Our Company Blog
The Functional Versatility of Outdoor Kitchen Islands
If you have an outdoor kitchen or are considering adding one to your backyard, installing an island creates more storage space and more room for food preparation. At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in creating your perfect outdoor kitchen, and we feel an island is an essential part of this space. We have six different designs for outdoor kitchen islands that can be modified to your specific needs and wishes. Kitchen islands provide you with so much needed versatility, and being able to select exactly what features and design you want makes this aspect even greater. We would like to share with you a few of the benefits of outdoor kitchen islands so that you can see why we feel they are so important.
Storage Space
Everyone needs more storage space in the kitchen, especially an outdoor kitchen that is not equipped with as many cabinets. An island gives you extra storage space for your grilling tools, plates, glasses, silverware, snacks, and more. Not having to bring all of the necessary cooking and dining utensils outside every time you use your outdoor kitchen makes entertaining on your patio much easier. We know you will be so thankful for the extra storage room your outdoor kitchen island provides.
Buffet Serving Area
Outdoor kitchens generally do not have a lot of counter space, which can be challenging when you need to set up a buffet serving station. An island allows you to have the perfect spot for arranging food for a party or gathering. You will not have to take up valuable dining space to set up your buffet on a table. Nor will you have to make your guests go inside to get food placed on your indoor kitchen counters. Your outdoor kitchen island is the ideal and convenient place to set up a buffet for your family and friends.
Security
Some of our clients at IBD Outdoor Rooms choose to create a top-quality outdoor kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. We can enclose your grill and refrigerator to keep it safe from weather conditions and possible thieves. Strong winds can cause your grill to topple over, which could damage that expensive appliance. eHow Home recommends your appliances be surrounded by a sturdy brick, stone, or wood island to protect them from the elements. Additionally, enclosing your grill and refrigerator makes it impossible for anyone to even attempt to steal them.
Decor
Not only are outdoor kitchen islands functional and versatile, but they also add an attractive addition to your patio and outdoor kitchen area. IBD Outdoor Rooms can customize and build your outdoor island to your exact specifications and decor tastes. We carry six basic designs, the Santa Fe Straight, the Versailles V Shape, the Lexington L Shape, the Trenton Tri Shape, the Ultimate U Shape, and the Custom Concord and Serpentine Curved. We can use whatever material you wish — brick, stone, or wood — to accent and coordinate with the rest of your outdoor kitchen.
If you are wanting to add an island to your outdoor kitchen, contact IBD Outdoor Rooms today. We can also design and construct an entire outdoor kitchen to best suit your needs.
There Are Good Choices In Outdoor Cabinets
At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in creating the outdoor kitchen of your dreams. Of course, grills and wood fire ovens are the stars of the show. However, cabinets are essential for storage space. When choosing outdoor cabinets, the main aspect to consider is how will they stand up to the weather elements in your climate. The best outdoor kitchen cabinets are made from weather- and termite-proof materials like stainless steel, marine-grade polymer, teak, high-quality resin, and stone. When you design your outdoor kitchen with IBD Outdoor Rooms, you have several options of cabinets made from these materials. We are proud to sell NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets, and we would like to tell you more about this brand and their selections of cabinet choices.
Experimenting with durable materials and cypress wood led to an amazing product.
In business for over 20 years, Michael Moras, the owner and president of NatureKast, came across a high-density resin that looked exactly like coral stone. So impressed with the durability of this material, he began using high-density resin to create cabinets, fireplace mantels, range hoods, and even wine rooms. However, he continued to mainly use real cypress wood to build outdoor kitchen components, including cabinets. As his business grew and became known as the expert outdoor living area company in Northwest Florida, he began having problems with the cypress wood products warping, fading, and falling apart. Working with finish experts, he tried every finish possible to attempt to best preserve the wood in the coastal conditions. If his customers continued to oil or varnish their cabinets, the success rate was excellent. Nevertheless, not everyone wanted to deal with that sort of extra maintenance, and replacing the cabinets became a big part of his work. Remembering how well the high-density resin works, Moras created a cypress door out of the material, which led to the development of the revolutionary NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets.
Building outdoor cabinets with 100% waterproof materials does not mean you must sacrifice style.
