Last Updated on August 24, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
A lot of us are spending much more time at home these days.
And with all this extra time at home… We’re looking for ways to make our living space more comfortable and entertaining.
With staycations becoming more popular than ever, we want to make the most out of our leisure time.
I’d like to suggest to you a backyard project that the entire family will enjoy for years to come.
That project is an outdoor kitchen with fireplace.
Why an outdoor kitchen with fireplace?
That’s exactly what we’ll be going over here today.
First, let’s start with an outdoor kitchen.
Why an Outdoor Kitchen?
There’s a lot to love about an outdoor kitchen versus other backyard projects.
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing and creating an upscale look, outdoor kitchens are incredibly practical and excellent for entertaining.
Whether you’re cooking for a large party with friends or a small night in with the family, outdoor kitchens are versatile for all your needs. No matter the event, it makes your backyard the perfect venue for everything.
Outdoor kitchens are an excellent choice for families as well, and for many reasons.
Let’s talk about that!
Teach the Kids how to Cook Outdoors
Kids are naturally curious and they love to explore everything around them. Having an outdoor kitchen is an excellent way to introduce them to cooking and grilling outdoors.
They can help you prep steak kabobs, or mix a dressing together for a salad. You can explain proper safety around a grill and cooking meat properly.
Your kids will love having this hands-on experience with you. These are memories they will hold dear for the rest of their lives.
And who knows…
Maybe one day the kids will be cooking a meal for you!
Either way, having an outdoor kitchen is a great way to spend time together as a family. Plenty of laughs, love, and great food to top it off!
Even better, an outdoor kitchen can help you lead a healthier lifestyle.
Outdoor Kitchens help you eat Healthier
This is certainly a big deal for families! It can be tough to get kids to eat healthier, and it’s often difficult for parents to find the time to cook a healthy meal.
With an outdoor kitchen, healthy food is both easy and delicious.
Why?
You get to select all your ingredients.
Like it or not, restaurant food isn’t healthy. Even if you order a salad, the dressing is still loaded with vegetable oil, sodium, sugar, and oftentimes even MSG.
So while it is convenient to order delivery or takeout, we all know we’re not doing any favors for our health.
Back to how this relates to an outdoor kitchen.
When you’re cooking your own food, you have full control over the ingredients you use.
Food grilled at home doesn’t need all those additives to be incredibly flavorful and delicious, anyway. It’s actually better!
You can marinade your steak in olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
You can control how much salt you use.
You don’t need to add any sugar. If you still want sweetness, you can use honey or maple syrup.
There’s no MSG or other additives in the seasonings you use.
There are few things better than a fresh, home grilled meal with pure ingredients. Both parents and kids alike will love it!
Best of all, the whole family will be healthier for making these choices. Pretty great, right?
Benefits of an outdoor kitchen extend beyond healthier food. They also enhance our connection to the outdoors.
Connect to your Environment with an Outdoor Kitchen
Pretty much all of us would like to spend more time outdoors than we do.
Between work, kids, and all the other commitments, there’s scarcely a moment left in the day to spend outside.
And if we do want to connect with nature, it can often be a challenge. You simply may not have the time to drive to the beach or hiking trail. It can be a hassle that sometimes feels like it’s more work than it’s worth.
Thankfully, an outdoor kitchen brings entertainment back to the outdoors. Without the travel and time burden.
Just imagine this a moment.
The kids are outside playing in the yard while you and your spouse are preparing an excellent meal.
The sun is shining, the air is clear and fresh, the ground is warm beneath your feet.
It’s such a peaceful experience to cook outdoors in tandem with nature. It’s a way to reconnect with the earth.
Plus, the kids are getting plenty of sunshine and enjoying the beautiful weather! So much better than having them cooped up inside, right?
The best part about this is the outdoor kitchen is not fleeting. You can enjoy it as often or as little as you like. You can cook on it once a month, once a week, or every day!
The more you use your outdoor kitchen, the more you get time outside… More healthy meals… And more time with your family.
In my mind, this is an excellent investment that will be bringing you entertainment and joy for years to come.
If you’re sold on an outdoor kitchen, you may be interested in further upgrading your backyard living space.
I’d like to make the case for adding a fire feature to your backyard as well.
Why add a Fire Feature?
In my mind, a fire feature is the perfect complement to an outdoor kitchen.
As you well know, the outdoor kitchen is the entertainment hub of your backyard. Everyone loves to gather where the food is being cooked!
Once dinner is over, however, there’s no clear place to gather anymore. And as a result, the evening tends to come to a natural end.
A fire feature is an excellent way to keep the party going, or extend family time.
While you and the family normally head inside after dinner, you can light the fireplace instead.
Chatting away the evening around a glowing fire is a perfect way to end the night in my mind! Instead of watching TV until bed, you and the kids are enjoying a peaceful fire.
