8 Amazing Outdoor Kitchens & Tips on Using Granite Outdoors

I don't know about you, but we probably spend more time in our backyard enjoying this beautiful fall weather than we do in the summer.
Now is a great time to finish up that outdoor kitchen that you've been meaning to build for years.  :)
Enjoy it for another month and then it'll be all ready for a full season next year.
Here are eight really beautiful outdoor kitchens to get you motivated & inspired...

Traditional Patio by Sacramento Architects & Designers Debbie R. Gualco

Eclectic Patio by Houston Interior Designers & Decorators Dena Brody, ASID, RID

Traditional Patio by Charlotte Kitchen & Bath Designers Fireplace & Granite Distributors

Patio by Jacksonville Landscape Architects & Designers Cascade Outdoor Design

Here are my tips for using granite outdoors... 

• Go with a light color of granite if possible.  The darker colors get HOT, especially if they have the sun hitting them directly.
• Darker colors are better for areas that have a lot of freeze/thaw though.  This is because the darker colors of granite are more dense. 
• If possible, have the countertops under a cover of some sort.  Whether it's an awning or canopy or whatever.  The less rain, snow and dirt on the countertops the better.
• Use 3 cm (or thicker) granite if possible and don't laminate the edge.  The countertops will just hold up better/ longer.  If you want a laminated edge though just be sure that your fabricator uses a glue for the laminations that's specifically made for outdoor applications.  
• Cover your countertops during the winter months.   
• Use a reputable fabricator.  You don't want to waste your money paying for sub-par fabrication and/or installation.

Mediterranean Patio by Carrollton Landscape Architects & Designers Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

Eclectic Patio by Shallotte Home Builders Blue Sky Building Company

Tropical Patio by Los Angeles Interior Designers & Decorators d | studio\

Traditional Patio by Wichita Interior Designers & Decorators Tiffany Farha Design

5 Beautiful Stone Fountains

Goodbye summer.  :(
I know it's technically still summer (for a few more days anyway), but it's definitely cooling down here in Utah and it's feeling more & more like fall every day.  Autumn is my favorite season, but I'm really having a hard time saying goodbye to summer this year!
So, maybe this post is more wishful thinking... but I thought I'd show some pictures of stone fountains today in beautiful, green, summery yards. 

This first one is probably my favorite. I love the simplicity of it. I also think the beautiful setting makes me love it even more.

Photo: Sunset Magazine

Contemporary Landscape by Issaquah Landscape Architects & Designers Darwin Webb Landscape Architects, P.S.

The fountain below is handcrafted from pebbles. Pretty cool right?

Photo: Land Art

I love, love, love Stone Forest.  They make ridiculously beautiful sinks & bathtubs.  They also make beautiful fountains, like the one below!

Photo: Stone Forest

Traditional Landscape by Boise Interior Designers & Decorators Judith Balis

FAQ Friday: Is Granite a Cost Effective Choice for Outdoor Applications?

Absolutely!
Of course you will pay a bit more for granite than you will for other stone options, or man-made materials.  However, when you think about granite's incredible ability to last forever even if you live in an area with freeze-thaw cycles, it becomes a smart, sensible choice.
Other materials will crumble in high-traffic areas, or deteriorate due to pollution, salt and other urban factors. Granite does not. It combines incredible resistance to wear and tear as well as a natural beauty and charm that other materials simply do no offer.

Mediterranean Patio by Shreveport General Contractors Terry M. Elston, Builder

FAQ: Can I Use Granite Outdoors?

Mediterranean Landscape design by Dallas Landscape Architect Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

You think that stone comes from the outside, so you should always be able to use it outdoors right?
The answer?  It depends.
In California, yes.
In Utah, no.
Anywhere that has freeze/ thaw conditions you need to be careful about which stones you put outside.  There are certain stones that just don't hold up with all the freezing/ expanding/ thawing.  Ask you fabricator or supplier if that stone can go outside before you buy!  The same goes for all types of tile.
If you live in an area with freeze/thaw don't fret though.  There are plenty of options!

Photo: MGS by Design

The photo above is an outdoor bench that we did here in Utah a few years ago.  It's holding up great!

Traditional Patio design by Sacramento Architect Debbie R. Gualco

Here are a few more tips for exterior stone use in freeze/thaw areas of the world...

• Make sure your fabricator uses an exterior glue for all edges and during the installation.  This is so important!  I've seen many outdoor projects fall apart due to other fabricators lack of experience and/or forgetfulness.
• If you can cover the area in the winter it will hold up much better.
• The more coverage the granite gets year round the better.  Awnings, umbrellas, whatever...anything to limit exposure to the elements helps!
• When using black or dark granites outdoors keep in mind that if the sun is shining directly on it, the granite will get HOT!  People ask me how hot?  REALLY hot, like you can't touch it hot.  Trust me on this one.
• Avoid a laminated edge detail if possible.  Even using exterior glues, it is always better if there isn't a laminated edge.  We do laminated edges all the time outdoors (see kitchen below) but over time it seems like a laminated edge is the first thing that always needs to be repaired.

Photo: MGS by Design

Above is a beautiful outdoor kitchen that we installed here in Utah. 
The granite is Blue Pearl.  The edge detail is a 5" Miter.

Eclectic Patio design by Other Metros Design-build Blue Sky Building Company

If you have a design or stone related question you'd like to see answered here send me an email.

Saturday Link Up!

Just a couple of things I wanted to link to today.  Enjoy your weekend!

It's that time of year....everyone is thinking about their outdoor spaces.  We posted an article here on the blog about it a couple of weeks ago.  (Read it here).
This article from Houzz also has a lot of great outdoor kitchens.  10 Outdoor Kitchens to Flip Over.

contemporary landscape design by orange county landscape architect AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc.

