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Farm Kitchen:  Affordable outdoor kitchen idea  |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
 Posted - May 02 2008 : 06:47:24 AM
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I just had this great idea for my own outdoor kitchen. No, I don't want super fancy and expensive like you see in the magazines. I simply want a nice practical, work space outside so I don't heat up the kitchen during the canning season and to be able to cook outside on all those wonderful evenings that I hate to go indoors.
One, I want to build an adobe oven. I've been thinking about that for a while now. I'll include the bbq grill in the picture, too. DH brought a porcelain clad metal sink home last year that he can hook up to the outdoor faucet. But I also want large gas burners for the canning pots. I just figured out how to do it:
You know those big gas burners you buy for turkey fryers? I have one already, but I'd like 2 more. I want to build a counter with open shelves underneath. The upper shelf will be just the right height to hold the burner up to the counter top where I will have cut a hole just big enough for the burner to fit into. I'd like 3 burners set into it and the gas tanks can sit on the next shelf below the burners. I plan to leave enough counter space to have a nice working area where I can fill jars and stuff. I could hang a pretty curtain to hide the shelves underneath.
See, this way, I have all I need to stay outside all summer long! Well, except to fetch the stuff I need from the pantry and fridge. But that's no biggie. The worst part for me is to have to stay inside while I'm making dinner. I tend to burn a lot of stuff in the summer
So, what do you gals think? Any ideas? I was thinking about mortaring in flat rocks for the counter top as rock is as durable as you can get and I have plenty of them here, but if you gals have other ideas, I'd love to hear them.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 06:52:44 AM
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What about slate tiles for countertops? All my outdoor tables are fitted with slate that I buy at home improvement stores and they just last and last. Very durable
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 07:51:41 AM
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For my large outdoor dining table, I bought 12 slate tiles and I think they were $2.99 a piece. That wasn't a big deal to me, and they're flat and square, so any grout work would be minimal and the surface nice.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2900 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 08:10:35 AM
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| What kind of a base did you use for your table Jonni?? SOunds neat |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 08:38:47 AM
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Lisa...it was a metal table with "slots" built in, about 12 x 12, and you just drop your choice of tile in. Since we would be using it outside, under the open sky, I didn't want anything unnatural, so I chose slate. What's very cool is that as it ages, it changes colors and has some iridescense.
You could easily create a counter surface by using the new composite materials instead of wood and then grout them in like you would any other tiled countertop.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 09:04:13 AM
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Oh, composite material. I didn't even think of that. I was planning regular 2X4's and plywood and just painting it to protect it from the weather. Composite would be great stuff to use. It would last forever!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 09:50:04 AM
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| I think the whole idea is really cool. I'm getting the impression (from Mary Janes book as well) that Idaho doesn't get a lot of rain in the summer. Or are you building the outdoor kitchen on a covered porch? |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 10:20:22 AM
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We seldom get rain here in the summer, Amie. We can safely plan any event without planning alternate "rain dates". It can be worrisome during fire season. But we worry more about things holding up under 5 feet or more of snow and build everything with snow in mind!
I want to build this on the back patio off the kitchen. It's already level and paved with 1' square patio blocks. It's on the East side of the house, so it's shaded in the late afternoon. It's the perfect spot!
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 02 2008 : 10:24:39 AM
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In fact, Lisa...I just read an article in one of our local city weekly papers about how the outdoor kitchen/dining rooms are becoming increasingly popular due to people not eating out at restaurants as much because of high gas prices and the economy, but still want to be entertained or experience the novelty of eating out.
Sounds like a great idea, and if you could utilize the composite material, I think you'd be in business!!!
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
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Farm Kitchen: Affordable outdoor kitchen idea |
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Affordable outdoor kitchen idea
