Summer barbecues and entertaining outdoors are high on the agenda at this time of year. Among the most desirable kitchens are those that flow seamlessly from inside to outside, providing an extension to the living space and a place to entertain on sunny days.
Kitchens for entertaining, which extend beyond their natural boundaries, are a Roundhouse speciality. By being clever and creative at the planning stage and using imaginative design ideas to make the most of the space, designers can create a bespoke kitchen that naturally flows from the interior to the exterior.
Roundhouse kitchen designers are very familiar with the desire for a kitchen that can be extended at will when the weather permits, creating a seamless space that blurs the boundary between indoors and outside. They work through all options at the planning stage to come up with creative ideas and solutions to help achieve the bespoke design that fulfils these key criteria.
It’s not only the barbecue that works so well in the sunshine. Many kitchen islands can house anything from a wok hob or a teppanyaki cooking surface to a wine cooler or warming drawer, and of course a state of the art dishwasher for quick and easy clearing up!
For many Londoners living in town houses, extending the kitchen and creating a large indoor/outdoor space is top of the list of home improvement priorities. Glazed extensions which let the light flood in and walls dissolve are de rigeur, with fine-framed Crittall or Crittall-style windows and doors being the predominant fashion of the moment, rather than big bi-fold doors.
Glazed walls and doors that disappear when folded back create beautiful light-filled rooms, but to make a cohesive space that works both indoors and outside, aim to make visual links between each ‘zone’. For example, use the same flooring both inside and out as this will extend the illusion of space. Ensure that as far as possible, outdoor lighting is an extension of the indoor lighting scheme.
Colour is also a good device for linking separate zones – pay close attention to the design or texture of both indoor furnishings and outdoor furniture for al fresco dining – try to ensure that there is a connection between inside and out through colour, design or texture.
With careful thought and planning the outdoors can be as much a part of the kitchen as the room indoors.
Roundhouse www.roundhousedesign.com 020 7297 6220
95 Nightingale Lane, SW12 8NX
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