The Perks of Having an Alfresco Kitchen
Nowadays when the number of people living in cities is much bigger as opposed to those living in rural areas, having a spacious yard is considered a luxury. In other words, you should consider yourself lucky if you’ve got plenty of outdoor space even though you live in the city, because for many of us who live in apartments, there are only balconies.
That being said, if you want to make the most of your outdoor area and increase your home’s value, you should give the trend of having an outdoor alfresco kitchen a try. Apart from being able to enjoy sunny days outside with family and friends, there are a few other important benefits that come with this type of investment.
Increase the Value of Your Property
This is the kind of home investment that can up the value of one’s home, since you’ll be expanding your useful square footage, i.e. your living area. You can use this to your advantage in future in case you decide to sell your home.
To make the most of the space, it’s necessary to look for appliances that are durable and easy to maintain considering they’d be exposed to the elements. That being said, stainless steel should be your main material choice.
In addition, you can increase the functionality of the area by adding cabinets and shelves for storage because it’s easier to have everything at hand instead of having to go back inside many times. Investing in a freezer and an ice machine is also a great idea.
No Smelly Home
Let’s admit – sometimes we don’t prepare some of the meals we love as often cause we don’t like the strong smell that lingers afterwards. Well, an outdoor alfresco kitchen is the kind of solution that can allow you to cook your favourite meals as often as you want without worrying about a smelly kitchen or having to bother with getting rid of the odour afterwards.
If you are wondering do I need a vent hood for outdoor kitchen – the answer depends on the grill you’ll buy, and more specifically, where you’ll place it – whether in the open, under a roof or in a semi-enclosed area. If your plan is to place it in the open, you won’t need a vent hood, whereas with the other two options it’s simply necessary, especially if you intend to use the grill quite often as smoke can leave marks on your walls.
Room for Two (or more) Cooks
With an alfresco outdoor kitchen, there’s room for more cooks! Cooking in a cramped space can be annoying, to say the least, whereas in your outdoor area, you can simply add an additional countertop and you and your partner could do meal preparations together.
Cuts from Your Expenses
When cooking and grilling in this area during summer, you won’t have to rely on the air-conditioner to minimise the heat that results from making your meals as you would indoors. In order to cut from your expenses even more, you could opt for a charcoal barbeque grill which is the most economical option on the market. However, this is not the ideal option for impatient chefs. If you don’t want to have to wait for too long to prepare your food, you should consider other barbeque options, such as gas grills, for example.
Green Some, Cook Some
By investing in an outdoor kitchen, you’ll naturally create opportunities for you to spend more time outside, and that calls for livening up the area with herbs that can serve both to add a splash of greenery and a splash of fresh taste to your meals. If you feel like you have the required, space, time and skills on your disposal, you can also start growing your own fresh produce which is sure to make both your time spent outside and meals more enjoyable.
