Creekstone Outdoor Living Full Outdoor Space with cabana, pool and stone slide

Top 5 Outdoor Kitchen Styles to Inspire Meaningful Outdoor Living

For some people, the coziest place in their home is the kitchen and that’s why they invest a great deal of time and money in their kitchens to make sure everything is just the way they want it. But what if the same kitchen is brought outdoors? A lot of houses have great yards and outdoor spaces that are often go underutilized. Here are a few kitchen ideas that will inspire you to build that extra-special cozy place right outside your house.

With an outdoor kitchen comes opportunities for your family and friends to enjoy your food out in the open while you’re one with nature. Guests and hosts can mingle even in the process of cooking, since you are not isolated when you’re cooking inside. Although cooking outdoors certainly gives you the feeling of connecting with nature, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a few electronics and entertainment hubs to make it feel completely like home.

We have chosen five outdoor kitchen styles that will most certainly inspire you to enjoy outdoor living.

1. The Southern Style
If you live in an area that is close to the mountains or have a huge yard, you can go for a southern style outdoor kitchen. You can choose to go all-wood, non-tech and bon-fire oriented kitchen. Don’t get us wrong, we want you to load it up with utilities, but you should consider cut out certain electronics like as LCD TVs or sound systems to really have that American southern style feel.

2. The Home Outside Your Home
The number one reason why people don’t want to opt for an outdoor kitchen is because they don’t want to leave the comfort of their homes. But what if we told you that you can take your home outside? Go with comfortable wicker furniture, which matches your house’s interior decor with the kitchen’s, so that you don’t feel like you’ve even left your home. Install electronics that you have inside to give it that finishing touch along with a ceiling fan.

3. Moroccan-style Gazebo
You can go with a Moroccan-style outdoor kitchen too. You need to have a large seating area for the parties, Arabesque-shaped archways, terra and gold themed color palette and wicker ceiling fans to give it that exotic Moroccan vibe.

4. Mediterranean Blue
This can turn out to be quite beautiful and you can have an all-Mediterranean blue-themed kitchen right in your yard. Go with the royal-blue Spanish tiles or aquamarine-colored Spanish tiles. Give the ceiling, grill tops and cabinet doors a wooden accent to give it that lavish Mediterranean look.

5. Stacked Stone Theme
You can go with a medieval themed galley-style outdoor kitchen where you and your guests enjoy a very modern combination of a fireplace and electronics. Nothing makes it more appealing to the tastes when old meets new. You can create an entire shelter of pergola and the extensive use of rock and stone will give your kitchen an old, rustic and traditional look.So there you have it. No matter what you do we urge you not to forget about the basics. While smoking and open-flame cooking options should be explored, it is important that you have basic utilities installed. Whatever theme you go with, make sure the furniture is weather- sealed and that there is an overhead ceiling or canopy covering the kitchen.

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Choosing a Quality Craftsman

Choosing a Quality Craftsman for Your Outdoor Lifestyle

Finding a reliable and high quality craftsman for a job at your house in not an easy task. Choosing one to completely fulfill your and your family’s outdoor requirements is even harder. Even simple tasks such as roof or plumbing repairs can wreak havoc.

Planning an outdoor living setup for your family is not as easy as it sounds and there are a number of things you need to keep in mind before hiring a craftsman. Here’s what you need to consider:

1. Prior Experience
Before you hire anyone to upgrade your lifestyle, ask about their past works, and to show you a project portfolio. He should have proper credentials and prior experience with at least one reference from his previous clients, guaranteeing the credibility and standard of his craftsmanship work. If any of these are missing, you should think twice before taking making bets because a lot of money can go down the drain.

Tip: You can also check online for reviews or check testimonials on their website.

2. Quality of Work
The craftsman should be able to stand by his quality of work. He should have a proper portfolio in which he can display all his work to date. If the quality of the work is up to your standards, then only should you hire the person. He ought to have proper documentation on all the outdoor work he has done. It’s important to know all this before considering a lifestyle revamp.

Tip: Get in touch with his past customers to see how good and friendly he is.

3. Rate Per Hour
It is important for a craftsman to understand the high costs of buying new materials and equipment; before hiring him make sure that the money you are investing is worth what you are being offered in exchange: quality craftsmanship. If you feel he is overcharging for work which is barely acceptable and nothing extraordinary, you can politely say no. If the charges are unusually low and you still observe a lack of quality, there’s no point in going forward with it. If your craftsman is clearly able to demonstrate quality and consistency, without the rates being too unreasonable, you should hire him.

