Why is it important to find the ideal outdoor kitchen size for your backyard? Because you don’t want to end up with an outdoor sink and oven and no counter to place a plate. And you don’t want to go for a huge outdoor kitchen and no room to set a table or chair.
Yes, size matters. Mostly for convenience reasons. Both you and your guests should be comfortable. If not, this won’t be a beautiful evening in the backyard but torture.
What are the average outdoor kitchen sizes? Outdoor kitchen builders say that the minimum length is 6 linear feet. The average countertop width is 24 inches and around 36 inches high. An outdoor bar would be at least 44 inches high and 12 inches wide.
What makes your decision on the backyard kitchen size particularly difficult? It depends on many factors. Should we explore these factors together?
Backyard size determines outdoor kitchen size (or not?)
Overall, the backyard size influences the outdoor kitchen size. If this is a tiny yard, you cannot create a huge outdoor cooking area. Right? But you need to be careful if you have a big yard. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that any size would do since there’s sufficient backyard living space. This is not always the case unless you won’t mind transforming the whole yard into a huge kitchen. Consider which section of the backyard you will use for the outdoor kitchen construction and then measure to define the size limits.
What’s your dream outdoor kitchen design?
Outdoor kitchens mimic the indoor kitchens. You can have them built in any style, size, and shape you like. Your outdoor kitchen may be L-shaped, galley, or U-shaped. It may have one or more cooking appliances. Also, an outdoor refrigerator and freezer. You may also install a dishwasher, or may dream of a huge countertop and lots of storage space. Now, the first thing that would define how much space is occupied in the yard is the kitchen’s shape. It makes sense to say that more intricate shapes, like U-shaped kitchens, take up more space. If you need to sacrifice something to get the size right, start from there.
Do you want a backyard kitchen to cook, prep, entertain? All of the above?
More often than not, people decide to build an outdoor kitchen because they spend too much time in the backyard and entertain friends often. And so, the bigger the kitchen the better. If this is not your case, you can go for a smaller scale. If you like to do all the above but hardly have a big yard, define your work areas. That’s to say, get only one cooking appliance, place a narrow rectangular dining table with stackable chairs, and see how much space you have left for a counter – to make it as big as it can be.
Do you want an outdoor kitchen? Or an outdoor bar too?
Then it’s a matter of what you really want. Do you just want an outdoor kitchen? Or an outdoor kitchen bar as well? And do you want them to stand separately or be attached? The rationale is simple: the more you add, the bigger the structure, and the more space you need.
It’s going to be an outdoor dining table in the setting, isn’t it?
Don’t forget that if you are building an outdoor kitchen then you also want a dining table and chairs too. What’s the point of cooking outside if you don’t have a nice dining area to enjoy it? And so, when you put all the factors, which affect your decision on the size, in a bucket and try to figure out what to do, don’t leave out the area you need for the dining table and the chairs.
Are we talking about more features, like an outdoor fire pit?
Also, don’t forget extra outdoor structures you may want – the ones that take valuable space, like outdoor fire pits. So, it’s best to make a list of all things you want in the backyard apart from the kitchen and then take your measurements and make your calculations.
