Creating An Outdoor Kitchen Under Your Pergola

Modern kitchens designed for the patio can feature high tech appliances and design elements to create a luxurious space for outdoor dining. They’ve experienced a surge in popularity over recent years as the latest in super desirable garden features, adding to your home’s curb appeal.

However, open air kitchens are exposed to the weather and, unless you put them under cover, need a lot of care and maintenance. If you want to maximise the return on your investment and make your outdoor kitchen a pleasure to spend time in, consider locating it under a pergola. It’s the ideal place, keeping everything sheltered from the elements and extending the lifespan of appliances and surfaces.

At SUNS Lifestyle, we have a wide choice of luxury pergolas and outdoor furniture set-ups on offer to enhance your garden and provide additional space for you and your family and friends to socialise and relax in comfort. We’ve put together some important questions you should ask to help you plan your outdoor kitchen design under a pergola.

Before you start designing your new outdoor kitchen, ask yourself what exactly you are trying to achieve with the space. Are you after a fully functional kitchen or a simpler set-up for occasional outdoor entertaining? What are the must-have components and what would the nice-to-have extras be? Depending on your lifestyle, space and budget, your outdoor kitchen can be as involved as you want it to be, and style-wise as traditional or contemporary as you wish.

The space and location available in your garden will largely determine your pergola kitchen design. Make the most of the space you have by being strategic and realistic with your layout planning, this approach can help you decide on the kitchen elements you need and those you can do without. If outdoor space is an issue, think about attaching your pergola to the house, perhaps near the kitchen or dining room, giving you the option to create a seamless indoor/outdoor kitchen diner.

Your new outdoor kitchen can be designed as a permanent fixture for your patio or pergola, mirroring your indoor kitchen in functionality and style. Built-in units with natural stone worktops, sink, oven, barbecue island and more are all possible. However, that’s not the only option. If you prefer something more modular, there’s a wide range of portable alternatives available for outdoor kitchen pergolas including standalone grills, moveable BBQ islands and serving trolleys.

It should go without saying that an outdoor kitchen in the Caribbean is going to look very different to one in Colchester. Here in the UK, we need to be smarter about the design to get the most out of the investment. Carefully consider the transition from house to pergola kitchen and the number of weeks you will realistically be dining alfresco. Invest in a robust louvered roof model with side screens or panels and avoid exposed areas that are too windy, too hot or too cold, for maximum comfort.

Your pergola kitchen is likely to be an additional cooking space, which means you can personalise its design to suit the style of cooking you love best. Will you use it for grilling sausages or burgers, steak or fish? Choose from gas, propane, electric or charcoal grills. Are you a pizza fan and would love a dedicated outdoor pizza oven? Do you prep as you go and need a sink and worktop space? What about a beer fridge or wine cooler? Think about your favourite alfresco meals and design a kitchen around your exact needs.

Knowing your environment is important, and it can directly affect the amount of upkeep and maintenance your outdoor kitchen will require to keep it looking its best when you want to use it. Do your homework to find materials and designs that give you the greatest durability as well as style. Our high quality aluminium-framed pergolas come with louvered roofs or retractable roofs, as well as optional extras such as deluxe UV-protective screens and side panels to offer maximum protection from the British weather.