As the Nashville TN Outdoor Kitchens slows and expensive travel becomes less appealing, many Calgarians are looking closer to home for their little slice of paradise: The oft neglected backyard is being seen in a whole new light. More and more homeowners are seeing the potential of their outdoor spaces and are installing outdoor kitchens; extensions of the home where the line between indoor and outdoor living spaces are blurred. It can be a complicated process from conception to completion, but the reward of having a relaxing outdoor space to be proud of makes it all worthwhile.
Seem strange to think about Outdoor Kitchens in Nashville TN enjoying your backyard now? Darcy Fraser, owner of Home Fyres, a Calgary based outdoor kitchen retailer says that late winter and early spring are often the best times of year to consider creating an outdoor kitchen. "The summer is the busiest season for the trades and outdoor kitchen retailers because the summer weather reminds everyone about their backyards, but by then it's often too late to enjoy for that season." If you want your outdoor space to have for the summer, there's never a better time to start the process than right now.
An outdoor kitchen is typically made up of some sort grilling area and some kind of hearth product such as a fireplace or firepit. They might also include a eating area like a raised bar, expansive counter space for food preparation complete with sinks, cutting boards and trash bins, or even a beer tap built into the top of the island. The outdoor kitchen can have all the accoutrements of your indoor kitchen, making the trip back and forth a thing of the past.
A good first step towards creating your outdoor kitchen is to decide how you would like to use the space. How much space do you have to work with? Do you want the space to secluded and relaxing? Do you want to use it for entertaining large groups of people? Do you want to incorporate an eating area? How about food prep? The answers to these kinds of questions will provide guidelines for your outdoor space. You might also want to collect images from the internet or clip out pictures from magazines that inspire ideas for the space.
You can design your outdoor kitchen yourself, though some companies like Home Fyres also offer in-house design services. Because an outdoor kitchen is a permanent structure it generally requires a building permit and must meet various building, gas and electrical codes, as well as manufacturers' specific installation and clearance requirements. "Having it designed by a professional can avoid a lot of complications and save you the time and the expense of correcting unnecessary mistakes," Fraser advises.
For a one time flat consultation fee Home Fyres will take your ideas, render them and create a customized plan for the project, including suggestions for appliances, all construction aspects, finishing and permits and a detailed cost estimate and timeline for the project. "It really is a consultation process," explains Fraser. "We'll constantly go back and forth with ideas until we've come up with a design that is a perfect fit for the customer." Home Fyres carries barbecue and outdoor kitchen components from
premiere brands Luxor, Evo, DCS by Fisher and Paykel, and more as well as Escea and Design Dynamics outdoor fireplaces, and can virtually supply any outdoor kitchen accessory needed. One of the most significant trends in Calgary is components that extend the seasonal use of the outdoor kitchens. Freestanding infrared patio heaters, using similar technology as aircraft de-icers, firepit-coffee table combos and commercial quality overhead garage-style heaters have been very popular in contending with Calgary's cooler temperatures. Fraser estimates that a good quality heater can add an additional three weeks of use to both the start and end of the barbecuing season.
