When Mother Nature is the guest of honor in your home’s hardest-working spaces, boundaries between indoors and out melt away. Take a look at these four alfresco kitchen ideas for inspiration on how to craft a space that suits your needs.
CALIFORNIA DREAMY
PHOTO: MATTHEW MILLMAN
To transform a Tuscan-style villa into a modern country home, architect Ken Linsteadt relied on an earthy, natural palette and opened up every room to the surrounding Sonoma, California, landscape. Moving the kitchen to the opposite end of the house so it could face the pool terrace created more of a connection to the outside. “The oversize steel-and-glass windows tilt up, providing an expansive view and easy access to the pool, as well as shade over the bar on a sunny day,” he says.
MAT FINISH
PHOTO: COURTESY LA GALLINA MATTA
Elegant fine linens and casual alfresco dining generally don’t mix. Enter oilcloth linen: The durable, waterproof material stands up to spills and splashes and makes a pretty placemat to boot, as in the Parentesi (shown here in Sage) from La Gallina Matta. Its unique shape and delicate embroidery prove that practicality and style can go hand in hand.
COOL AND COLLECTED
PHOTO: COURTESY BROWN JORDAN OUTDOOR KITCHENS
For this modern kitchen, designer Julia Treuel opted for a crisp, monochromatic look that wouldn’t compete with the lush greenery in the backyard. She then installed bifold windows and a servery for a seamless connection to the garden. “Not only is it lovely to have fresh air flowing through this zone, but the house feels larger for it,” says Treuel.
FULL SERVICE
PHOTO: MARTINA GEMMOLA
Sculptural and statement-making, the ASA-D2 Outdoor Kitchen (shown right in the Trillium finish) is a collaboration between Phoenix-based designer Daniel Germani, Dekton by Cosentino and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens. “I wanted to introduce a functional, modular piece created to withstand the elements without forgetting the design aspect of it,” says Germani.
