How To Design an Outdoor Kitchen

April 11, 2025

For entertaining or luxury outdoor living, outdoor kitchens are a spectacular addition to any home. From flipping burgers for the family to hosting a full-on dinner party, a well-designed setup makes your outdoor kitchen dynamic and ready for anything you might have planned. At Lindgren Landscape, we’ve been designing and building gorgeous outdoor kitchens for decades, and we know that in order to get the look and functionality you want, planning and careful design are everything. Here’s what to know. 

1. Why Are You Building an Outdoor Kitchen?

Before you start picking out fancy appliances or choosing stone and brick patterns, you need to determine the scope of its functionality. Do you just need a solid grill station for family dinners, or are you dreaming of a full-blown chef’s paradise with a pizza oven, meat smoker, and built-in bar? If you love hosting, plan for plenty of counter space and dedicated seating areas so guests can hang out, eat, and drink without crowding your cooking zone. If, on the other hand, you plan to just cook outside but do the majority of hosting indoors, you might be able to get away with a more simplistic outdoor kitchen design. Either way, a little forethought saves you from wishing you had added that extra fridge, counter, or a bigger dining area down the road.

 2. Choose the Right Layout and Location 

Location matters more than you think. You don’t want to hike across the yard every time you need a condiment, so keep your outdoor kitchen close enough to the house for convenience but far enough to avoid smoke drifting inside. 

Shade is another big one—cooking under the blazing sun gets old fast. So depending on the view from your backyard, you’ll need to find the perfect balance between your kitchen alignment and the sun’s patterns. You can expect consistent all-day sunlight if you’re southfacing, afternoon sunsets if you’re westfacing, and strong morning sunrises in the east. 

As for layout, think about flow. A straight-line setup works for smaller spaces, while L- or U-shaped designs offer more prep room. Island kitchens are great for socializing since they let you face guests while you cook. A well-organized outdoor kitchen makes cooking easier and keeps guests from getting in your way. Set up distinct zones—prep area, cooking station, serving space, and storage—so everything flows smoothly. 

Keep the grill and appliances close to prep surfaces, but leave enough room for movement. No one wants a traffic jam around the food. And don’t skimp on ventilation—especially if you have a covered setup. Proper airflow keeps smoke and heat from turning your cooking zone into an unbearable hotspot.

3. Select Durable and Weather-Resistant Materials

Colorado’s weather doesn’t mess around, so your outdoor kitchen materials need to hold up against blazing sun, sudden hail, and rapid freeze-thaw cycles. Skip anything that warps, fades, or rusts, and go for heavy-duty options like stainless steel, natural stone, and concrete. For countertops, granite and quartzite can take the heat—literally—without cracking. Choose weatherproof cabinetry to avoid swollen, rotting wood after a couple years. 

4. Add Comfort and Ambiance

An outdoor kitchen should be just as comfortable as your indoor one—maybe even more. A solid combination of shade features, including umbrellas and pergolas or other shade structures, ensures that all parts of the space are comfortable throughout the day . Once the sun sets, warm lighting keeps the party going. Task lighting over the grill means you’ll always be able to see what you’re cooking, while ambient string lights and path lighting can add warmth and style.

Colorado nights can get chilly, but that doesn’t mean you have to call it quits. Fire pits and outdoor heaters keep things cozy well into the cooler months. 

Want to take the vibe up a notch? A sound system sets the mood, and a water feature drowns out neighborhood noise, making your space feel calm and private.

5. Think About Storage and Utilities

An outdoor kitchen needs integrated storage solutions. Cabinets keep cookware, utensils, and spices protected so you’re not running inside every five minutes. If you entertain often, a mini fridge or built-in cooler cubby is clutch. 

And don’t forget the behind-the-scenes essentials: Proper drainage prevents standing water from turning your space into a mosquito breeding ground, and gas, water, and electricity need to be planned for and hooked up correctly so your outdoor kitchen can be safely operated when you need it. 

Lindgren Landscape: Colorado’s Outdoor Living Experts

Colorado’s beautiful four seasons are best enjoyed in a well-designed outdoor kitchen. Lindgren Landscape has spent decades converting Northern Colorado backyards into slices of paradise,  and we can help bring your vision to life—reach out and let’s get started!