Outdoor living spaces are very popular in many parts of the country. As your Columbus, Ohio general contractors we wanted to share 5 tips to consider for your outdoor room addition.
- Functional Zones Just like you would with your indoor room addition, apply good kitchen design principles for functional zones of the kitchen. Cold areas (refrigeration), hot areas (grills and cooktops), wet areas (sinks) and dry areas (prep counters and storage) must all work together effectively in proper proximity, each with enough allocated space.
- Integrate with the Inside Remember that indoor and outdoor kitchens play off of one another. The most significant difference between indoor and outdoor kitchen design is often the exposure to the elements (shelter and durability considerations). Other differences include more difficulty in running utilities such as water. And there is usually no outdoor wall, so the outdoor kitchen equipment typically defines the room boundaries. Outdoor living spaces bring a whole world of additional cooking options, like open-wood flame or smoking.
In planning your outdoor room addition, it’s important to consider the relationship between the indoor and outdoor versions. How will they be used together when cooking or entertaining? What is the traffic pattern between them?
- Durability and Maintenance Select low-maintenance materials and equipment designed to withstand the rigors of an outdoor kitchen. The easier the kitchen is to clean and maintain, the more the homeowner will use and enjoy their investment. High-quality stainless steel provides a sanitary surface that’s easily cleaned and corrosion-resistant. Counters and patio or decking material should be highly resistant to grease stains and able to withstand high temperatures.
Some other tips your favorite home improvement company would like to point out is that natural stone counters require sealing on a regular basis. If you go with granite, use cultured granite with UV stabilizers. Avoid highly porous materials such as limestone. In climates with considerable freezing and thawing, avoid tile countertops.
For flooring, sealed pavers or concrete works. Natural stone blocks with a lower porosity, such as granite also work well.
- Landscape Complement the design of the home’s architecture and landscape. Use compatible materials and incorporate subtle architectural details.
- Party Planning Plan the entire outdoor entertaining space as part of a single functional plan. Dining areas, cooking areas and pool areas often coexist. Think of these as outdoor rooms and consider the flow of traffic as part of the design.
We have many more tips for you; contact us today to help you plan your outdoor room addition. We currently build in Westerville, Worthington, Whitehall, Upper Arlington, Powell, Pickerington, New Albany, Lancaster, Hilliard, Gahanna, Dublin, Bexley, Columbus and all of Central Ohio. Contact us today!