Large amounts of counter space, high-end appliances, tasteful accents — these are all things that many of us want in our dream kitchen. However, for some of us, our dream kitchen just happens to be outside.
The concept of an outdoor kitchen may seem bizarre to anyone who lives in a climate conducive to the four seasons, but if you’re lucky enough to find yourself in a sunny locale an outdoor kitchen could very well be made into a reality. And, what’s not to love? Outdoor kitchens are practical, energy-conscious, stylish, and can even be created by yourself if you know what you’re doing. And it’s actually easier than you might think!
In this article, we will provide a few of the best Do-It-Yourself outdoor kitchen ideas that you can tackle on your own.
15 DIY Outdoor Kitchen Design Ideas
Pergola Kitchen
A pergola is a specific name for a type of outdoor garden that involves a shaded seating area or passageway. Pergolas can be decorated with hanging decorative lighting or even with plants.
This DIY pergola kitchen is actually easier to put together than it appears at first glance. That is, at least, if you have at least a basic knowledge of laying bricks and carpentry. If this doesn’t describe you, you will need to enlist the help of professionals in order to effectively complete this project. To cut corners a bit, it may even be possible to work this pergola into your existing deck. Otherwise, it can be built as an individual stand.
Outdoor Kitchenette
Sometimes, you aren’t in need of a full-sized kitchen. If you are a one or two person household and you do not plan on doing a large amount of entertaining, then you may not need a full kitchen for your outdoor space. This is especially true if you already have a large, functional kitchen in the interior of your home. This particular example from Remodelaholic even leaves room for a miniature bar that can seat up to four.
DIY Grill Station
If you could make do with something even smaller than a kitchenette, you may want to look into building an outdoor grill station. Think of it as a deluxe, fancy BBQ area!
You will need some familiarity with pouring concrete and building with wood in order to pull off this tutorial from The Garden Glove, but if you are able to pull it off you will be treated to a stylish, functional grill station that is sure to impress your guests.
Budget Friendly Outdoor Kitchen
We love the way that this tutorial from HGTV shows what is possible when you apply some rules of “interior” design and make it “exterior” design! A simple BBQ and bench area can be personalized and made even more special with the addition of colorful place settings.
Grill Cart
This is another option for anybody who wants the flexibility of an outdoor cooking space without having to put the money or effort into a grand cooking area. This tutorial of Houseful of Handmade will show you how you can turn a standard microwave stand into a moveable grill through a few clever tweaks.
Large Outdoor Kitchen
If you have an unfinished deck that exists in the form of a large slab of concrete, then you may be able to quickly turn it into a kitchen by throwing up some form of wooden structure. Assuming that you do not have a considerable amount of experience with woodworking, pulling this off may require the help of contractors. However, if you do decide to invest in a bit of hired help, then you can enjoy the end result of a spacious and highly functional outdoor cooking space, as seen here at Refresh Restyle.
Lowe’s Outdoor Kitchen
This tutorial comes straight from the home renovation experts themselves, Lowe’s. While this particular project is a bit advanced, not to mention lengthy — it could take you up to 2 weeks — choosing to attempt it yourself can save you big money in the long run. After all, it is only estimated to cost no more than $1,000, which is just a fracture of the cost of a manufactured outdoor kitchen.
Simple Outdoor Deck Kitchen
If you already have an outdoor deck, then you can turn it into a functional outdoor cooking area with only a few steps as outlined here at Place of My Taste.
The idea behind this outdoor kitchen is simple enough— in fact, it takes an existing deck and transforms it into an outdoor culinary oasis with only a few steps. All you need is some trusty appliances that are specifically designed for outdoor use. These can be purchased at any hardware store. To complete the space, you will also need to invest in an outdoor kitchen table so that you can entertain all of the guests who will inevitably swarm to your place!
Outdoor Kitchen With Pizza Oven
A pizza oven — let alone an outdoor pizza oven — may seem like a thing that would exist only if your most lofty dreams, but it’s easier than you might think to make one yourself, provided you have some cinder blocks on hand. Completing this project will not just make yourself happy, as it is sure to delight guests who will come over and enjoy a fresh-baked wood oven pizza. Get the details at Tikkodo.
DIY Grain Silo Kitchen
Okay, so this particular kitchen may not be one that most people could pull off on their personal property, but it’s so adorable that we thought we would be remiss not to mention it. This grain silo turned wet bar is not only environmentally-friendly, but it’s also incredibly chic! While it currently sits at a wedding venue in Indiana, it’s possible that somebody could successfully pull off this look in their backyard, provided they have the space and the materials.
Palette Outdoor Kitchen
Speaking of environmentally-friendly upcycled options, we know that we can make living room furniture and even beds from the pallets that handle merchandise deliveries. However, that pallets also make wonderful materials for outdoor kitchen projects? See this beautiful but simple project from Recylart to learn how.
This Old House Outdoor Kitchen
The experts over at This Old House know a thing about outdoor projects, and while their version of a DIY Outdoor Kitchen may seem complicated, there is no denying that they walk you through every step very clearly. If you’re able to keep up, the end result is sure to blow even the harshest critics away — they won’t be able to believe that you completed the project yourself.
Sophisticated DIY Outdoor Kitchen
This outdoor kitchen plan from BBQ Guys is so well-done that nobody would ever suspect that it was a DIY project. In fact, all the difference is made by the high-end finishes in the form of concrete countertops and multi-colored bricks.
Poured Concrete Outdoor Kitchen
If you live somewhere where the elements would not be kind to some of the more traditional materials on this list, you may want to consider entrusting the help of concrete. By pouring simple concrete slabs, as seen here on Home Depot, you can make a small but durable outdoor kitchen that can withstand even the most extreme of environments so that you can be sure that you can count upon using your outdoor kitchen during every year’s summer season.
Portable Outdoor Kitchen
What is better than an easy-to-use outdoor kitchen? Why, an outdoor kitchen that is portable, of course! This portable kitchen is a great choice for anyone who wants to share their set-up between neighbours, or for somebody who wants to be able to store their grilling area somewhere warm within the cooler months. This plan from Instructables shows you how to make a small but mighty portable grill that will last you through many seasons.
Outdoor kitchens may seem like a luxury amenity on the surface, but as long as you are willing to deploy a bit of elbow grease, there is no reason why you can’t make your own outdoor cooking space on the cheap. Whether you are looking to use your outdoor space as a connection of your living space, or you would like to use it solely for entertaining, there are plenty of reasons to invest in an outdoor kitchen. The harder part is deciding what to cook on it!