As the weather starts to warm up in Cincinnati, we all have one thing on our minds: how can I eat as many meals outside as possible? In Italy, taking your meals outside in the open air is part of the communal eating experience that makes Italy’s food culture so special. So how can you bring an Italian flair to your own summer dining experiences? If you’re looking for modern patio ideas, consider luxury outdoor kitchens – perfect for enjoying fresh, delicious meals outside as soon as the weather allows.
European Outdoor Kitchen Design
For a truly Italian outdoor dining experience in your modern outdoor space, you’re going to want to stick with the modern Italian design style. In the United States, luxury outdoor kitchens are often crafted with built-ins, usually requiring the creation of a low retaining wall or structure – about countertop height – and installing appliances into the structure.
By contrast, the European-style outdoor luxury kitchens we design at NOLI all rely on cabinetry. When building a European outdoor kitchen, the design is focused on bringing the inside outside. That’s why when we design contemporary outdoor spaces for our Cincinnati metro clients, we often keep much of the same design styles as we would for their interior kitchen.
European-style luxury outdoor kitchens are more modular. Instead of building new structures, the outdoor luxury kitchens we design for our clients are created by bringing in an entire stainless-steel metal island or metal cabinets finished goffered lacquer or other weather-resistant/treated materials like stone or sealed wood.
By adding in stone or wood elements, we can create a more natural look that fits in with the outdoor surroundings for an elevated, comfortable space to enjoy your summer meals.
Outdoor Kitchen Considerations
As much as we want our designs to invoke the idea of bringing the indoors outdoors, there are special considerations to keep in mind when designing your outdoor kitchen. Of course, weather-resistance is going to be key when choosing materials. That’s why European styles often go with stainless steel as a beautiful, rust-free option.
Finally, you may find that you have slightly different design considerations when it comes to an outdoor kitchen. While kitchen islands are often a spot for eating, chatting, and gathering when indoors, outdoor kitchen islands are often set apart from the dining area to avoid smoke and heat from the barbecue. That means you’re unlikely to see seating around an outdoor kitchen island, which is primarily a space for cooking and prepping food that will be eaten at a dining table a little ways away.
Contact NOLI to design your luxury outdoor kitchen
Ready to start enjoying summer meals in your own luxury outdoor kitchen? NOLI is available and has the expertise you need to design gorgeous, modern outdoor spaces. Come to our Cincinnati showroom where you can see an example of the Maistri K table (the indoor twin of the Maistri B table) in person, or contact us online to get started.
