Outdoor Kitchens by Riviera Outdoor Decor 

How to plan for a successful design and installation of your outdoor kitchen with Riviera Outdoor Decor

Trite but True... begin with the end in mind 

Regardless of the size of the budget for your outdoor kitchen, it is important to plan out the entire space as one cohesive and functional plan, even if the plan is executed in several stages over a number of years.

It is critical that all spaces, from dining and cooking areas to media, conversation, pool and game areas, are harmonized and traffic flow is well planned.

Why is this important?  Outdoor areas have transitioned from mere barbeque islands to multi-purpose spaces with a resort-like atmosphere, in which the outdoor kitchen is one of many components, and all outdoor areas need to harmonize. 

Step One - Form follows function.  

The questions you need to ask yourself before starting your outdoor kitchen

1).  What type of food will you be cooking?

2).  What is the fuel source?

3).  How many people do you expect to be cooking for? Do you want them engaged in the outdoor dining experience via a social grill or pizza oven?

4).  What are the outdoor appliances that you will need the most in your outdoor kitchen?  Outdoor grill, refrigerator, ice maker, sink, bar center, wine cooler, Kamado grill, BBQ smoker, trash bin, side burner, social grill, pizza oven, and storage.  These are a few questions you will need to be able to answer. 

Most importantly- what are the safety needs of venting your outdoor kitchen- a vent hood or vent panels?   

The list above are a few examples of what you need to consider for your outdoor kitchen. A vital mistake people often make in the decision making process at this point is... I have a refrigerator just steps away inside why do I need one outside?  The question to ask yourself is...how many times do I want to leave my guest (or, my outside resort)  to get something out of the refrigerator inside?  

An important point to remember here is that outdoor kitchens are highly customizable to your style of outdoor dining and entertaining.

Step Two 

Design Inspiration and the Outdoor Room Designer

As previously mentioned, an outdoor kitchen and entertainment center is customizable to your wants and needs. 

There are a myriad of options in colors and styles for you to select from in outdoor cabinet finishes with modern sleek finishes.  No longer are we simply tied to labor intensive and expensive masonry finishes that require extensive maintenance.  

To achieve the look you are wanting, gather as many pictures as you can to effectively communicate the look and feel of the outdoor kitchen and outdoor room that you want to achieve.

At Riviera Outdoor Decor, we invite you to view our full-size outdoor showroom for more design inspiration.  This allows you to see first hand a realistic setting of an outdoor kitchen and entertainment center for your own backyard.  Such a setting cannot be achieved in a retail store setting. View our appointment calendar

A quick note about the Outdoor Room Designer

An outdoor room designer requires a special skill set that is entirely different than an Interior Designer.  It requires specific knowledge of outdoor materials and selections to specific construction techniques to ensure the outdoor furnishings selected will indeed last.  Different selections require different settings to last in an outdoor room.  

Step Three

The Design and Selections

At Riviera Outdoor Decor we offer a 3D design that allows you to virtually walk through the proposed design. However, while a 3D design helps you to visualize what you are getting, we still utilize a basic floor plan with measurements, we also offer a mood board with selections.

The more you can tell us about your goals and constraints, the better we can tailor the many options to meet your needs and your budget.

View outdoor kitchens for Riviera Outdoor Decor