As the weather warms up, we're all raring to get out in the garden for barbecues with friends and family. DIY enthusiasts Robyn and Jake have gone one step further, however, and designed their own outdoor kitchen in their back garden so they're ready for spring and summer get togethers.
Complete with a sink, barbecue and pizza oven, there's no dashing in and out of the house for cooking supplies here thanks to their budget-friendly outdoor kitchen ideas.
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The pair, who share their home updates on joint Instagram account @the_house_acc, transformed their back garden into a stylish and sociable space. Before the makeover, it was an overgrown patch of lawn where the washing line was kept. Today, one extension and a lot of hard graft later, it's a functional outdoor kitchen for their family.
Robyn and Jake shared the process of making their impressive outdoor kitchen on Instagram. The first thing they did was to take the top and sides off a barbecue they already owned.
- Take a look at the best BBQs in 2021
They then attached wood pillar frames to some deck boards on the back of their house. After building the structure, Robyn painted the decking in slate grey decking paint. Then she stained the worktops with oil to leave them in a natural wooden shade, contrasting against the grey of the rest of the decking.
Using black shelf brackets from The Hairpin Leg Company they put up a shelf to hold salt and pepper grinders, a plant and a little watering can. Robyn and Jake have also used the shelving for some handy potted herbs to add flavor to their alfresco dinners.
The patio area around the kitchen is kitted out with their pick of the best garden furniture, including an outdoor sofa, rug, coffee table and light. These softer elements blend the inside and outside of the home, showing how our gardens can be a real extension of our home.
Having an outdoor kitchen is a huge bonus come summer, as the (hopefully) sunny weather can be enjoyed while preparing and cooking food. It also means no one's left slaving away inside while others hang out in the garden. The countertop pizza oven is a definite crowd-pleaser – you can find the best pizza oven for your space in our guide.
An outdoor kitchen is an incredibly desirable garden feature, but Robyn and Jake have shown that it doesn't have to cost the earth. It will have taken a lot of labor, but some of the key elements were eBay bargains.
'The decking fixtures and fittings cost around £70,' Robyn tells Gardeningetc. 'I bought the Butler sink for £15 and the tap for £10 both on eBay.' The outdoor clock was picked up from Wayfair.
Are you tempted to try your hand at creating your own? Head over to our guide on how to design an outdoor kitchen to get started, or check out our pallet furniture ideas for more budget-friendly garden projects.
