How Big Should An Outdoor Kitchen Be?

If you are planning to build your own outdoor kitchen, one of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is: how big should it be?

Well, so many factors determine this that it might be worth considering them before you draw up your plans.

You’ll have to match up how much space you’ve got with precisely what you want from your kitchen. You might have room for a grill and a refrigerator, but will you have enough room to prepare your food on your countertops?

So what should you be looking for in terms of space when it comes to an outdoor kitchen? How much space should you factor in? How do utensils and other things determine the size of your kitchen?

Well, if you want the answer to these questions and more, make sure you read our quick guide.

How Much Space Do You Have For An Outdoor Kitchen?

The average space that a lot of experts recommend that you should have for an outdoor kitchen is anywhere between 100 and 400 square feet, although this will depend on how large your patio is.

You won’t want your kitchen to be too large or spaced out, as this will make it irritating to move from one countertop to the other. You’ll need everything to be within reach whilst also having enough room for yourself and someone else to move around.

However, you also wouldn’t want your kitchen to be too small, otherwise, you’ll be pushing past people. You’ll have to be aware that your kitchen space might also be used as a thoroughfare as well as a cooking space.

It's also worth mentioning that your outdoor kitchen should match the general aesthetic and flow to the rest of your property, so you can maximize the chances of your outdoor kitchen adding value to your home.

Is Your Kitchen For Cooking Or Socializing Or Both?

This is an important question that you should ask yourself, as often an outdoor kitchen can serve as both.

You could have tables and chairs integrated into your cooking space, so you’ll need to make sure that you have plenty of space between them and the other cooking devices such as the grill. This will reduce the risk of a fire hazard.

If you are using your outdoor kitchen purely for cooking, then you’ll be able to have a much more condensed kitchen area that will be away from the main seating area.

Save Room For Utensils And Quality Of Life Improvements

If you want all the bells and whistles then you’ll need to make sure you plan space accordingly.

If you are designing a smaller outdoor kitchen, then you probably won’t really need to worry about accessories. At the end of the day, you can easily get away with just a grill and some access doors or maybe an outdoor refrigerator.

How Many Guests Will You Be Entertaining In Your Backyard?

If your outdoor kitchen is going to be doubling up as an entertainment space, then you’ll want to think about the number of guests that you’ll be inviting over.

There is a huge difference between 5 and 10 guests, so you’ll need to plan accordingly. Not only will you need enough space to house all of your guests, but you’ll need to create enough space in between those guests so they can move around.

You’ll also need to make sure that you have plenty of clearance between your guests and the cooking area. If you have people that are pressed up against a heat source, then you run the risk of them burning and really hurting themselves.

How Many Appliances Will You Need?

This is one of the big determiners of your outdoor kitchen. This is because you will not only need space in which to put your appliances, but you’ll also need space between them.

You’ll want to get the balance right between these elements. Having enough space to work while making sure things aren’t too far apart. You’ll also want to keep functionality to a maximum.

Check out our article on our favorite outdoor kitchen ideas for inspiration.

How Can You Work With Your Existing Space?

If you already have decking or stonework, then you might want to figure out how you can integrate your kitchen appliances with the original floor space.

You could also extend existing structures to protect parts of your outdoor kitchen. If you have a roof, then you can widen this so that it covers your cooking area.

If you update existing structures, then you can be sure that you will save yourself considerable time and money. This is great if you are already spending a lot of money on kitchen basics.

Will You Be Using Your Outdoor Kitchen Frequently?

How frequently you use your outdoor kitchen will be a huge factor in how much space you want it to take up.

If you are having frequent parties in your house during the summer or even all year-round if you live in certain climates, then you might want a very large and very lavish barbeque area.

However, if you are only into the occasional barbeque, then you might want something in the corner that will not take up too much room.

Final Thoughts

We hope that our guide to outdoor kitchen sizing has helped you to decide exactly how big your outside kitchen will be.