By Tim Sykes of Gardenproud
An outdoor entertaining area could be just the thing to set off your garden and revolutionise the use of your new terrace.
If you enjoy entertaining your friends and relatives and enjoy the odd barbecue, this could be just the feature to build into your home improvement plans.
Sales of outdoor kitchens are burgeoning, and manufacturers are seeking new gourmet recipes for you to serve up and impress the most discerning of foodies.
I recently invested in a Gozney Roccbox pizza oven, only to find myself utilising its superb all-round heat to serve up delicious steak casseroles and roasted scallops!
A well-planned outdoor kitchen will have areas for preparing food, cooking appliances and storage, plus areas for socialising with friends and relatives.
A recent scheme we designed in St Albans incorporates a lounge, eating space, outdoor kitchen and wellness area. This adjoins the kitchen and living rooms of the house. Our client was a keen cook and here the outdoor kitchen augmented the appliances indoors, so it all worked in an integrated fashion. We were not seeking to replace or duplicate but incorporate appliances that would contribute fresh flavours and recipe ideas.
If you incorporate this along with an outdoor pergola or arbour, its protective cover can give the kitchen area definition and extend its use. Lighting extends the use further beyond sunset.
Many new contemporary pergolas include roof vanes that can be adjusted to create shade and close altogether to shelter cooks should the weather turn against you. These can be mechanical or electric. The same structures can also support perimeter lighting and heating for cooler evening entertaining.
The outdoor kitchen can be a feature you can use all year round!
For further information, contact Gardenproud at 07725 173820 or visit: reallygardenproud.com