While stainless steel outdoor cabinets are weather-proof and match most grills, some people prefer the look of wood cabinets, and NatureKast outdoor kitchen cabinets give you that style using a molded wood grain resin with a UV-resistant finish. You can choose to order your cabinets primed to stain or paint yourself, or your cabinets can arrive custom painted or stained. Available finishes with NatureKast cabinets include a designer weathered finish in charcoal, graphite, desert tan, Spanish moss, and driftwood, as well as stains and glazes in chestnut, cypress, walnut, silver birch, and espresso.
With different cabinet choices in regards to design, you are able to customize your outdoor kitchen to best fit your cooking needs.
With grill and side burner base cabinets, including a yeti cooler pull-out cabinet that can hold ice for up to five days in 100 degree weather, you have the option of installing a suspended cabinet unit in between standard base cabinets, panels, or support posts. These “floating” cabinets give an airy, open appearance and make cleaning below easy. If you use a Big Green Egg, NatureKast has base cabinets made specifically for this grill.
Ready to make some outdoor kitchen cabinet choices? Contact IBD Outdoor Rooms to find out more about your options. Alongwith the NatureKast cabinets, we also carry a selection of stainless steel cabinets for the outdoor kitchen.
Outdoor Kitchen Finishes
Let’s Talk Finishes for Your Outdoor Kitchen
When IBD Outdoor Rooms creates custom outdoor kitchens in and around Concord, North Carolina, it doesn’t take long before we get to the point where we get to hammer out all the design details with our customers. One of the most fun things to pick out is the type of finish they want on the stone used to build their outdoor kitchen island, outdoor fireplace, or wood-fired oven. This is the fun part, where you get to pour your creativity into your outdoor kitchen space and make it look, feel, and function exactly how you envisioned.
The finishes we use most commonly include stone, brick, tile, and stucco—all beautiful surfaces that you are likely familiar with. Another favorite finish is something we call Granitech, which is a finish we’ve pioneered that uses a base of pure natural granite granules.
Granitech is available in eight colors, ranging from White Pearl to Black Pearl with lots of variations in between. We can also produce custom colors and can perform color matching. You can read more about our Granitech finish system below, although we also invite you to contact us with any questions you may have about possible finishes for your outdoor space.
All About Granitech
One of the finishes we use most often is called Granitech, a mixture of granite granules and clear polymer. This substance has been a huge hit for us because it is beautiful and low maintenance and gives homeowners the look of granite without all the expense.
The six-step Granitech finish system allows the substance to “flow” over the masonry surface, bonding to the substrate. We begin the process of applying Granitech by sealing all the joints and fasteners on the IBD Outdoor Rooms modular component. We then apply a primer and hand trowel the first coat of Granitech over the whole unit. Once that dries, we apply another coat and finally a “seal coat” that will protect your outdoor kitchen from abrasion damage or staining.
Have questions about which finish will work best in your outdoor space? Call IBD Outdoor Rooms, proud members of the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, at 704-960-4530.
Considering an Outdoor Kitchen?
Have you been dreaming of the perfect place to entertain guests, cook, and just relax while you enjoy the outdoors? Make your dream a reality and have an outdoor kitchen island installed.
One of the hottest trends in homes, outdoor kitchens have transformed from a basic charcoal or gas grill on the patio to elaborate rooms with appliances, sinks, countertops, and cabinets. You will be surprised with how many different options you have when planning an outdoor kitchen. An entertainer’s dream, all of your friends and family can gather together while you prepare the food; they can even help you with certain dishes if they want. Another advantage of having an outdoor kitchen is the money you will save on your electric bill because the outdoor cooking lessens the heat buildup that occurs inside the home when you cook inside, making your air conditioning unit work overtime. If you are considering an outdoor kitchen, call IBD Outdoor Rooms today for a outdoor kitchen consultation as we have six different kitchen island layouts from which to choose.
6 Kitchen Island Layouts
Our first kitchen island design is the Santa Fe Straight Design, the smallest design. With two standard cut-outs for appliances, this island can be as small as you need, but it can also extend to any length you would like. Other options for this design include dining ledges, cabinet liners, electrical boxes, and backsplashes.
