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DIY OUTDOOR KITCHEN

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Ahh!OUTDOOR KITCHEN!!

***Update July 2020***

I have shared lots of step by step photos on how we built our outdoor kitchen in the OUTDOOR KITCHEN – HOW WE DID IT post so after this post head over there to check it out! There are also some current photos of the deck/outdoor kitchen at the bottom of this post.

Today is the REVEAL day of our fantastic outdoor kitchen you want to see, my friends!

This post is sponsored by Lowe’s, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I almost can’t believe that this project is finished!
If you are new here let me fill you in the outdoor space story and let’s look back and see where we exactly started about a month and a half ago.

This is a before picture of an amazing outdoor space! Woah!

This is a before picture of an amazing outdoor kitchen! You need to see the AFTER!As you see, we had a typical 10×10, square deck.

We tried to make our existing deck more cozy and comfy about three summers ago with a DIY pallet furniture which we’ve really been enjoying throughout the summer season ever since. But every time we had a cookout or had friends over we felt like we needed a bigger outdoor space, perhaps a beautiful outdoor kitchen with a seating area. So I dreamed up an outstanding outdoor space in my head with a nice ground level deck that would be an extension to our already existing deck plus an outdoor kitchen with a pergola.

Yeah! It was all pictured in my head.

I am happy to report that my vision came to life (again:-), and I am still pinching myself that this space that I am about to show you is OUR outdoor space.

But before I show you our new area I need to give a huge shout out to my awesome husband who is always a partner in crime and puts up with THIS crazy gal and her even more insane ideas (yup, that’s me!!). I am gifted with many talents but to tell you the truth I wouldn’t be able to accomplish all the work without my man! My husband and I worked so HARD to finish this fantastic outdoor kitchen. And I say  – it was all worth it!

We DIYed all of it!

I am hoping to write up some tutorials building the ground level deck and pergola later as I would love to share all that we’ve learned throughout this process!

And before we move on, I would also like to say a big thank you for LOWE’S to help us bring my vision to life and providing all materials and products for our outdoor kitchen space!

 

And now drum roll, please…:-)))

Come and tour our NEW outdoor kitchen! (I will list links to everything at the bottom of this post- affiliate links included.)

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

Well, this is where we spent the last month, guys! We got home from our day job, we changed clothes and worked, worked and worked when we had some free time.

This outdoor patio is so amazing. And that includes an outdoor kitchen too!

Awh! I still can’t even BELIEVE that this is our backyard!

Just can’t!

So let’s dive in and get the deets!

I think one of the best decisions we’ve made was to make the stairs wider. It’s a huge plus to this entire area, and it opens up the two decks entirely.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

I wanted to ensure that this large outdoor space looks and feels cohesive throughout, so matching the stain for both, the upper as well as the lower level deck was a must. However, we could not strip off of the stain from our old deck, so my hubby had to rebuild the upper-level deck completely. Oh, the joy of unexpected obstacles!!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

But at the end of the day, I was happy to see the new deck. The old patio was almost 20 years old, so it was about time anyhow.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

Let’s move onto the kitchen area…

My favorite section of ALL!

We have the large Master Forge 3 Burner Modular Grill, the Master Forge o-Burner Modular Outdoor Refrigerator and the Master Forge 3-Burner Modular Outdoor Sink and Side Burners. Perfect grill set! The manufacturer advises a 24″ clearance around the grill. However, we positioned the set differently this time. The great thing about the Master Forge Modular grill set is that you can roll each section out and change the layout any time.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

Building the frame for the grill needed some planning, but as soon as our grill set arrived, we outlined everything and planned out the layout right away. Then we started working on the frame and the pergola which was the biggest bite of this project. The structure is built on 2×4 poles, and the frame is covered with cement board completely.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

On the picture below you see the other side of the kitchen area. We planned to add a small bar section so the hub can enjoy his drink while I am cooking (or Vice Versa :-)).

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

My original plan was to use the air stones ( the air stone is built onto the cement board) all around the frame, but we ended up using wood panels to the back of the frame, and I just LOVE how it turned out.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

We picked out a comfy and cute outdoor dining room set. It’s not too big but perfectly enough for a family of four. It’s stylish, chic and comfortable.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

I fancied up the space using lots of greens and plants. I hung greens on the pergola utilizing my macrame plant hangers that I made. I also used some wonderful plant stands from Lowe’s to display the large plants in the space.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

And at the end of the day, I truly wanted to make this entire outdoor space to be one large, cohesive space, so I decided to sew a new cushion cover to my pallet furniture and I repainted the existing pallet coffee table so everything would be fresh and beautifully styled together.

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

And here is this fantastic and cozy space lit up at night! Awe! So fun!

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

 

DIY Outdoor Kitchen you want to see!

Amazing outdoor kitchen with string lights at night.

Summer cocktail night out on an amazing outdoor patio!

And the obligatory BEFORE and AFTER!

So what do you say??

YAY or YAY??:-))

Now to enjoy this fabulous outdoor space for months to come!

TO SHOP THIS POST, HOVER OVER THE IMAGES AND CLICK ON THE PRODUCT TAGS!

Such a wonderful outdoor space for the summer months! Wow!

 

Sources:

  • Outdoor Dining Set
  • Outdoor Area Rug
  • Barstool Chair
  • Master Forge 3-Burner Modular Outdoor Sink and Side Burner
  • Master Forge 3-Burner Modular Gas Grill
  • Modular Outdoor Refrigerator
  • Air Stone – Faux Stone
  • allen + roth White Indoor/Outdoor Round Steel Plant Stand
  • allen+roth Navy Awning Patio Umbrella
  • allen+roth White Ceramic Bowl Planter
  • Wicker Candle Holder
  • allen+roth Citronella Candle

***UPdate ::: Wow guys! It’s been almost 2 years since we have this paradise and we could not love it more! We love this outdoor space so much and we spend Severy possible minute out here!***

We have updated the upper deck this past summer and it got a lovely makeover. Be sure to hop over to see the PATIO UPDATE  and what we added, and how we made this space even more amazing. You can also check out these 10 OUTDOOR SPACES that I loved and used as an inspiration for some of my designs.

