kitchen location ideas please

[Nectarologist]

Hi. I'm finishing my backyard next month and I need to decide where to put my grill and counter. I'm having a 9' long grill area built coming off the house to the right of the patio door (straight at you as you look at the picture). Then another 9' bar/counter area will be going to the right as you're looking at the house (an L shape).

You can see the current placement of the grill in the one picture. We put it there temporarily thinking that is where we'd build the kitchen area. My landscaper, and I, think it will be better used moving it closer to the house. My wife likes it off to the side. Her concern is people sitting at the counter will be looking at the house. We can make it 45 degrees so it's not square to the house. I am replacing the top deck with a paver patio so the grill area will be at that height. The bar/counter area will be lower at about the lower deck height. It will then gradually slope to the ground near where the gym set is (that's coming out).

A couple of questions. Will the counter look bad lower than the grill? I've seen them higher and it looked find but can't find a pic of it lower. Also do you think sitting 9' off the house and facing it is a big deal? Even if we put it in the original spot we wont' face the pool. I really can't have our backs to the house because of the grading that's necessary (so it seems). Any other ideas are welcome. Thanks

https://flic.kr/p/Drxvat

https://flic.kr/p/Drxv9g

 

[YippeeSkippy]

I'd put it on the lower level deck along the open side (not directly in line with the house, yet not blocking the view to the pool). I often wonder about them when I see them built so close to the house- do the smoking and cooking odors go right in the windows??

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Think about it in terms of the prevailing wind pattern. Which way does the wind blow in the late afternoon and evenings?

My grille is oriented so that, in the afternoon and evening, the smoke blows away from people sitting under our covered patio. You want to make sure that, wherever folks are sitting, you're not going to smoke them out of their seats.


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[platipus]

Think about it in terms of the prevailing wind pattern. Which way does the wind blow in the late afternoon and evenings?

My grille is oriented so that, in the afternoon and evening, the smoke blows away from people sitting under our covered patio. You want to make sure that, wherever folks are sitting, you're not going to smoke them out of their seats.

Take that advice to heart. By nothing more than random dumb luck my patio/kitchen build was built to take advantage of this effect. It doesn't always work (hence prevailing, not permanent wind pattern) but it does help.

As far as other layout, I agree that the lower deck seems to be a good place. That 45* corner is a good anchor point for a grill or bar. The whole outer perimeter of that lower deck could be kitchen space with access from the pool side to hand out drinks. Then in the middle of the deck facing towards the pool and bar/cooking area, raised bar seating and counter. It's so much fun spending other people's money...

plat.

 

[Nectarologist]

Thank you for the feedback. I'm meeting with the company this Fri and will finalize with them. The good news is that I check the prevailing wind patterns for the months I'll sit outside and prevailing pattern will be coming from the front of my house (ie, blocked by the house). This is the site I used if future viewers are wondering how to determine prevailing wind patterns: http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/climate/windrose.html
Hopefully in 4-6 weeks I'll pictures to post.
-Chris

 

[Nectarologist]

Hi. After talking with the landscaping company we settled on what I think will be a good plan. There are grading considerations and this layout addresses them well I think. IMG_3214

 

[twinkiesmommy2009]

Nice! Congratulations!


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[kimkats]

LOVE it! Nice job!

Kim

 

[pooldv]

That is going to be great!