When it comes to making the most of your decking, it doesn’t just end at getting the timber laid and putting a few outdoor chairs on it. In the last few years there’s been a dramatic move to creating whole outdoor rooms in Sydney backyards, particularly kitchens.
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Outdoor rooms are amazingly popular at the moment and the ones that see the most action are the ones that have some form of kitchen attached. Of course, an outdoor kitchen can vary widely. Some people choose simply to have a barbeque and maybe a fridge, while others go the whole hog with wood fire ovens, sinks and cabinets. The perfect outdoor kitchen for your deck will greatly depend on what you want, but here are a three things to keep in mind when you’re designing that space:
1. Custom or Pre-Made: Home renovation stores and businesses have jumped on the outdoor kitchen bandwagon and many now offer prefabricated outdoor benches, complete with a barbecue and sink built in. The big advantage with these is that they’re not all that expensive, and you can actually take them with you if you move house. However, if you want a kitchen to perfectly match your outdoor space, you’ll need to fork out some more cash and go custom made.
2. Barbecue King: The barbecue is the Aussie staple for outdoor cooking, and chances are it’s what you’ll rely on in your outdoor kitchen. This is one area where you don’t want to be cheap – buy the best barbecue you can afford if you intend to cook on it fairly frequently, and you’ll more than get your money’s worth back.
3. Plumbing That Sink: Having a sink right there will encourage you to use your outdoor kitchen more, but getting it there might take a bit of effort and cash. The best option is to be building a new house when you decide on also having an outdoor kitchen, so your plumber can make sure that there’s access for that sink, otherwise you might need to expand your budget for that outdoor kitchen and get ready for a big job.