Tip: Always look for a number of options before you finalize one. However, remember that expensive is not always good and cheap can often be bad.

4. Your Requirements
Organize your thoughts and understand what your requirements are. What do you need to get restored, what are the things that need to build from the ground up and what is your craftsman good at building. All these things matter as you have the last word on how you feel your outdoor kitchen or  living area can be improved and what set of skills are required of the craftsman to complete the job. For instance, is he a better carpenter than he is a plumber? Does he have more know-how as an electrician? These factors play a major role in deciding if your craftsman is the right person for upgrading your outdoor lifestyle.

Tip: Ask your craftsman to explain what he understands so that you are on the same page.

We are hopeful these simple yet effective tips will help you find the expert you need.

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Building Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen

Building Your Dream Outdoor Kitchen: Materials to Use

The choices can be overwhelming when it comes to designing your outdoor kitchen. A rich variety of counter-tops, cabinets and veneers boasting different kinds of materials. Let’s look into all of them, shall we?

Outdoor Cabinets

Whether your kitchen is indoor or outdoor, cabinets are an essential part in any case. These are usually installed under working surfaces. Lavish kitchens, however, have overhead cabinet structures. They need to be waterproof from the inside in order to be self-sufficient. Not only should they have a good design on the outside, but should also be well-designed from the inside.
In an outdoor kitchen, the cabinets are fully exposed to the elements of nature; they come into contact with the weather, UV rays and water. Therefore, in addition to being made from robust materials, they also need to have a proper layer of protection. There is a long list of protective materials to use if the cabinets are inside the house, but for external cabinets, those options are limited.

Polymer Board Cabinets

Often known as high density polyethylene, polymer is a sturdy plastic-looking material that is resistant to sun, saltwater, rain and snow. It doesn’t contract or expand with weather changes and isn’t susceptible to rust. It does, however, lack a certain range of colors.

Stainless Steel Cabinets

Steel cabinets give your kitchen a very modern look. The 304 grade steel is an example of this as it appears to be smooth and bright, which adds a contemporary feel to your outdoor kitchen. It also mixes well with other appliances.
They cost a little more than polymer cabinets, though you can build the cabinet doors using steel and the rest can be polymer. At 18 gauge thickness, stainless steel offers a wide range of patterns and textures.

Wooden Cabinets

If your kitchen has a weatherproof pergola you can consider wooden cabinets. Your indoor arrangement can be reflected through these cabinets in the outdoor kitchen. Teak is the best wood option as they can withstand higher temperatures, UV exposure and weathering. The Teak needs to have an oil finishing and should be water sealed.

Outdoor Counter-tops & Sinks

You need to have ample space if you want to prepare and serve food in your outdoor kitchen. Similar to an indoor kitchen arrangement, the height should be around 36”, though a split-level counter that has a 42” raised portion is better, if you want the guests and cook to comfortably mingle. In order to install a grill, the counter-top depth needs to be at least 30”. You can choose the material for your outdoor counter between concrete, granite or tile.

Granite

Granite gives a luxurious look as it is extremely seamless, It’s also very easy to clean so maintenance won’t be a problem. It is highly durable and can sustain high temperature levels.

Concrete

Concrete is a more economical option than granite, but it doesn’t compromise on the strength aspect. It doesn’t stain easily, it’s highly durable, cleans easily and can be built into any size or shape.

Tile

You can opt for porcelain or ceramic tiles. They are also an economical option as the material underneath is covered entirely. Go with tiles that are rated for outdoor usage. They are easy to clean and come in a wide variety of colors.

Flagstone

The Flagstone option for counter-tops is a bold one. They give off a rustic and natural feel, and are extremely durable in outdoor environments. However, they demand frequent cleaning and can be quite difficult to seal as they are a porous material.

Decorative Veneers

Veneers can be used to give a lavish and stylish look to your outdoor kitchen built-in barbecue. You can use bricks, stucco or stone. While each of the aforementioned materials have their pros and cons, what you need to make sure is to choose the one which resonates well with your home and yard. You can install mortar brick and stone veneers directly on concrete while with stucco, you need to spray and trowel it into place.

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends Cover Photo

Outdoor Kitchen Trends Set To Dominate 2016

Every year people all around the world happily bid farewell to the old and obsolete kitchen styles that were once dominant, and welcome new trends, themes and design elements when it comes to sprucing up their outdoor kitchens. Are you also planning to keep your kitchen nice and trendy for years to come?

You’ve certainly come to the right place: after many long and insightful interviews with interior decorators and home designers, we’ve put together a list of the top three kitchen styles and trends you can integrate to make your kitchen future-proof.

