16 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas to Create an Alfresco Cooking Oasis

First things first: Think about convenience before you fall in love with any outdoor kitchen ideas or layouts. Scout your space for spots to put plumbing, electricity, and, if necessary, new access points from your home. The perfect spot may be in the far corner of your yard—or it may be right up against the house, as is the case with this outdoor kitchen designed by Jenn Feldman.

You don't need multiple acres to make an outdoor kitchen work. With just a few small-space tricks, even a rooftop or small patio can double as an outdoor kitchen. In this NYC space designed by Mick De Giulio, a wood-fired pizza oven replaces a traditional range; it's a unique cooking method with a mini footprint.

To create an outdoor kitchen that will stand the test of time, choose materials that can hold their own against the elements. Natural stones like marble, limestone, travertine, and soapstone withstand weather well, while woods like teak—as seen in this outdoor kitchen by Jen Samson—age with grace and style.

Instead of viewing an outdoor kitchen as a complement to your indoor space, allow it to function entirely on its own by outfitting it with all the essentials, like a grill, fridge, sink, and pizza oven. Here, designer Nathan Turner took aesthetic influence from the Italian countryside—and put a classic U-shaped layout to work—to create an outdoor kitchen that is as functional as it is beautiful.

An outdoor kitchen should always put function first—but that doesn't mean design has to fall by the wayside. Take a lead from this kitchen by designer Marie Flanigan, which combines utilitarian details, like a built-in grill and several refrigerators, with design-forward accents like a bespoke tile backsplash and plaster hood.

A covered grill and wet bar enable alfresco dining without the fuss of all the plumbing upgrades required for a full kitchen. Here, designer Maria Augusta Luoro of Guta Louro Designs used locally sourced materials to unite this outdoor kitchen with the surrounding lush São Paolo countryside.

Designed by Nicole Hollis Studio, this space hits the outdoor kitchen trifecta: stylish, practical, and timeless. With neutral colors, nature-inspired materials, and sleek bones, it's a lesson in prioritizing synergy and cohesion between the existing architecture and design of your home and your new outdoor kitchen.

As with any room in your home, it's important to consider your lifestyle when planning an outdoor kitchen. If you love to entertain or consider yourself an oenophile, add thoughtful touches like a wine fridge to the space. In this patio area designed by Heather Hilliard, a built-in grill, wine fridge, and extra storage make for easy hosting, while the living wall sets the outdoor scene and takes advantage of the vertical space.

Just like indoor kitchens, outdoor cook spaces come in all different shapes and sizes. If all you have to work with is a small alleyway between your house and garage or a few square feet on your patio, you can still design a functional (and fabulous!) outdoor kitchen. Focus on essential additions and small-scale appliances, then team them with bold design choices, like this saturated teal cabinetry, to make magic.

Whether you're flipping burgers at dusk or partying into the night with friends, chances are good that you'll want to use your outdoor kitchen long after the sun sets. Instead of resigning to garish (and honestly, blinding) floodlights to illuminate your grill, plan ahead so your space can be hardwired to include task lighting, pendants, or sconces (the latter of which is realized beautifully in this kitchen by designer Laurie Blumenfeld Russo). Not only will it ensure your outdoor kitchen functions at all hours of the day, but it will grant you yet another opportunity for style and personalization.

Optimize your outdoor kitchen for fun with a counter or island that feels like a real resort-style bar, like the made-for-margs space by Studio Lifestyle seen here. Modern barstools, an eye-catching tile design, and a hidden prep counter beyond the island will go a long way in making the design addition both stylish and useful.

If you can't swing a full outdoor kitchen, you might be able to make your indoor cook space flow into an outdoor dining area. Here, a sliding window opens to create a seamless pass-through between the kitchen and patio, lending the feel of an outdoor kitchen without all of the construction (or the double appliances).

Not everyone wants to look out onto their green lawn and see a sleek metal or marble kitchen—and that's okay! To craft an outdoor cooking space that blends into your backyard, use rustic finishes like reclaimed wood. You can even take it a step further and go for an equally outdoorsy cooking method like the impressive wood-and-iron smoking pit seen in this Nathan Turner-designed space.

We can't all live in places that get 360 days of sunshine a year. (Ahem, we're jealous of you, Californians.) But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy an outdoor kitchen when it's cloudy or cold. For year-round use, consider a fully covered space. You'll get the best of both worlds: a spot to chef out that's protected from the elements but still open to warm breezes when they're in season.