As life opens up to nature, garden kitchens, outdoor showers and even bathrooms are joining outdoor seating areas.
First, garden seating corners began to rival living rooms. With rugs, lamps, floor lamps and pictures on walls, they started to be furnished just like indoor spaces. As life moved outdoors, especially in summer, small kitchens joined the transformation. Those seeking a life closer to nature developed the idea of garden showers into full garden bathrooms.
A kitchen in the garden is such a practical solution: close to the serving area, no worries about cooking smells and no mess inside the house. Installation is straightforward too, requiring only electricity and water connections. If your garden has space for a kitchen, a suitable design can help you create an enjoyable outdoor cooking area.
The space in front of a garden-facing wall of your home is one of the most suitable locations. If that wall belongs to the indoor kitchen or bathroom, the task becomes even easier. Instead of digging up the garden for water pipes, you can branch off the existing plumbing in the wall.Decide in advance what you need. A sink and tap, hob and fridge are the three essentials. If you can create a suitable setting, make room for a wood-fired or electric oven too. Calculate the worktop length required and determine its position. Choosing a small under-counter fridge keeps it visually discreet and protects it from the elements beneath the worktop.First, create a concrete worktop area against the wall. Decide where the tap and sink will go and have the services installed. Electrical sockets can be concealed beneath the worktops to protect them from rain.
Durability and practicality should be your main criteria when choosing for a garden kitchen. Unless materials can withstand rain, cold weather and strong sunlight, the kitchen may not last. Instead of wooden cupboards, build concrete or brick compartments and close them with curtains. Choose natural stone rather than laminate for the worktop, for example. The tap and sink should be limescale-resistant stainless steel, though ceramic and natural stone sinks are also worth exploring. Use waterproof outdoor sockets with covers.Combining what you have is sure to produce an attractive result, because the very idea of a garden kitchen is creative enough. Remember to leave space nearby for a comfortable dining table and chairs, ready for a pizza or barbecue party with your guests.
To be clear, we are not talking about showers beside a swimming pool. Think bigger: the aim is to move the entire bathroom into the garden. Once again, the only limit is the amount of space available. First decide where the bathroom will go, choosing a location suitable for water and electricity connections.
Some sections of an outdoor bathroom need to be enclosed. Wooden screens or stone walls can provide this privacy. Conceal the toilet here and, if you wish, the shower and bath too. Basins can remain in the open. Alternatively, place the bath outdoors in a secluded, peaceful and pleasant corner of the garden. The position of the house and garden matters here. Large-leaved plants beside a garden bath create an exotic scene that can instantly transport you, in your imagination, to Thailand.
As with outdoor kitchens, choose bathroom models suitable for the weather. Products need to withstand rain, cold and strong sunlight. A natural stone basin or bath will add a distinctive atmosphere to the setting you create.
