’t crack, warp or degrade very quickly. Corten steel forms a protective patina, while oak and iron withstand decades of use with minimal upkeep.
Fire Pits and Cooking Stations
Our corten steel fire bowls are a great choice. Tough and low-maintenance, you can use them for simple wood-fired cooking or as a unique alternative to a traditional BBQ. They create atmosphere, keep food warm, and help extend evenings once the sun dips.
We also have fire pits with BBQ grills available, to make cooking for your friends and family even easier.
Choosing the Right Dining Furniture
Reliable seating is essential if you’re hosting outdoors. Solid wood tables and benches offer great performance and look even better as they age. For a more traditional or decorative look, wrought iron tables and chairs are a staple choice.
Make sure you allow enough space around your table for people to move comfortably, and consider adding cushions for longer stays.
Thinking About Storage
Outdoor kitchens work best when everything you need is within reach. A solid oak worktop gives you reliable prep space, while garden furniture with built-in storage helps keep tools, cookware or firewood tidy and dry.
Storage benches and oak barrels are useful additions – practical, but also in keeping with the overall look.
Keep Your Outdoor Kitchen Well-Lit
Good lighting makes outdoor kitchens more usable after dark. Use brighter task lighting near cooking areas, and softer, ambient options around the dining space.
Fire bowls, lanterns, and low-voltage garden lights can all do the trick without overpowering the setting.
Zoning Your Outdoor Kitchen
Dividing your outdoor kitchen into clear zones (cooking, prep, and dining, for example) makes the space easier and safer to use. It avoids crowding near hot surfaces and keeps tools and ingredients where they’re needed.
Even in compact spaces, zoning creates a more organised setup that works great when you’re hosting.
Still Planning Your Next Build?
Each of our oak structures is made to order, so you can choose the size, layout, roof profile, and cladding to suit your garden and your needs. Want integrated worktops, room for storage, or space for a full dining setup? It’s all possible.
Our in-house team handles everything, from design drawings to pre-assembly in our workshop. You’ll get a structure that looks fantastic and works well for everything from quick lunches to bigger evening events.
Make Summer Hosting Easy
Planning around comfort, access, and storage makes hosting simpler, whatever the weather. Choose materials that hold up year-round and layouts that suit how you like to cook and prep.
Enquire about our oak-framed kitchens and start planning a space that works hard and looks good, season after season.
