For most Americans, cooking outdoors means gathering around a grill or fire pit. Though it may be a great tradition, it does come with a drawback- lack of a water source.
If your only source of outdoor water is your garden hose, you probably contend with problems like these throughout the summer:
- Endless runs to the kitchen for water
- Going through napkins or hand sanitizer when your hands get dirty
- Using countless paper plates or bringing dishes back inside
With a modern outdoor kitchen sink, you can keep flies out of your house, reuse plates, and make the most of your outdoor cooking setup. You’ve already invested a great deal in your outdoor landscape. Why not spend a little more and give your deck or patio a whole new level of functionality?
Evaluate Your Overall Design Concept
When planning your modern outdoor kitchen sink, ask yourself and your contractor some questions about what you want to accomplish. Some of these questions include:
- Are you adding on to an existing outdoor kitchen or starting anew?
- Is your style rustic, modern, or a unique blend?
- Are you planning to use the sink frequently or a few times a year?
- Do you need a full-size sink or a bar sink?
- What is your budget for an outdoor kitchen sink addition?
Choose Weather-Resistant Materials
A kitchen sink outdoors faces conditions that, hopefully, your indoor kitchen sink will never have to encounter.
Materials like porcelain, brass, and copper are more vulnerable to scratches, so they are not the best choice for an outdoor sink. Consider sinks made from materials that are resistant to corrosion and scratches, such as:
- Stainless steel
- Fireclay
- Quartz composite
- Marble
- Granite
Design Your Sink to Withstand the Elements
When you plan your kitchen sink area, consider the outdoor environment.
In the open air, you might find using your counters and sink to be a bit more challenging. Gusts of wind can blow things over or away, and grease, oil, and other foodstuffs can splash onto your hardscape or plants.
Optimizing your sink can make outdoor cooking less stressful and less messy.
Provide shelter from the wind, especially if it usually comes from a particular direction. A short wall on top of the counter can prevent wind from blowing ingredients, bowls, or silverware off the counter.
Add a backsplash behind your modern outdoor kitchen sink area to prevent any spills from landing on the deck, patio, or garden behind it.
Make the Best Use of Your Counter Space
Put your counter space within easy reach of the sink. A sink area with counters surrounding it on three sides could divide the cooking area and prevent accidents if many people use the patio at the same time.
Add a Dish-Drying Rack
Take advantage of the breeze by including a dish-drying rack. Free up counter space by attaching the drying rack to a railing or lattice instead of placing it on the counter itself. Durable drying racks are available in many designs and colors.
Secure the drying rack carefully so that wind does not blow the rack down or dislodge any cutlery or small cups.
Include Shelving for Dishes and Cutlery
Once the dishes are dry, you don’t have to bring them inside if you include dish storage space and a silverware drawer. As in a kitchen, the space underneath the countertops and your modern outdoor kitchen sink could include drawers and cabinets.
Add Soap Holders
A soap dispenser on the counter, attached to the backsplash, or hanging from any nearby support can be convenient if many dishes need washing at the end of the night. Consider holders for sponges, napkins, condiments, and other small items.
Mosquito-Repellent Candles and Bug Zappers
All kinds of insects can be problems outdoors. Sinks can attract insects as they tend to have food particles in them and smell like food.
The area around your modern outdoor kitchen sink can be a convenient location for attaching mosquito repellent candles or dispensers and traps for flies and other irritating insects. Build holders for these items into the design scheme to establish a coherent theme.
Many insect devices have attractive designs that can blend in with your modern outdoor kitchen sink design.
Decorative Features
Your outdoor kitchen sink does not have to be purely functional. Ornamental features serve various artistic purposes, such as:
- Adding to the ambiance
- Reinforcing the overall patio or deck design
- Sparking conversations
- Evoking memories of the past
- Does a wooden plaque remind you of your parents’ or your grandparents’ kitchen?
- Do you have a keepsake from the restaurant where you went on your first date?
- Do you make crafts or collect art objects that would be perfect for this area?
Let your imagination run wild as you decorate your modern outdoor kitchen sink area. Consider decorating with family photographs or scenes from your favorite places. Create an environment that reflects who you are as a person.
Lighting
Cooking or washing up in dim light is a hassle and a potential safety hazard. Place your outdoor kitchen sink on a well-lit part of the deck or patio. You can also incorporate lighting into the sink station, so your sink is easy to use day or night.
As with any electrical work, protect lighting and any other electrical device from water. It may be best to consult an electrician as electrical work is dangerous.
An Under-Sink Water Heater
You can’t cook or wash dishes effectively with cold water.
Adding a small hot water tank under the sink makes dishwashing and cooking more convenient. A water heater might also help if you want to make hot drinks.
Tankless water heaters heat the water as you need it, so you don’t waste energy keeping water hot when you’re not using your outdoor kitchen.
Enliven Your Outdoor Space With an Outdoor Kitchen Sink from Classic Home Concepts
A modern outdoor kitchen sink that enhances your backyard, impresses your friends, and can withstand the elements is within your reach.
Our specialists in outdoor kitchen design at Classic Home Concepts will help you create a kitchen sink that complements your outdoor kitchen design scheme. Check out our gallery to see our innovative approach to outdoor kitchens, sunrooms, and more.
We look forward to hearing about your outdoor kitchen sink idea. Fill out our contact form for service in Springfield, MO, and nearby communities. For unparalleled comfort and quality, Classic Home Concepts is your best choice.