Tile Artistry inc              

Exterior Kitchens and BBQs

The outdoor kitchen:   IT'S BECOMING THE "IN" THING 

Starting Point           Planning process           The Cooking Grill         Design Choices           Next Steps

Many home owners are including an 'Exterior Kitchen' in their building and/or backyard renovation plans. In the process, homeowners are creating an outdoor 'great room' with areas for relaxation, entertainment, recreation, cooking and dining. 

Much more than just a cooking grill, a backyard kitchen can offer most of the conveniences and appliances that are found in an indoor kitchen. 

Not only does an outdoor kitchen have a trendy look, but it also has a practical side. If you've ever run back and forth between the grill and your indoor kitchen, you can imagine how convenient it would be to have everything that you need to grill and serve a meal right at your fingertips.

  Decisions, Decisions--The Starting Point: (top of page)

What goes into a backyard kitchen depends on your budget and space constraints. Before you start the design process, ask yourself a few questions:

·         How do you plan to use the outdoor kitchen? ----------------Strictly for making dinner or for full-scale entertaining?

·         Do you entertain large groups?------ or------- host more intimate gatherings?

·         What foods do you usually cook on your existing grill?

·         Would you try grilling other foods or using other grilling techniques if your grill allowed you to experiment?

·         Based on your area's climate, how many months of use can you expect? 

 

 

The Planning Process: (top of page) 

With these thoughts in mind, you can start planning your outdoor kitchen design. Some grill and grilling island manufacturers offer design plans, or you may work with Tile Artistry to come up with something that best fits your needs. Magazines, barbecue, pool and patio retailers and home centers are other great sources for collecting layout ideas.

 

 

    The Cooking Grill: (top of page)

The cooking grill is at the center of the outdoor kitchen. Today's high-end grills are typically complex units with a host of well-engineered features to make cooking on them as consistent and convenient as cooking on an indoor range or in an oven.

Extra-large grilling surfaces offer tremendous cooking capabilities and multi-zoned burners that allow the simultaneous cooking of foods at different temperatures. Other features to look for include grilling grids that can be set at different heights from the heat source, built-in wood chip trays to provide more authentic smoky barbecued flavor and heavy-duty motorized rotisseries for hands-free grilling of whole chickens, turkeys or roasts.

Convenient side-burners positioned next to the grilling grid enable you to heat sauces, boil corn or sauté onions to complement your steak. The newest grills have the added ability to switch between gas and charcoal-style cooking.

 

  Design Choices----- Custom-Built,   Semi-Custom or Prefab (top of page)

Next, you need to decide if you want your grill to be freestanding or built into an island. Grilling islands are most popular for outdoor kitchens because they provide a custom upscale look and offer the most flexibility. 

Similar to indoor kitchen islands, the grill is installed within cabinetry or masonry that does double duty as a work surface for preparing the meal and a buffet area for serving it. 

Grilling islands come in two forms: 
  1. Permanently installed custom-built masonry islands (A Tile Artistry specialty)
  2. Semi-custom prefabricated units
Tile Artistry can design and fabricate a permanent masonry kitchen islands totally customized to meet your needs. They afford the most flexibility in terms of design and materials. You can use the same stone or brick as your patio or house exterior for the island base, or you can exactly match the island's countertop with your pool tiles.

And, while custom masonry islands are pricier and require more legwork in terms of design and coordination Tile Artistry has the expertise and experience to handle all aspects of a project of this type. This investment will add tremendous value to your home.

Semi-custom prefabricated grilling islands are becoming an increasingly popular option. Tile Artistry works with the homeowner to select from a variety of configurations and exterior finishes. After a customer has decided upon dimensions for the grill as well as for other built-in appliances, the island is manufactured off-site according to the customer's specifications and delivered in two to three weeks, ready for grill installation.

Next Step: (top of page)
The Tile Artistry project methodology begins with a No Obligation Project Assessment.  It is a very simple process,  our professionals will consult with you on;
  • Project Feasibility
  • Material Options
  • Material Acquisition & Cost
  • Installation Strategy
  • Total Project Cost

Additionally, we will highlight risks and pitfalls. This is especially critical on renovation and/or restoration projects. 

Contact Tile Artistry to begin the planning process. Our professionals will advise you on how best to utilize Industry Best Practices on your floor tile project.

Click here to schedule a No Obligation Project Assessment. 

 

 

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