Plan garden kitchen - In 4 steps to the new outdoor kitchen

Not only eating in the garden, but also cooking right away, a dream of many garden owners. With the right planning, this wish doesn't have to remain a fiction.

In the high season, from May to September, the garden becomes a second living room. Whenever the weather permits, we work in the garden, relax and have a barbecue. The entire day is spent in the garden and of course we eat there too. Preparing the evening meal is not particularly difficult, just "fire up" the grill and off you go. But for breakfast and a possible lunchtime snack, the preparation proves to be a little more difficult. All groceries and dishes must be brought from home or "hauled" from the kitchen to the terrace or garden. An extremely annoying matter that makes many garden owners want to have a garden kitchen. There is actually nothing to prevent this if you deal thoroughly with the planning in advance. If everything is well thought out, you too can soon be the happy owner of an outdoor kitchen.

Step 1 - Choose the right location

In order to be able to cook outdoors, there must of course be a suitable location. It is best to make your selection on site, because this is the only way to get a clear idea of where your garden kitchen could be in the future. Make sure that the spot for the outdoor kitchen is in a weather-protected area. Ideally, this location is already covered, which protects your garden kitchen from rain.

An area of the garden or terrace that is sheltered from the wind, i.e. close to a wall or the privacy fence, is also advantageous. You know your garden best and you know exactly from which direction the wind howls the most. The condition of the soil is just as important. Soft ground is not suitable (furniture sags), it may be necessary to create a firm subsoil first, if in doubt it is better to pave the area.

Step 2 - determine space requirements

This point is not quite as relevant for a large property or patio area. Do you have enough space? Then use it, but always keep your budget in mind. In smaller gardens mustthe space required for the garden kitchen can be measured precisely, two tricks will help:

Mark the place for the garden kitchen with chalk powder.
Transfer the measurements onto graph paper.

Step 3 - Check power and water connection

Here again, those who want to set up their open-air kitchen on their own property have an advantage. Electricity and water connections are available and can also be relocated accordingly under certain circumstances. In an allotment garden, the situation is a bit more complicated, especially in the waste water area. But there is a solution here too. If no sink can be installed, plan at least a place to wash dishes. A dishwasher would certainly be the ultimate luxury, but keep in mind that such electrical devices are not designed for outdoor use and will hardly survive a wet, cold winter season.

Step 4 - Assemble furniture for the garden kitchen

Now we come to the fun part of planning, choosing the right furniture. Your taste and of course your personal wishes have priority, but don't forget that ultimately everything has to fit into the available space. Make it easier for yourself to mentally adjust the kitchen cabinets by using the planning of a "normal" kitchen as a model. Finally, every millimeter is measured inside and only then is the interior fitted.

Thank God, the times when kitchens were planned on paper with pencil and ruler are over. Today you can easily create your dream kitchen on the computer with a planning tool such as the free 3D planner from KüchenQuelle. If you use this practical tool for planning your garden kitchen, keep in mind that there are rarely walls in the outdoor area. The attachment of tall cabinets is therefore not possible in most cases.