Popular Outdoor Living Spaces Include Kitchens

Today Americans are increasingly seeking a more urban lifestyle and with this comes an interest in outdoor living spaces. Exciting house plans today include outdoor living spaces with BBQ porches or outdoor kitchens.

Outside living spaces show a demand for screened porches, which are gaining traditional indoor accoutrements — a fireplace, built-in cook’s stations with a sink, storage areas and in some cases a pizza oven, a little refrigerator, even beer taps! Hybrid grills enable gas and wood cooking. Summer never tasted so good.

In a recent report from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) entitled, “What Home Buyers Really Want, “just eight percent of those surveyed want to live in a city center, 36 percent prefer the outer suburbs, 30 percent the close-in suburbs and 27 percent still want the old-fashioned, rural American living.”

We are seeing home plans that include chef quality BBQ porches for greater privacy, along with high-efficiency glass windows and doors. This makes a home energy-smart.

Here is one really nice design. This modern house design (Plan #107-1015), features a covered outdoor patio with a gourmet BBQ grilling area in its outdoor kitchen. The fireplace acts as a stunning focal point and its use of rough stone creates a more casual look. At 5,555 square feet, this four-bedroom home is ideal for both family and entertaining. This plan photo shows The Plan Collection’s house plan 107-1015 featuring a gourmet outdoor kitchen which also has a nice BBQ grilling area.

Notice how the BBQ area connects to the home’s indoor kitchen with a windowed pass-through, convenient for food preparation and clean-up. What’s more, the family room opens up onto covered patio through a wall of glass doors. This plan from The Plan Collection allows for plenty of light making it seem like a larger space.

http://www.theplancollection.com/Upload/Designers/107/1015/FLR_LR55550405ASJPG_600.JPG