How We Designed Our Outdoor Kitchen for California Living

As I write this, my “Beach House” Pinterest board has exactly 1,323 images in 44 different sections. There is one folder just for “Kitchen Hardware”. The other thing is “Vibes??” That’s exactly right. We spent six years planning and permitting the beach house renovation, which gives us plenty of time to make decisions. You can then make those decisions again as you discover new ideas and your tastes inevitably evolve.

But even with all this relentless research, there was one area on my board that was pretty empty. It’s an outdoor kitchen.

I knew what I saw when I imagined it. It’s an organic, rustic space that moves between a prep area, grill, and pizza oven. A place where materials tell a story: teak wood weathered by the sea breeze, terracotta tiles that look like they’ve been there for decades, and plaster walls that connect the whole thing to the landscape. Inspired by Mallorcan kitchens Oaxaca long weekend.

What did my research keep finding? Quite the opposite. There were a lot of outdoor kitchens that looked like carbon copies of the last one, with stainless steel appliances, polished concrete, and a little too perfect brick. Many of them are clean, but the style was close to their lives (in a way that makes you feel like you’ve never turned on the grill).

So…Adam and I did what we always do when designing a space: We turned to our camera rolls and started drawing from inspirational photos we took during our travels.

visual reference

We scrolled through iPhone photos taken during our travels over the years. Meals are eaten at long wooden tables in a dusty courtyard, the patterned tiled kitchen photographed from the restaurant window, and the pizza oven glows orange at sunset. I sketched out the layout on a napkin. We put together a reference folder, half travel diary, half mood board, and gave it to the landscape architect. michael fioreI got it right away.

What’s taking shape is a space unlike anything you’ve seen before (that’s always the goal).

So what are we actually building?

The outdoor kitchen has three main structures that work together: a full countertop workspace that accommodates the grill, a separate station for the pizza oven, and a center bar-height teak table that ties the entire space together. This table does a lot of work with this design. It’s a gathering place, a special place for prep, a make-your-own-pizza station during the party, and, let’s be honest, a place where everyone will probably sit with a glass of wine while Adam grills.

One of my favorite details you can see in the rendering is clay imported terracotta bricks A herringbone pattern is laid underfoot, giving the entire space a warm atmosphere as if sunlight is pouring down on it. Nothing gives a space a lived-in feel like terracotta, which is loved from day one.

The kitchen is also directly connected to the internal kitchen via a large window with sliding glass windows, and there is an outdoor countertop that acts as a pass-through. I always imagine passing a platter through the window or sitting on a bar stool with a drink and eating while the pizza comes out of the oven. The line between inside and outside is beautifully and intentionally blurred.

Our grill of choice (and why)

is installing Zwilling Framcraft Grilland I’ll just come out and say this is without a doubt the most beautiful grill I’ve ever seen. Infrared technology designed in Germany, separate cooking and heating zones. This is very important if you are grilling meals all at once. (This is basically what we do every weekend.) built-in gas grill It integrates perfectly into your countertop design for a truly custom look. This is exactly the atmosphere we are aiming for.

The tile that started it all

When I went to Mexico a few years ago, I took a photo of a small restaurant kitchen that had terracotta tiles from the countertops to the backsplash. It was one of those moments where you just stood there and absorbed every detail so you wouldn’t forget. I referenced that photo countless times when planning this space.

So for the backsplash behind the grill, we worked with our friends at Clay Imports and used their products. Antique terracotta matte 2.5 x 8 tiles. As you can see in the renderings, there’s a gorgeous warmth and slight texture, the light hits it differently throughout the day, and the entire wall feels handcrafted in the best possible way. It’s an element that I think gives a truly distinctive look to a kitchen.

pizza oven situation

Okay, this is the part I’ve been dreaming about since we first started talking about this house. I ordered Forno Piombo’s DIY kit Build a large custom wood-fired pizza oven that can cook three or four pizzas at the same time. (Read: There’s actually a pizza party going on.) Set it up on your countertop and build a dome with a smooth stucco covering for a rustic Italian farmhouse look. You can already see it in the rendering. Its glowing arches just sit there like they would in the Italian countryside.

The details that make it all happen

A large ornamental olive tree is planted in the center of the space. I look at this from my kitchen window every morning. A gnarled, perfect old olive tree in the middle of a Mediterranean garden. Lavender wafts around the edges, and terracotta pots with herbs and small citrus trees are dotted throughout, so you can literally pick up a handful of rosemary or squeeze a lemon straight from the tree while you cook.

These renderings show a table under a canopy of branches, a bowl of lemons, and a blooming lavender in the foreground. It already feels like the space I’ve been trying to find on Pinterest for six years. It turns out it doesn’t exist yet, so I’m creating it.

Construction is progressing smoothly and is scheduled for completion in June. That means a big outdoor cookout is coming up this summer. See you soon.