UPDATE 2020!!!

UPDATE 2020!!!

I get lots of questions in regards to this Outdoor Kitchen ESPECIALLY about the current condition. I am about to write up a post about how we built this space so stay tuned. And here are some current photos ( JULY 2020!) to show you guys the current condition. It’s been an amazing outdoor kitchen/space for us for 4 years! And we use it a lot! Well, hello Pandemic!!!! The appliances are still in great condition and I would not change a thing in here.

Thanks for stopping by my friends! Have a wonderful summer!

Cheers,

Aniko

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63 Comments

  1. Hi, we would love to do the same thing with our modular outdoor kitchen setup. I’m wondering if you have vents on the backside of the grill area and if it is okay to build a back to it or if you left a bit of a gap?

    1. There was a bit of a gap in between. I am not sure about the vents now as I don’t have it anymore but we did have a gap between the wall and the unit.

  2. This is awesome!! It turned out amazing! If you don’t mind to share, which wood stain color Did you use for the wood floor. Thx.

  3. Hello, I came across your photo on Pinterest. I am struggling finding a pergola that isn’t with four post. We have an existing concrete top bbq but would like to finish it off with some type of covering. Something to make it look more inviting to sit at the bar. Would you happen to have any plans for what you made? I appreciate any help.

    Thank you,

    Andrea

  4. I love how you incorporated flowers and potted plants into your outdoor kitchen setup. This can really give a feeling of being connected with the surroundings which is something that my family always loves doing, as most of them have gardens at home that they take care of. To make sure they feel welcome in my own outdoor kitchen setup, I’ll make sure that I look for some plants to use after shopping for things like grills and mini-refrigerators for the kitchen.

    1. Sandia, I just added some current pictures ( taken today) at the bottom of the post. It’s still amazing and the appliances are great condition too. Hope this helps.:-)

  5. Hi Aniko, We are getting ready to build our outdoor kitchen and pergola and wondering what is the brand and color of the stain you used on the wood. Beautiful Job!

  6. My wife and I have looked at thousands of pictures on outdoor kitchens. Yours is our most favorite! Great job! We have a side yard wear would like to DIY something similar to your kitchen and pergola. Could you share the plans for just that portion? The posts holding the pergola look larger that 2 by 4s. Also, curious about the post bottom facades. How big are those? If you already provided a link to your plans, sorry I missed that.

  7. Do you have any building plans for the outdoor kitchen structure?
    Are those 4×4 posts or 6×6? 2×6 cross beams? 1×2 slats? Did you use pressure treated lumber or cedar? Did you stain? How did you apply the airstone?

    Thank you!

  8. Hi – I want to say first off this post inspired us to purchase the modular outdoor kitchen set from Lowe’s and we are so excited!!! It hasn’t come yet, but after ordering I’ve noticed a bunch of post of people being unhappy with the quality and customer service from Lowe’s. Apparently majority of the pieces start rusting within the first few years. At this point I’m getting nervious and 2nd guessing our choice.

    I noticed you build this in 2017, do you mind sharing some recent picture of the condition of the patio? Has yours started to rust? If you had issues with it how was Lowe’s customer service.

    Appreciate any wisdom you can pass on.

    1. Sorry just seeing this. it’s been three years since we installed the outdoor kitchen and it has not been rusting at all. We cover the kitchen with the tarp that came with it whenever it rains. It might sound a lot of work to do but it takes a few seconds to pull on the tarp and it is worth that little time. Excellent condition still and we love the whole setup. I hope it helps.:-)

  9. It looks fantastic! How has the grill set up last night after two year it looks fantastic! How has the grill held up ? I’ve seen mixed reviews on its durability in the elements

    1. Scott- It honestly holds up really well for us. It’s been 3 summers this year and wow! Lots of cooking and fun other there! All I can say is that we love it. We try to protect the unit as much as we can – always cover it when it rains.

  10. Gorgeous, functional, truly welcoming design, and colors that enhance calm and relaxation. Absolutely stunning!! You two are a dynamic team!!!

  11. It looks stunning. I’ve never seen an outdoor kitchen at someone’s house. What a phenomenal transformation. Amazing job. Looking forward to the tutorial on the lower deck! Thank you for the inspiration.

  12. Hey there, you guys did a fantastic job! We are about to build our deck and outdoor space and yours is exactly what we’ll be doing. I have a question though, how big is the lower deck with the bbq?
    It all looks amazing
    Dawn

    1. Hello Dawn- The lower deck is about 16-19’ in size. Thanks for commenting! I can’t wait to pull out our outdoor furniture whent Spring gets here finally! 🙂

    1. We used it a LOT over the summer. I mean it was the neighborhood’s “hot spot” for entertaining haha! Loved it! Never regret having it for sure!

  13. So, so, so good!!!!! You crushed it! Looking forward to the tutorial on the lower deck! Thank you for the inspiration!

  14. My husband and I are looking into building our outdoor kitchen. We love yours <3 My question is how big is the deck area you built for your outdoor kitchen? We're trying to figure out how big to make ours. Thanks !! Again, thanks for sharing, love it !!!

  15. Omg! Girl, you crushed it! I’m super jealous of this outdoor kitchen. What a phenomenal transformation. Amazing job!!! YAY for sure!

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