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With winter coming, you need to properly winterize your outdoor kitchen. The proper selection, maintenance and protection of your outdoor kitchen and appliances will help make the most of your leisure time. It’s important to use weather-resistant materials that do well when exposed to the natural elements. When choosing your outdoor appliances and furnishings, there are several materials to choose from such as: teak is a good choice for cabinetry and seating or dining areas; stone or slate works well for countertops; stainless steel for appliances; and you can consider stone, copper or stainless steel for sinks.

A cold water supply line is all you will need to install, but, be sure to install a shutoff valve inside the home, so you can drain the line during the winter. Some outdoor kitchen designs call for partial overhead shelter or may even be housed in a gazebo. Trees, trellises or other landscaping elements add protective benefits as do bi-fold or sliding doors, screens or overhangs. Winterizing your outdoor kitchen includes insulating pipes and other lines and using frost-proof faucets. You can further extend the cooking season with a gas patio heater. The centerpiece of any outdoor kitchen is the barbeque or grill. The features, styles and reliability of grills have progressed, making them more than a place to cook hamburgers and hot dogs. Most manufacturer’s of BBQ grills have the proper winter covers available for your area.

Most of these well made appliances are portable which allows for moving them to the garage for continued use, when the outside entertaining season is at an end. The sophistication and versatility of today’s outdoor appliances and materials make the practical side of cooking and entertaining outdoors a snap. Outdoor kitchens serve as an aesthetic focal point as well as the functional. Good aromas and flavors combined with a relaxed and open dining style will draw family and friends to an outdoor kitchen. So no matter what style you choose stay true to your own personal style and needs. Although fast becoming a trend, an outdoor kitchen has every possibility of becoming creatively and uniquely yours when you have a good plan and when you maintain your outdoor kitchen properly.

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