Just a couple of years ago an outdoor area was called a “grilling station”. Then the term was quickly updated to “outdoor kitchen” …and now the emerging phrase is “outdoor living and entertainment centers”. While the kitchen is still a focal point, there are many facets to the new living and entertainment center.
As the “Leisure Industry” is growing rapidly at a 15% to 17%clip annually, patterns or trends are starting to evolve. During the first half of 2010, we have noticed a shift in the design of outdoor kitchens. The transition is a move from the traditional BBQ Island or Masonry Kitchen Island towards modular cabinets inside a stone surround. Moreover, an intermediate or hybrid kitchen is surfacing. It is a combination of some stone work and modular cabinetry.
The guiding force behind this transition is twofold:
As outdoor kitchens, living and entertainment centers continue to grow in popularity, homeowners are seeking to maximize the enjoyment potential of their outdoor living space. They want to duplicate or transfer the storage and organization they have indoors to their outdoor kitchen. They want a fully functional kitchen which is not possible with masonry islands. When the homeowner is spending the day outdoors, they want to make one trip and enjoy the day rather than run back-and-forth to the interior kitchen for ingredients and cooking utensils.
The homeowner also requires additional cabinetry to house more appliances. The grill is no longer the focal point. They want power burners, refrigerators, sinks, pizza ovens, smokers, etc. Simply stated, the homeowner wants more “goodies” for their living and entertainment center. For example, we surveyed four months of quotes and orders and found 70% called for a refrigerator, sinks were quoted 60% of the time and ice makers & power burners were requested 30% of the time.
The home remodel is the other force. We are putting “pencil to paper”. The result is the cost of modular cabinetry is approaching that of the labor and materials required to build a BBQ or masonry kitchen island. We also realize the more stone work involved the longer it takes to complete the project. With modular cabinetry and stone surround, our installers can quickly move onto the next project. The more timely we finish the project, the sooner the homeowner can enjoy their new entertainment space and the rest of the season.
Convinced you need to progress into the outdoor living space of your home? Let Schrapper’s size and design your outdoor entertainment space by clicking on https://schrappers.com/ to request a free consultation.