The Complete Outdoor Kitchen with Fireplace and How to Enjoy It Year Round

When it comes to an outdoor kitchen with a fireplace, the list of benefits is long. From the expansion of your living space, the ability to enjoy the outdoors year-round, or the myriad of cooking options, outdoor kitchens are where functionality meets style.

Whether you’re just getting started in dreaming about your outdoor living area or want to refresh and upgrade your existing one, it can be overwhelming to think about what you need (and, well, what you want.)

Here are some considerations that will help you get the most out of your home’s space.

Key Components of Outdoor Kitchen Designs

When designing an outdoor kitchen with a fireplace, think about how you plan to entertain. Who are the guests? What kinds of meals do you plan to cook? Do you hope to use it throughout the year? (We hope so!)

Now, let’s consider the components:

1. Gas Grill:

Your built-in grill is the workhorse of your outside cooking area. There are many considerations that will determine the size and features you’ll want. (For specifics about the built-in grills we carry at AES Hearth & Patio, check out this post: Built-In Grills: The Heart of Your Outdoor Kitchen.) Also, if you’re a Big Green Egg fan, we can build that into your outdoor kitchen design.

2. Kitchen essentials:

If your goal is to prepare, cook and serve an entire meal in one spot, you’ll want to add the following items into your outdoor kitchen with fireplace plans:

• Cooktop with burners
• Small refrigerator
• Countertop or food prep area
• Sink
• Storage pantries and bins

3. Fireplace:

The change of seasons should not mean you’re stuck inside until spring. Grilling is not just for summer anymore. A fireplace anchors your outdoor kitchen whether you’re watching football with friends or snuggled up on a date night making s’mores. Our Heat & Glo outdoor fireplaces come in various sizes and styles. Here’s a blog post that covers everything you need to know about building and maintaining yours.

The Details: Style, Shade, and Seating Areas

Once you’ve selected the foundational pieces of your outdoor kitchen, it’s time to build around the customizations that bring both style and comfort to enhance your year-round experience. Or maybe you have an outdoor space that is dated and needs a glow-up. Here are some ideas for you:

Shade: Just like a fireplace enables you to enjoy your outdoor living area into the fall and early winter, shade options will allow you to stay cool on the hottest summer days. Wood pergolas can be built to offset a seating area and provide shade. For the harshest days, solar screens provide coverage for the sides of your porch, patio, or pergola, enhancing privacy and reducing glare.  (For attractive ways to add shade to your patio, check out this post.)

Seating and Serving: To encourage your guests to “stay a while,” make sure you have comfortable and ample seating. Any outdoor kitchen demands a worthy dining space to serve and share your meals. At AES Hearth & Patio, we sell CABANACOASTⓇ  premium furniture, including dining sets, in a variety of fabrics and finishes.

Depending on the size of your fireplace and your local climate, you may want to create a conversation space around the fireplace with end tables and a sectional, especially if you have mounted an outdoor television over it. For more versatile, mobile seating, ottomans offer a fun alternative.

Rugs, pillows, and cantilever umbrellas in coordinating colors and prints are a budget-friendly way to score style points and work with what you have.

AES Hearth & Patio: Everything You Need for Your Outdoor Kitchen

An outdoor kitchen and fireplace is an awesome upgrade for your home, but the scope of the project can be overwhelming. Our design team would love to help you create the space of your dreams. We’ll walk you through the process from start to finish and help you maintain it for years to come. Stop by our showrooms to get ideas or view products, or make an appointment online to schedule your free consultation.