Top 5 Things to Know About Outdoor Kitchens And Biophilia

A guest blog from our friend Karla Krengel

Biophilia. It doesn’t sound very sexy, but it is probably my favorite word in the design world. It describes our innate draw to nature. As humans, we are drawn to commune with nature and whether we realize it or not, we feel healthier and happier overall when we are surrounded by Mother Nature’s bounty.

With what has been going on in our world for the last year plus, it is no wonder we are drawn to the outdoors. Even prior to Covid, our desire for outdoor living spaces had been on the rise. That too, comes as no surprise, when you think about what has been happening INside our homes over the last 20 years or so. INside our homes, we have been striving to “bring the outdoors in,” when it comes to living & design.

In the 1990’s, cherry cabinetry with its red undertone was hot because the red tone reflected warmth, we started taking down walls & created larger open rooms within our homes – and with some walls which were left, we turned them into plant walls! We’ve added more & larger windows to our homes in the last years – oh, & natural stone, no matter your favorite form, is almost today’s default choice for countertops.

It was just a matter of time, before the realization of meeting our need for nature and all of it we were putting INside our homes, moved us outside.

And, that brings me to another favorite word, “Friluftsliv!” Friluftsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv) is the Nordic concept which has been embraced for centuries, and that is “Open Air Living.”
So, here we are, ever craving to live in open air & expand our outdoor space. It’s such a large concept, let’s narrow it down & explore what we want & need for outdoor kitchens.
Outdoor Kitchens.

1. Flow. There is a lot to think about in regard to the flow!
– How will your inside & outside kitchen flow between each other?
– What kind of doors / openings will you have between your outdoor kitchen & the indoor kitchen? Will EVERY item you need be outside in that kitchen? Most likely not. So, how do you flow the food / serving pieces from inside to out? Is it via a window, is it via a clear path you walk with the items? If you go through a door, will it be a door you can easily navigate with full hands?
When designing interior kitchens, one of the most important considerations is to make sure others are not in the way when the cook is doing their thing! Whether it is when just the family is home or when you are entertaining – make sure to keep the outdoor kitchens cooking area, out of traffic zones.

2. Appliances. There is a TON to think about in regard to flow with appliances, as well! Will all appliances be duplicated indoors to out? Most likely not. For example, keeping items cold in Summer, how will your kitchen flow from inside to out in regard to the fridge, if you don’t have a fridge outside? Your grill will most likely be your cooking surface, but where / how will you cook sides? Probably inside. How do you get those outside & where do you place them once they are outside? On a countertop for family style serving, in a warming drawer, or will they go directly to the tabletop? However you entertain, it is important to consider these sorts of scenarios now, prior to your outdoor kitchen’s layout.
Bottom line: Each appliance you duplicate or don’t – will impact your traffic flow between your 2 kitchens.

3. Countertop space. Probably the place we short ourselves most often in outdoor kitchens, without even realizing it until it is too late. As we discovered under the topic of outdoor kitchen flow, we will end up carrying items from inside, outside. Where the heck are you going to put all of those items when you carry them out – in addition to the space you need next to cooking & prep surfaces & serving!

4. Storage. The size & shape of items you are storing all year outside, or even most of the year, is probably pretty different from what you have inside. Grilling tools tend to be long & narrow. Most likely you’ll want a drawer, or somewhere not in the elements, to hang them when not in use. If you have a Big Green Egg type smoker/grill, where will you keep the charcoal? Your storage needs are different outdoors, so prepare a list of items you want to store before ordering those outdoor cabinets!

5. Weather. My husband & I have “his & hers” grills. His is a stainless gas grill which looks like a UFO about to take off with all of it’s lights & mine is the Big Green Egg. Our family is made up of 2 people & we have 2 grills. We like to cook with our grills – no matter the weather, no matter the season. From personal experience – I encourage you to think about the weather.
– If someone is manning (or womanning!) the grill, who wants to do that with rain pelting down on you as you cook? You more often plan your meals on what you want to eat for dinner or entertaining – not based on the weather. Don’t forget to provide some sort of break from the weather above over your cooking surface.

Also important in regard to weather:
– Where do the prevailing winds come out of?
– Where will the sun be when you are most likely outside cooking? Will the sun be in your eyes?
– Make sure your cooking area is comfortable – both when it is warm & cold

Yes, our outdoor spaces have truly evolved! A lot of pre-thought is going into them these days. We are living healthier and better – and our outdoor spaces and desire for upgrading those, are a true reflection of this.

Designated at a “Top 50 Innovator” in 2018 by Kitchen & Bath Design News magazine, Karla Krengel is a 3rd generation, Kitchen & Bath Industry entrepreneur at the helm of Krengel & Hood.

Krengel & Hood represents distinct Kitchen & Bath Industry products for fine living, including Open Air (outdoor) Cabinetry, Corsi, Greenfield & Siteline Cabinetry, Plain & Fancy Cabinetry – in addition to Southside Woodshop countertops.

She loves to travel, is learning so speak Norwegian, and loves to get outside to ski, snowshoe & skijor. She is naturally intrigued & engaged by all things “home.”