There are many other benefits to adding a fire feature to your backyard.
Let’s dig into that!
A Fire Feature is the Conversation Piece
A fire feature is the conversation piece in more ways than one!
First of all, a fire feature is a gorgeous addition to your yard. Certainly you’ll get lots of compliments and positive feedback on it. It’s a conversation starter that adds elegance to your backyard.
Even more importantly, a fire feature IS the conversation piece.
After dinner has gone and passed, the fireplace is where conversation will happen well into the evening.
A fire feature provides a venue for you to connect with your family. And I mean truly connect.
No cell phones, no TV, no nothing. Just a fire and your family joking around and having a great time.
Conversation flows effortlessly around a fire, and time seems to slip away from us.
We could watch it forever!
Related: 20+ Types Of Fireplaces and Their Names
Everyone Loves to Watch a Gentle Fire
There’s something about watching a fire that is almost magical. It’s entrancing, and we could watch it all night without getting bored.
This fascination with fire is well ingrained in us as humans.
Just think about it. In our caveman days, building a fire was absolutely essential for survival. Many hours of the day were devoted to tending a fire, cooking food on it, and staying warm.
We as humans have grown alongside fire. We simply wouldn’t be here today without it.
So it is this natural kinship that persists today, that explains our fascination with fire.
You can easily chat the night away gathered around the warm glow of a fire. Sharing silly ghost stories, telling jokes, and making memories.
Joyful evenings spent around the fire are memories that will be treasured by your whole family forever.
As if the idea couldn’t get any better, the addition of a fire feature also allows us to enjoy the outdoors longer.
A Fireplace keeps us Outdoors Longer
Summer always goes by too fast.
Before we know it, the weather’s cooling off and it’s time to shut off the grill. Winter is coming.
How does this happen every year? We have ambitious plans for how much we’re going to do in the summer… And then it doesn’t happen.
A fire feature in your backyard helps you get more out of the summer season.
Even if you haven’t accomplished as much as you’d like to during the summer, there’s still a lot left to enjoy!
You don’t have to use your outdoor kitchen to still enjoy time outdoors.
You can light the fireplace!
There are few things as cozy as sitting around a fire in comfy clothes, with a blanket, and a warm drink in hand.
You can spend many crisp fall evenings around the fire with your family. Add in a hot cider or hot chocolate, and it’s the perfect night in!
A fire feature doesn’t just extend your time outdoors into the fall, it does the same with springtime!
Even though the days aren’t fully warm yet, you’re probably itching to turn on the grill again in springtime.
A fire feature can let you do that a little earlier.
If it’s placed closeby enough, a fire feature can provide just enough heat to keep you comfortable while you’re grilling outside.
Even if this isn’t possible for you, you can spend plenty spring evenings around the fireplace!
All in all, a fire feature is a great way to extend the seasons and get you outdoors more.
Now after reading all this you may be interested in starting an outdoor kitchen with fireplace project. The question is, how to go about it?
Let me help you with that!
Starting your Outdoor Kitchen with Fireplace Project
Firstly, and most importantly, do your research!
The options out there for outdoor kitchens and fire features are widely varied. It’s essential to do your research and find the option that fits your needs best.
I won’t be detailing all the options here, as it would be a whole other article!
However, I will share with you how to get started with a company I am particularly partial to.
That company is RTA Outdoor Living.
RTA sells and manufactures ready-to-assemble outdoor kitchen kits. They also offer fire features that match the outdoor kitchens.
These kits come to you fully finished as panels. They are shipped straight to your door with appliances from Coyote Outdoor Living.
Then, all you need is a friend and a power drill to assemble. This project can be done in one afternoon, completely finished!
That means once arrived, you’ll be grilling the same day! Pretty amazing, right?
It’s my belief that RTA has the easiest, highest quality, option on the market for outdoor kitchens. Don’t take it from me, however. Do your research!
In either case, if you’re interested in RTA outdoor kitchens and fire features this is the best way to get started.
If you’re looking for a standard option, browse the website! There’s tons of information about all the different options available. You may also opt to download a free catalog for more information.
If you’re looking for a custom kitchen, use their free online design software. It takes just a few clicks and within 5 minutes you’ll have your outdoor kitchen designed with a quote on the way.
Doesn’t get much easier than that!
Then once ordered, all you have to do is wait for your outdoor kitchen and fire feature to arrive.
Last step is assemble, and then you can enjoy!
An RTA outdoor kitchen and fire feature is an easy project the family can accomplish together.
Best of all, you’ll have created a beautiful entertainment center in your backyard.
This is a space you can enjoy endlessly with your family for years to come.
I hope I’ve encouraged you to look into adding an outdoor kitchen and fire feature to your backyard. It’s a fun project that is certainly worthy of your time!
Have fun!