Barbecue Design in the Landscape

Published May 1, 2012 | By Jane

Shop for the barbcue that will fit your needs and budget.

Extend the living space of your home by designing a barbecue area into your yard, landscape or patio. Barbecues are fun for entertainment or cooking with that special flavor you can’t achieve any other way. But keep a few things in mind if you want to design a barbecue into your landscape.

Take a little time to consider the best location for your barbecue. You will want to locate it with easy access to the kitchen, food and cooking supplies. If it is any distance away, you may want to design storage areas near or into your barbecue location where you can keep tools, dishes, cleaning supplies and an access to water.

Design your barbecue in an area with easy, flat materials on the ground for flooring. Chances are that if you are going to be barbecuing, grease and other materials are likely to fall and stain the area around the grill. Use a flooring material that you can clean or that will easily absorb any oils or greases. It should be textured to reduce any chance of slipping on spills.

Look at the various barbecue designs before designing your area in the landscape. If you plan on using a simple portable barbecue you can change locations and just shop for a barbecue that offers the features you’d like at the price that fits your budget. But if you want a more permanent placement for your barbecue you will want to make sure you design a space that will be both practical and attractive laid out specifically for cooking. If you select a build-in barbecue then carefully design design your area to fit into the overall landscape picture.

Sometimes, when designing a new landscape area, the budget may not be able to encompass the construction of a built-in barbecue area. In that case, spend a little extra to stub in a gas line and have it capped. Then you can build a permanent barbecue any time in the future without having to rip up your patio or landscape to install utilities.

Some design concepts you may want to consider when putting together your barbecue area are textures, colors, access and views. Use colors that are already a theme in your landscape or house. Barbecues can be decorated or textured. You can use stucco, wood. brick, tiles, stone or other decorative materials. Make sure flat surfaces are easy to clean and practical for food and dishes. Work into your barbecue design any special features like a sink, oven, roof, vents, a refrigerator or special work surfaces. Also factor in where people will be served, cooks can lay out food and whether or not you want to incorporate a bar area into your barbecue design.

Always remember to design safety when designing a barbecue area into a landscape. Any cooking should be located where fire or smoke will not be a danger to your home, family or guests. Never build a barbecue or fire pit under a tree where sparks could ignite branches. And make sure your home and any other potentially flammable structures are not located too near to open flames or possible cinders.

A good barbecue design will be surrounded by an attractive landscape that allows for a comfortable and decorative area to sit and consume the delicacies from the grill. Plan out your barbecue area with the overall landscape design in mind make provisions for safety and practicality and you will be able to enjoy your barbecue for years to come.

Originally posted 2010-04-29 06:05:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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