The summer season is short in our beautiful country, so we like to make the most of sunny days by cooking and dining outside. Having an outdoor kitchen may be a luxury, but there are simple and affordable solutions to create a functional and stylish cooking corner in your backyard, too.

The whole nine yards

 

Photography & design, Laflamme Concept

 

Stainless steel cabinets matched with a gleaming barbecue, impec-cable granite countertop, integrated sink and refrigerator…upscale outdoor kitchens like the one here are increasing in popularity. They often come with all the appliances of an indoor kitchen, but having one installed requires a big budget—at least $8,500.

 

Photography & design, Laflamme Concept

Hat trick

Who doesn’t love a multi-use appliance? For cooking up delicious eats outdoors, it doesn’t even have to be a barbecue!
Deep-fry, air-fry or smoke your meat in a clever propane-powered machine like this one. 

 

Master Chef 3-in-1 Outdoor DEEP FRYER, AIR FRYER & SMOKER with Propane Gas Burner, $250, canadiantire.ca. 

Cook under cover

Rain, rain, go away! At least you’ll have some shelter while grilling up a storm if you opt for this type of gazebo. Equipped with convenient shelving and hooks for your serving platters and barbecue utensils, this structure’s got you covered in a bunch of ways. 

 

Canvas Skyline Steel & Aluminum Frame Outdoor Patio Hard-Top Grill Gazebo, 5' x 8', $900, canadiantire.ca.

Ice ice baby

Enjoy ice-cold bevvies without ever having to leave the backyard by using a smart cooler system. Make sure you get a cooler or cooler cart that’s on wheels so it can move with you if you need it to.

 

Gazebo Penguin Outdoor cooler cart, $519, homedepot.ca.

 

Coleman Hard Wheeled 61.5 litre cooler, $120, canadiantire.ca.

Smarty pants storage 

An open modular shelving unit offers versatility in your outdoor summer kitchen. And when cooler weather eventually rolls around (as it always does), you can use the shelves to store gardening equipment and summer toys.

 

Grillskär Stainless Steel modular outdoor kitchen unit with Sink and Charcoal Barbecue, $1,095, ikea.ca.

Get carried away

If you don’t plan on creating an actual kitchen in your outdoor space, simply use stylish catchalls when you’re dining al fresco. Make use of baskets to carry food and tableware from inside to out effortlessly.

Fiber hamper, $149 zarahome.com.

 

Natural and Black Rattan Baskets in Small, $60, large, $80, boutiquekozy.ca.

Lounge alert!

Instead of creating a kitchen and dining area, you might prefer an outdoor living room. This one is ultra comfortable, with plush seating and a gazebo to keep the raindrops away. But our favourite part is the outdoor bar tucked into the corner that offers up bottle and glass storage and provides a workspace for crafting cocktails or preparing snacks.

 

Hampton Bay Lorston 9'10" Hard Top Gazebo with Netting, $898, Hampton Bay Steel Serving Station Cart with Shelving and Hooks, $279, homedepot.ca.

 

Hampton Bay Double Tub Beverage station with Chalkboard Labels and Tray, $149, homedepot.ca. 

 

Foldable side table in Black, $40, bouclair.com. 

 

3-Pack Cotton tea towels in Red/Striped, $15, hm.com/ca.

 

Porcelain Satin carafe in Coral Red, $95, arloca.com. 

 

Bread bag in Sage, $25, arloca.com.

 

Round Floral Plastic tray, in Red, $35, bouclair.com. 

 

Pebble Matte Black Melamine dinnerware, $5.50 to $12 each, cb2.ca.

 

White Foliage placemat, $6, boutiquekozy.ca. 

 

Blooming Sunflowers  tea towels, $12/2-piece set, simons.ca.

 

Maritime Striped tablecloth in Patterned Blue, from $24, simons.ca.