Staying indoors for what seems like an endless period of time can be really frustrating and with no actual end in sight of the Covid-19 pandemic, there comes a time when we desperately want to spend at least some quality time outside the walls of our home. A small picnic on the poolside deck, a refreshing break on the balcony or a little time each evening with your family on the porch can all give you a pleasant break from the routine. But an even more wonderful option is the idea of a fabulous home-cooked dinner that you can enjoy leisurely along with some quality family time while finding complete safety on the rooftop! And what makes this experience truly complete is the perfect rooftop kitchen.

Expansive rooftop kitchen of lavish Mediterranean home with a view to match its splendor [From: South Coast Architects]








Alfresco dining is increasingly becoming common with homeowners across the globe as they try to find connectivity with nature outside while breaking the monotony of daily life. But rooftop kitchens are far less common because they are lot more demanding in terms of resource needed and not many of us live in regions of the globe where we can cook outside for majority of the months each year. But if you do have a rooftop with space to spare and the desire to create a more complete outdoor social zone, then these rooftop kitchens promise to deliver ample inspiration and great design ideas –

A Restaurant Experience

Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

Having an alfresco dining space in the backyard is very different with one on the rooftop for several different reasons. For starters, you tend to have a lot more privacy, especially if there are no other tall buildings around your home. You can also enjoy the wonderful view on offer – views that can range from distant mountains or a beach to brilliant view of the city skyline. Adding a kitchen to this space ensures that both you and your guests (or family) can all spend quality and you will not have to move back and forth from your main kitchen to serve hot delicacies. It makes the whole ‘eating outside’ experience that much more authentic and special.

Beach style outdoor kitchen with a view of the ocean in the distance
Delightful outdoor living space complete with outdoor kitchen, fireplace and a shade that brings Mediterranean touches to it [From: Unique Landscapes and Custom Pools]
Fabulous covered rooftop kitchen and bar with a social zone that matches its style [From: Egue y Seta]
Awesome rooftop outdoor kitchen with a cheerful beach style and a covered dining space next to it [From: Teale Architecture]

Functionality First!

You would want to start off with the basics before you thing about things like styles and materials. First, take into account the water and gas supply lines that you will need for the kitchen and where you can place the kitchen in relation to them. You would also want to ensure there is adequate gap between the kitchen and the actually dining and social zone so that it does not feel too congested. Account for shade, how the kitchen interacts with the other spaces next to it and also if you need protection from rain and snow. Think of functionality before you start picking the dining table, chairs and other cozy seas of the rooftop hangout!

Small rooftop kitchen in the corner with space-savvy design and barbecue zone [From: Rae Duncan Interior Design]
Combine the garden and rooftop dining experiences with the best of both worlds!
Making most of the limited space on the roof with a U-shaped outdoor kitchen with granite countertops [From: Modern Rustic]
Rooftop escape of San Francisco home with small kitchen and barbecue in the corner [From: Studio Revolution]

Styles, Sizes and Features

Once you have the structural features of the outdoor kitchen sorted, it is time to move on to the aesthetic conundrums. Modern and minimal styles are the most popular choices at the moment with a bit of rugged industrial charm thrown into the mix. You can let the dining space next to kitchen also determine its overall style and color scheme. Opt for finishes that will last the test of time and are easy to maintain. A BBQ zone is often a must here and the best outdoor kitchens are those that just become an unassuming part of the picture-perfect rooftop hangout.

Modern minimal rooftop kitchen combines polished exposed concrete finishes with wood [From: kobayashi 401 Design Room]
Rooftop garden with an outdoor kitchen that combines two different experiences [From: Positive Garden]
Expansive rooftop hangout of New York home with a fabulous contemporary kitchen and ample seating [From: NH Design Studios]
Read another article:Hot Trends: 20 Best Farmhouse Style Kitchens in White and Wood

You’re reading Rooftop Kitchens: Outdoor Dining Experience Served with Style!, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

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The clients are a couple of environmental scientists who, along with their two sons, relocated from the Oakland Hills to the warmer climate of Orinda. Their commitment to sustainability, including a request for net-zero energy performance annually, was evident in their thinking throughout the design process. A three-bedroom program began as a remodel of a 1954 ranch house at the foot of a hill next to a seasonal creek.  After finding the existing structure and soils to be unsuitable, the direction settled on reusing the existing footprint under the shade of a Valley Oak that had grown up close to the original house. The surviving portion of the original house is the fireplace which was wrapped in concrete and utilized for structural support. This made additional grading unnecessary and allowed the new house to maintain the same intimate relation to the old oak.  The family desired an open living layout that connected directly to the landscape. A mezzanine plan evolved with a double height family space nested with a master bedroom and study stacked above the kitchen and nook. A screened pacing deck for long phone calls shades the upper level from afternoon summer sun. Downstairs, secondary bedrooms along an extendable hallway, wrap an outdoor dining area situated between the kitchen and family room.  Construction materials and methods were considered in balance between first and lifecycle costs. The Corten steel rain screen for the exterior skin and interior wood were chosen to take advantage of zero annual maintenance cost and a shotcrete foundation allowed formwork to be repurposed for wood framing.  Single use material selections such as the Corten steel and shotcrete foundation reduced complexity in detailing and labor costs allowing a larger portion of the budget to be reallocated for upgraded mechanical, insulation, and glazing systems. The same attitude for interior finishes produced acoustically insulated, unfinished oak ceilings and walls. The sum total of the limited and landscape-driven materials presents a relaxed and quiet built environment that allows the senses to focus on the natural environment. A haptic connection to the rhythms of our planet is evident.  A 14-gauge Corten rain screen provides a no-maintenance skin. High levels of insulation and glazing efficiency reduce heating and cooling loads. An 8.1kW photovoltaic system provides on-site renewable energy and produced more electrical energy than the house used the first year. Rainwater is collected via a waterfall from the roof at the end of the hallway. Buried tanks store water for use in toilets and laundry. Greywater is collected separately and reused for irrigation. Electronically commutated motors and variable speed heat pumps are used to further limit energy use and control heating and cooling. An energy recovery ventilator is used to provide fresh air.

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You’re reading Space-Savvy Goodness: 10 Small Kitchens with Tiny Breakfast Zones, originally posted on Decoist. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to follow Decoist on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.