Outdoor Kitchens... In the UK

Outdoor Kitchens UK have grown in popularity in the last 5-10 years. They have been popular in America and Australia for 15-20 years. We have therefore seen increasing demand for people wanting to embrace Outdoor Living in the UK.

Check this graph of ‘outdoor kitchen’ searches over the past 5 years:

“Outdoor kitchens are a great way of creating family time. More clients are asking for them as it is helping to connect their children with nature and the outdoor space.”

Manoj Malde, Award-winning garden designer, writer and public speaker.

“Take dining al fresco to a whole new level by adding a cooking station outside in the garden. If you’re a keen cook who loves to entertain (and you have space), an outdoor kitchen will transform both your garden and your summer gatherings.”

Jennifer Ebert, Ideal Home

“Outdoor kitchens are big news in garden design. As staying in becomes the new going out, entertaining friends and family in the garden. And making the most of every square foot of space is all made possible with the addition of an outdoor kitchen.”

Jane Perrone, Society of Garden Designers.

Short answer: Yes if built properly, and certified appliances are used. Check this video which talks about how Grillo kitchens have been designed for the UK climate.

KEY STATISTIC:

“Searches for homes with gardens on Rightmove is up 84% for renters and 42% for buyers in May 2020, compared to the same month last year.” (Read the full article from Rightmove here)

There is no doubt that extending the living space of a house into the garden is a good move. Looking at trends such as bifold doors, indoor/outdoor matching paving, and open plan living spaces shows how people are shifting into a true ‘bring the indoors out’ approach to housing design.

It is great to see this outdoor kitchen we installed a few months ago hit a Knight Frank ‘Property of the Week’ article. This £12,000,000 house in Vauxhall had been immaculately and sensitively redesigned. And restored to a magnificent stately residence set in beautifully landscaped gardens, and there is no doubt the outdoor kitchen helps ‘sell the dream’! See the full Vauxhall, London outdoor kitchen project here.

Outdoor kitchens UK vary in price. This depends on if you are looking for a pre-designed layout or you would like to install a premium bespoke outdoor kitchen. Prices start at around £4,000 inc. VAT and range to upwards of £20,000 inc. VAT. For a fully custom option which can take a few weeks to build, you can easily look to spend over £50,000. However, its really questionable whether you’re getting good value at that price point, of whether you’re just paying for expensive brands.

The great thing about the Grillo Outdoor Kitchen UK is that you don’t need planning permission. This is because the modules are freestanding.

Benefits of freestanding – freestanding designs such as the Vantage range by Grillo, means that they are incredibly easy to add to any project.

There is no need for footings or foundations found on the more traditional outdoor kitchen builds. This works well for existing patios and roof terraces. Rest assured that ‘freestanding’ doesn’t mean flimsy or weak.

Grillo kitchens are an incredibly sturdy and robust design. The kitchens are heavy enough that they can’t easily be moved around.

Putting a roof over your BBQ area or outdoor kitchen is an option. However, many people like to keep them truly ‘outdoors’. After all, it is an outdoor kitchen!

If you’ve ever travelled to countries like Australia or some parts of America that experience 30-40+ degree summers, you’ll know that staying outside in those temperatures is pretty unsustainable. One of the great things about the UK is that our summers aren’t too hot to stay outside, enjoying the sunshine and a good BBQ.

What we actually see in the UK is this: As soon as the sun shines, everyone wants to get out there and enjoy it! After all, if it’s raining hard, are you really going to be outside using your BBQ – even if you do have a cover over your head?