Before and after: see how a couple created this stylish outdoor kitchen filled with clever features

Whether you live in sunny California or cloudy UK, outdoor kitchen ideas have spiked in popularity all over. This savvy couple has truly inspired us to get in on the trend with this fully kitted-out stylish blue DIY outdoor kitchen transformation.

Thanks to some breezeblocks, a little imagination, and a lot of hard work, Heather Rimmer and her partner turned their ordinary garden into an extraordinary space. The couple, who documented the project on Instagram @life.at.no.27 (opens in new tab), were inspired to take on the challenge after their old 15-year-old BBQ finally gave up. 

'We’ve always been huge BBQ fans. Come summer, we’d cook dinner out there most nights, even braving the wet British weather on occasions,' says Heather.

DIY outdoor kitchen 

Before

'An outdoor kitchen had been on our minds for a couple of years but it wasn’t until mid-way through the first lockdown when our 15-year-old BBQ finally gave up, that we decided to get planning.'

The couple pulled together a couple of designs they liked to create a unique outdoor kitchen that they built themselves from scratch. The final design included space for a BBQ, pizza oven, and a countertop with bar stools. If you're on the lookout for a new BBQ too take a look at our best BBQ.

'The BBQ structure was primarily built out of breeze blocks, rendered with cement and then painted,' says Heather. 'We had absolutely no experience with bricklaying or rendering, we just watched lots of tutorials online and gave it a go!'

After

'The worktop is made out of concrete, which we'd poured into a wooden frame made mostly out of furniture board. For the wooden screens around the back, we utilised cheap roofing battens by spacing them out on timber legs, and then attached them to our fence.'

Creating an outdoor kitchen is always going to be an expensive project, however, the couple kept costs down with a few clever tricks.

'We were quite resourceful with materials; using wood, sand and cement from previous projects,' says Heather. 'That said, we saved some money by ordering in bulk from as few suppliers as possible – heavy things cost a lot to deliver.'

'The BBQ and best pizza oven were the most expensive items, but we think they're worth it.'

Overall the project cost £1,300 to complete, which is a fraction of what many similar outdoor kitchens of this standard would usually cost.

If you are tempted to have a go at creating your own outdoor kitchen too, take a look at a guide for how to design an outdoor kitchen. 

It is the finishing touches that make this project something really special. In the center of the countertop is space to hold ice to keep drinks cold. Next to the BBQ, Heather and her partner built in a clever sliding storage solution to store cooking utensils.

One of our favorite touches has to be the herb planters. The planters full of rosemary and even chilies are ready and waiting to spice up the pairs next dinner.

Outdoor pizza ovens

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