Bringing the Kitchen Outdoors

As they say, the kitchen is the heart of the home - a place where families and friends come to share good food and company. Given the affection for the kitchen and outdoor cooking, it is hardly surprising that outdoor kitchens have become one of the hottest trends in the home building industry.

Gone are the days of fidgeting with hard-to-start, messy charcoal grills and broken starters on an antique propane grill. Today's outdoor kitchen consists of anything from classic built-in grills on a cozy backyard patio to a state-of-the-art kitchen with multiple appliances that even include the kitchen sink!

Homeowners want their outdoor kitchen to have all the amenities of their indoor counterpart. In fact, outdoor kitchens are becoming such a specialty in their own right that many architects and designers are including it as an optional layout in their home plans.

No matter how simple or elaborate the design, the centerpiece of every outdoor kitchen remains the grill. Almost every manufacturer of commercial-style ranges, including Jenn-Air, Viking, Thermador, Frigidaire, DCS, GE Monogram and Wolf, have an outdoor equivalent that is designed to be free-standing or built-in.

These are not your father's grill, today's models offer lots of bells and whistles like side burners, griddles, wok, rotisserie and smoker options. As for the look, stainless remains the trendy favorite and it can withstand the elements.

	Sound is an element that can be easily overlooked but can help to add to the atmosphere of an outdoor space. Music can add to the ambience of any occasion whether it's a quiet dinner with the family or a 'wild' party. And don't forget about the lighting, which can be as simple as using lanterns and candles to provide a soft glow or spotlight or pagoda lighting for a brighter light.