1. Metal works

The most contemporary look of 2016 revolves around having the entire space filled with a multitude of metallic frameworks and structures such as this rusty-looking counter top. One of the biggest advantages of going with metallic workings in an outdoor kitchen is that it is weatherproof, compared to the conventional wooden countertops and cabinets. It does not rust, nor does it absorb water, so regardless of where your outdoor kitchen is, you can maintain that posh and stylish look all year round without having to refurbish your items every month. Take a look at these latest metallic kitchen works that are really in:

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends 2

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends

2. Smart Kitchens

Smart kitchens are the latest thing going around. Imagine our fridge is connected to the Internet and all your cutlery is bluetooth-ready. People nowadays opt for these kinds of kitchens solely because they provide so much ease of use. Each and every appliance is interconnected and quite possibly voice-controlled too. In addition, being mobile-ready means you can turn on the stove or microwave as you park your car in the driveway. That and many more features allow easy and full access to every appliance in your kitchen. This photo speaks volumes:

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends 4

3. Recycled materials

This is the least popular yet the most economically and environmentally feasible outdoor kitchen style. It might require you to put in more effort, but costs notably less. It consists of used articles only and items such as old furniture and tools repurposed for kitchen fixtures. You can simply recycle the wood and create new furniture from it, or you can hammer old planks together to build a counter. So long as the finishing looks good, it does not matter what the material is. Here are some examples:

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends 5

Creekstone Outdoor Living - 2016 Outdoor Kitchen Trends 6

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Tips to a Snazzier Outdoor Kitchen Cover photo

Top-notch Tips to a Snazzier Outdoor Kitchen Design

Today we’re talking about  tips that will help you build a snazzier outdoor kitchen design. These tips come directly from top kitchen designers which you can use to create an outdoor kitchen that’s both beautiful and oozing with convenience.

Creekstone Outdoor Living - Tips to a Snazzier Outdoor Kitchen

1.  It’s always good to follow basic kitchen design principles. If you don’t have prior experience in kitchen designing, we suggest you get professional help. There should be designated areas for refrigeration, grills, cooktops, drainage system, preparation counter and storage. All of this needs to be designed ergonomically and systematically so that they all beautifully bring together a highly functional outdoor kitchen.

2. The main difference between an indoor and outdoor kitchen is that with the latter, shelter, durability and exposure to outdoor elements come heavily into play. One other major difference might be utilities, water for example, that needs to be set up. There are less walls and mostly the equipment in the kitchen pretty much defines its boundaries. There are additional cooking options when it’s outdoor, such as smoking and open-wood flame. It’s very important to consider what you can bring or install outdoors from your indoor kitchen.

3. When you’re buying equipment for your outdoor kitchen make sure it’s low-maintenance and corrosion-resistant. The equipment will be exposed to elements of nature and should be easy to clean. Don’t go with natural stone counters because they demand regular weather protection. Instead, go with cultured granite which also has UV stabilizers. Avoid porous material like limestone and tile countertops. Use sealed pavers or concrete for flooring.

4. Plan in accordance with your home’s architectural layout. All the countertops and equipment needs to match your home as it’s all out in the open. If there is a fireplace, then that’s an excellent anchor. You can go with arbors, pergolas or merely the canopy of a shade tree to go over your heads.

5. Don’t forget about utilities; you might face certain restrictions in your planning if you consider the layout of utilities. What you should do is incorporate them instead of just planning around them. Your outdoor kitchen is useless without proper connections of water, gas and electrical supply.

6. Entertainment is a big factor while designing a snazzy outdoor kitchen because that’s part of the appeal. Make sure there is a proper setup to provide rain shelter, heaters and adequate shade from the sun. You can use pergolas, shade trees or awning over the dining or cooking area. Go for outdoor-rated vent hoods instead of awning or combustible ceilings over an outdoor grill. Use natural gas patio heaters under pergolas and eaves. You also have the option of having portable propane patio heaters.

7. Pick out a TV that has better viewing angles and brightness levels during the day. Also, make space for a music system and other forms of entertainment so that nothing looks out of place.

8. Your outdoor kitchen needs to be designed in a way that it doesn’t look out of place. Aside from that, it should also add value to your overall home. If your home has landscape lighting then you need to design your outdoor kitchen’s lighting system in a way that it resonates with that. There should be ample visibility for cooking and dining.There you go. Incorporate these top-notch tips to a snazzier outdoor kitchen design. No matter who you hire to build your outdoor kitchen, we believe it’s necessary that you understand the factors that go into a cozy and lavish outdoor kitchen.