This totally isn't stone or design related, but I loved this proposal video. So cute!

Outdoor Kitchens and Patio Bars for Summer

Spring is in the air, Summer will be close behind, and apparently our homes' outdoor spaces are on our minds.  Last week I got an extraordinary number of calls and emails regarding outdoor kitchens and patio bars, so I wanted to share some ideas and thoughts with you.

An outdoor kitchen can be as simple as a small dry bar area on the patio or as involved as an entire functioning room complete with all of the amenities of an indoor kitchen.  Installing a kitchen area outdoors, whether large or small, is a great way to add beauty and function to your patio area and can help make family time and entertaining easier and more memorable. Here are some photos that cover the whole spectrum of what an outdoor kitchen can be.

The simplest way to use stone to create your patio kitchen would be to use a table or bar topped with marble or granite.  We've shown you tables with stone tops before, and a great option would be to upcycle an old table with a little DIY ingenuity and have us fabricate a custom stone top for it.  We have several remnants available in various sizes, so you don't have to buy a full slab of granite in order to get an amazing custom look. Check out this adorable marble topped side table that started out as a rusty thrift store find and turned into a marble topped wonder for more inspiration on that. 

This is a premade kitchen island with a marble top that would look great as an  outdoor bar. Photo source

Mediterranean porch design by Blythe Interiors

                                  

From there, the options are limitless!

Eclectic patio design by Blue Sky Building Company

Mediterranean patio by B+G Design Inc.

Patio by Phil Kean Designs

The next patio kitchen caught my eye because of the beautiful stone coffee table.  The table is similar in style to one that we built for Adamas Stone's showroom in Salt Lake City.

Patio by San Francisco's SB Architects

You probably noticed that the designs have gotten progressively more elaborate, and this outdoor kitchen is about as elaborate as they come.  Complete with a smoker in addition to a grill, a dishwasher, and a flat screen television hidden behind a panel. My favorite part about this particular kitchen though, is that I can proudly say that it is from a company right here in Utah.  When I started thinking about doing a post on outdoor kitchens, my first thought was to turn to my go-to kitchen designer friend Nicole Zeigler at Enzy Design, and she told me about a company that she works closely with called Hallmark Cabinet and their line of outdoor cabinetry.

Photo: Hallmark Cabinets

Photo: Hallmark Cabinets

If you have questions about your own outdoor kitchen, Nicole would be happy to answer them for you, and thanks to Hallmark Cabinet for allowing me to use your photos!

(Please note that this post was not sponsored, I just get really excited when I get to talk about our local resources and companies.)

Slab Sunday: Indus Gold Limestone

Indus Gold is a limestone quarried from a bedrock quarry in the Indus Valley region of Pakistan.

It's a really pretty limestone that has some quartz veins and small shells in it.

These next two pictures are of the same kitchen.  I LOVE this kitchen!
The perimeter and island countertops are Indus Gold limestone.  The lower countertop on the island is wood.

contemporary kitchen design by new york interior designer valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc

The Waterfall edge detail looks great with this limestone.

contemporary kitchen design by new york interior designer valerie pasquiou interiors + design, inc

Indus Gold is also commonly called Inca Gold.  Other names for Indus Gold include: Ouro Real TP, Indus Golden, Indus Gold Dark and Indus Gold Light. 

Photo source.

Indus Gold is one of the harder limestones.  It has a really tight grain structure and holds a very high polish.
Being so hard makes it a great option for exterior use.  This is actually my favorite way to see this stone, I think it's beautiful as exterior cladding.

Photo: Arizona Tile

Indus Gold is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs as well as tile.

10 Kitchens with Exposed Brick Walls

I'm really loving kitchens with exposed brick walls & red brick backsplashes lately. 
The styles of kitchens range from Country to Contemporary, Rustic, Traditional, etc.  Maybe that's what I like about brick, it goes well with so many different styles.
What do you think?

Photo source.

Photo: Houzz

Photo: Modern Country Style

traditional kitchen design

modern kitchen design by photographer Elad Gonen & Zeev Beech

Photo: Atlanta Homes Magazine

Photo: House Beautiful

Photo: Herlong Architects

modern kitchen design by toronto interior designer Isabel Beattie @ K Cabinets Oakville

traditional kitchen design by other metros interior designer Natalie DiSalvo

Slab Sunday: Virginia Mist granite

Virginia Mist granite is quarried here in America.  The quarry is located near Culpeper, Virgina.

Virginia Mist looks a lot like Soapstone.  Over the years I've done quite a few jobs where the customer originally wanted Soapstone, but then ended up wanting less maintenance or Soapstone was out of their budget.  They ended up using Virginia Mist instead and I haven't heard a complaint from any of them!
When the Virginia Mist has a honed finish it especially looks like Soapstone.

contemporary kitchen design by dc metro kitchen and bath cynthia murphy

Photo source.

Virginia Mist is also commonly called Jet Mist.  Other names also include: American Black, Virginia Black and Virgin Mist.

Photo source

Photo: The Stone Solution

Virginia Mist is a really dense granite, so it does well in outdoor applications such as cladding, pavers, and outdoor kitchens.

Photo source

Virginia Mist is a color that goes really well with the white marbles that are so popular (as you can see in the photo below).  It's a great look to use Virginia Mist on a kitchen perimeter and then Carrara or Calacatta marble on the island. 

Photo source

contemporary bathroom design by richmond showroom Charles Luck Stone Center

Virginia Mist is available in 2 cm and 3 cm slabs.