Outdoor kitchens and outdoor living design

A built-in grill, side burners, prep counter, sink, beverage fridge or kegerator, storage drawers, and bar seating — usually under a covered structure for sun and rain. Pizza ovens, smokers, and Argentine grills are common upgrades. The footprint is sized to the family, not the catalog.

Stainless steel appliances rated for outdoor use, dense honed stone or porcelain counters (avoid soft sealers that need annual reapplication), and dye-through concrete or composite stone for the surround. In Newport Beach and other coastal projects, every screw, hinge, and fastener should be rated for salt-air exposure.

Yes, in most OC jurisdictions — the gas line and electrical typically require permits, and any roofed structure over the kitchen does as well. We design to permit standards from the first concept and prepare the submittal as part of the construction drawing set.

Outdoor kitchens range widely — a focused grill island with counter and storage is one number; a full outdoor kitchen with covered structure, pizza oven, refrigeration, and finished seating is several times that. We give you a real construction-cost range at concept so the design matches your budget.

It should sit naturally with the pool, lounge, fire feature, and dining area — not feel dropped onto a patio. We design the whole backyard as one architectural composition so sightlines, materials, and proportions line up from the back door to the rear fence.