The Versailles V Shape Design with two standard cutouts is our second luxury outdoor kitchen island design. This island is made to fit into a corner and comes in two different versions: one has corners that extend towards the edge and the other’s corners turn back to the unit. You can also get backsplashes, electrical boxes, and cabinet liners with this design.
Our third design, the Lexington L Shape Design, is angle-shaped (like an L – 90-degree angle, or whatever size angle you wish) and is measured from the dimensions of where you like to cook, making this design custom-fit for you. Four appliance cut-outs are standard, but you have the option to have as many cut-outs as you want.
Our most popular design is our fourth, the Tremont Tri Shape Design includes six standard cutouts and includes all options available and listed. One reason it is so popular is its flexibility as the angle can vary. If you would like to use multiple grills in your outdoor kitchen, this island design would be your choice, thanks to its six cutouts.
If you entertain on a large scale, you may be interested in our fifth design, the Ultimate U Shape Design. Like the Tremont, this design comes with six standard cutouts and all listed options. A large island, you will have lots of counter space for serving food and drinks, making it the perfect outdoor kitchen island for entertaining large groups.
For those who like a more custom look, our sixth design, the Concord and Serpentine Design, is a completely customized outdoor kitchen island. Shaped in a C-curve, this is one of our most popular choices because you can easily add ceramic grills and beverage stations. When you select this custom design, it involves more detail as you will be required to speak with one of our experts to get a quote. A complete one-of-a-kind custom creation, you have an unlimited variety of length and radius options, allowing you to build whatever size outdoor kitchen island that fits your needs.
Start planning your outdoor kitchen with IBD Outdoor Rooms today by contacting us for a consultation and let us help you design the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.
Tell Me About Wood Fired Ovens
Give your taste buds a treat. Get wood fired oven installed in your outdoor kitchen.
Whenever we meet a food-loving client who’s interested in creating or updating their outdoor room, our first thought is: Wood Fired Oven. If you’re really into cooking — or eating — a wood fired oven not only gives you a whole new world of culinary options, it makes your outdoor living space that much more beautiful and functional, too.
At IBD Outdoor Rooms, we specialize in installing and designing unique and custom-completed wood fired ovens that suit our clients’ preferences, space and plans to the letter. We start with factory-built modular components, completing a basic size and shape that meets your taste and needs, go through add-ons that made your oven that much more fine-tuned to what you like and how you plan to use it, and then we finish it to become a gorgeous (and durable) part of your home. We absolutely love to design and install outdoor fireplaces, but if you really want to stretch your gastronomic legs, a wood fired oven brings warmth and charm with flexibility to make tons of amazing meals as a bonus.
What Kind Of Cooking Can We Do In A Wood Fired Oven?
Lots of folks think wood fired ovens are specifically for pizza. That’s partially true — you can make some amazing pizza in your oven, since the best pizza crust really needs to be cooked up crisp quickly and at super high heat, which a wood fired oven does exceptionally well. But your cooking options certainly don’t stop at pizza. Bake bread, roast vegetables and meats, make salmon steaks that’ll wow dinner guests, stews, sandwiches, desserts… Just about anything you might make in your regular oven can be made in your wood fired oven, and we might be biased, but we think everything comes out even better. Plus, when you’re entertaining, you don’t end up running in and out while everyone’s enjoying each other’s company in your outdoor room.
Can My Wood Fired Oven Serve As A Fireplace Too?
Absolutely — you don’t have to cook in it to enjoy it. You can still circle around and enjoy the warmth and ambience, maybe make some s’mores if you felt moved to. A wood fired oven is kind of like having the best of both worlds — a fireplace when you want it, an oven to cook in when you want that too.
Can A Wood Fired Oven Be Part Of An Outdoor Kitchen?
Your wood fired oven can be the centerpiece of a complete outdoor kitchen, absolutely — and we also specialize in designing and building outdoor kitchens at IBD. We can help develop a kitchen island that perfectly suits your needs, whether that’s really basic or just as fleshed-out with amenities as your indoor kitchen. Just tell us what your vision for an outdoor kitchen is, and we’ll help make it happen!
Do you have any questions about wood fired ovens or how they might fit into your outdoor-room vision? We’d love to talk you through it. Just give IBD Outdoor Rooms a call!
