Most people start planning an outdoor kitchen by picking the grill. That’s the fun part, but it’s not what decides whether the kitchen gets used every weekend or spends the summer under a cover. The layout does: where the grill sits, where the food gets prepped, where people stand and sit, and how gas and power get there. Get those right and almost any grill will do.
Start With How You Cook
Think about a normal Saturday. Food comes out of the house, gets prepped, goes on the grill, then gets served. A good outdoor kitchen follows that same order, left to right or around a corner:
- Landing space next to the grill for platters and tools. Aim for counter on both sides if you can.
- Prep space between the house and the grill, so raw food doesn’t cross the whole patio.
- Serving or bar counter facing where people sit, so whoever’s cooking isn’t talking to a wall.
- Storage for tools, propane or charcoal, and trash, so you’re not running inside for every little thing.
An L-shaped island handles all of that in a compact footprint, which is why we build so many of them. A straight grill island against a wall or fence works well for smaller patios.
Where the Grill Goes
Placement is about smoke, safety and traffic:
- Check which way the wind usually blows across your yard in summer. Put the grill where smoke drifts away from the house, doors and the seating.
- Keep the grill clear of siding, windows, overhangs and low branches. If it’s under a porch roof or pergola, the manufacturer’s clearance and ventilation rules apply.
- Keep the main walking path from the back door to the yard out of the cook’s space.
We lay the whole thing out on the patio with paint or stakes before anything gets built, so you can stand where you’ll be cooking and see how it feels.
Plan Gas and Power Before the Patio
This is the step that saves the most money and headaches. If the kitchen needs a natural gas line, outlets, lighting or a fridge, those lines should go in before the patio and island are built. Running them later means cutting pavers or opening up stonework.
Even if you’re only building a grill island now, it’s worth running conduit or a gas stub to where a bar or fireplace might go later. It’s cheap to do during construction and expensive afterwards. Gas and electrical hookups are done by licensed trades; we plan the layout around them and coordinate the work.
Stone, Tops and Appliances
The island itself should be built like a small wall: a solid block core on a proper base, then faced in stone. On the North Shore that’s usually one of two looks:
- Fieldstone, rounded New England stone, for a warm, old-house feel.
- Stacked stone veneer, for a cleaner, more linear, slightly more modern look.
Granite is the standard top here. It handles heat, spills and freeze-thaw far better than tile or concrete. For appliances, look for outdoor-rated stainless steel. Indoor fridges and drawers won’t last a New England winter outside. If you’ve already picked a grill, we size the island to it, so bring the model number to the site visit.
Build It in Phases If You Want
An outdoor kitchen doesn’t have to happen all at once. A common path:
- This year: the patio and a grill island, with gas and power roughed in for the rest.
- Next year: a bar counter with stools, or a fieldstone fireplace.
- Later: lighting, a TV wall, a covered area.
If it’s designed as one plan up front, each phase fits the last one instead of looking tacked on.
Before You Call
A few things that help us give you a useful estimate on the first visit:
- Roughly how many people you usually cook for.
- Gas grill, charcoal, kamado, pizza oven, or a mix.
- Whether you have natural gas at the house.
- Photos of kitchens you like. Pictures from anywhere help.
See the outdoor kitchens we’ve built, or call and we’ll come walk the patio with you. Estimates are free.
