If you could design and build your perfect outdoor kitchen, what would you include? You might envision a sizable layout with ample space for cooking, eating, and entertaining. You might picture top-of-the-line appliances, comfortable patio furniture, and other luxury items geared towards maximizing your comfort and relaxation. And that ideal open-air living space is probably set in a huge, well-landscaped lawn, right? 

Some of us are fortunate enough to own homes with large backyards, but in many neighborhoods, this is simply not the case. If that is true of your property, we have good news for you today: No matter how small your backyard, it is still possible to have an outdoor kitchen! At Worthy Outdoors, we are skilled at working with a wide range of yards, from the huge and perfectly suited to the tiny and oddly shaped. If space is an issue for you, we can design a gorgeous micro kitchen that can still fulfill your dreams! In this blog, we’ll present some creative ideas for you to consider as you move toward turning your existing green space into an outdoor living oasis. Let’s dive in! 

Decide on Your Priorities

As with any project, determining your priorities is a critical first step. Before you consider budget, design, and other project details, you must figure out what the nonnegotiables are for you and your family: 

• What do you truly need and what can you do without?
• Are there any details that you can compromise on? 
• Are there items that you could place in the “It would be nice if we could include these, but it’s not a big deal if we can’t” category? 

Take your time thinking through these questions and write out a couple of lists, one for “must-haves” and one for “wishes.” 

This may feel like a waste of time, but we promise that being thorough and thoughtful in this initial step will save you heartache and frustration down the road. Not only will it help you clarify your own vision for your outdoor kitchen, but it will also help you process through and let go of those dreams that simply aren’t feasible in your existing space. Plus, those two lists will prove invaluable as you work with your contractor, builder, or designer to bring your vision to life. They will have a clear picture of your dream and be able to execute it with precision and efficiency, resulting in a more satisfactory space for you!  

Be Strategic in Planning Your Outdoor Kitchen Layout

When you were searching for your current home, did you have any strong opinions about what you wanted the indoor kitchen to look like? Roomy, open-concept cooking spaces are super trendy, whether they are located inside the home or outside, but not every house or yard can accommodate this type of kitchen. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have an awesome place to prepare your food; it just means you have to think outside the box to create it. 

When space is tight, many experts recommend an L-shaped layout. This design is ideal because it allows you to utilize corners efficiently for both counters and storage. In addition to thinking through the overall configuration of your open-air kitchen, here are some more ideas to help you get the most out of your tiny space: 

– Capitalize on vertical space. Incorporating vertical cabinets or shelving into your design is a great space-saving solution. Check out these beautiful wooden shelves that we designed and installed for one of our clients. By building shelving into the wall, we were able to expand the storage capacity in this outdoor kitchen in a stylish and sophisticated way. Other ways to make the most of vertical space include stacking your appliances, hanging cooking utensils and other tools on a pegboard, and installing a perpendicular garden or hanging plants.   

– Opt for smaller appliances. When it comes to a micro outdoor kitchen, you don’t need the biggest and best. Small appliances will not only prove sufficient for your needs, but they’ll also take up less of your precious space. For example, if refrigeration is important to you, and it should be if you have lived through the blazing inferno known as North Texas summer, go with a compact refrigerator. 

At Worthy Outdoors, we are proud to work with Blaze, an outdoor living company that supplies premium products at affordable prices. They sell a double drawer refrigerator especially designed to save space. This fridge can easily be incorporated into an island or cabinet, and with a 5.1 cubic feet interior, it’s surprisingly roomy! The drawer dividers are also removable! And if you need something even tinier, Blaze offers a compact, 20-inch refrigerator too.

If you’ll be doing a lot of grilling in your external cooking space, shop for small, simple grills. Some experts recommend a kamado grill, like this one from Blaze. Its slim design takes up more space vertically than it does horizontally, freeing up room for other cooking essentials.  

– Choose items that can serve multiple functions. If you are working in a confined area and only have room for one or two appliances, invest in pieces that can fulfill several roles. For example, our partners at Blaze and BBQGuys sell grills that can be upgraded with a variety of accessories. These accessories expand the grill’s cooking potential, giving you more bang for your buck. 

The Blaze 26-inch, gas pizza oven is another fantastic multi-functional appliance. This pizza oven is available in several styles, so you can choose the one that best fits your space. And it comes equipped with a vertical rotisserie rod and double cooking racks so you can make more than just a simple pizza. 

Appliances aren’t the only features in outdoor kitchens that can serve multiple functions! When you’re thinking through how to best use your cabinet space, consider something like these door and drawer storage combinations from BBQ Guys. These clever combos can help you use the space under your grill and countertops to store tools, trash bins, and more, contributing to a tidier outdoor kitchen and maximizing efficiency. 

– Choose your patio furniture wisely. Our final space-saving idea has to do with your exterior furnishings. It’s nice to have a designated area in your outdoor kitchen for eating, and even in small yards, there are furniture options that can help make it possible. As with appliances, you can choose fixtures that serve multiple functions and expand the storage capacity of your space. When you’re looking at seating options, consider investing in storage benches. Alternatively, you can opt for a table with built-in drawers, cabinets, or shelves. 

Another great option to save space with furniture is to choose pieces that can easily be put away when not in use. For instance, this stylish, four-person dining set from Wayfair offers room for your family and guests, but can be compactly and efficiently folded up when you’re done.

Designing a well-functioning micro outdoor kitchen can be daunting, but with help and guidance from Worthy Outdoors, you can have the open-air cooking and eating space of your dreams—even in the smallest of yards! Contact us today, and we can discuss creative solutions to maximize the use of your property and guarantee you and your family hours of outdoor fun and relaxation for years to come.