Dacha life involves eating outdoors, as well as simply spending time in nature. The summer kitchen will be a great place to gather friends and family.
What kind of summer kitchens are there?
Depending on their position on the property and their appearance, summer kitchens fall into several categories – additions to the house and detached structures, as well as outdoor and indoor spaces. Freestanding kitchens are ideal for large families and companies, and you can comfortably spend time in them year-round.
Enclosed kitchens
This is usually a freestanding building, or under the same roof as the bathhouse. Has a number of advantages:
- The kitchen is protected from precipitation, sun and insects.
- You can equip the kitchen with a large number of appliances and furniture, so that the space will be multifunctional and comfortable for work.
- The insulated summer kitchen can become an additional resting place for guests.
This type of kitchen has weighty disadvantages – the high cost of construction and the need to coordinate the project with the authorities.
Open kitchens
Quite a simple construction, which can be used as a place of rest and a pergola. Under the canopy, there is often a barbecue. The advantages include:
- Quick and cheap construction of the kitchen.
- To prepare food in such a kitchen, the simplest appliances and equipment are installed.
The disadvantages of this type of kitchen are more than those of the closed one:
- The structure is not protected from insects and bad weather.
- It is not possible to arrange a sleeping place.
There are several varieties of open kitchens.
Canopy
Usually located near the house, is a frame structure with a ceiling. On the sides you can hang light curtains to partially shield yourself from insects and wind and rain. It is a budget option for small garden plots.
Veranda .
Represents an extension to the house, which can be glazed or equipped with hinged windows. In such a space is allowed to install a stove or barbecue, subject to strict compliance with fire safety requirements.
Gazebos
Isolated structure in a quiet corner of the site. There are no walls in the construction and several pillars play their role. Between the supports is allowed to fix wooden panels or plant climbing plants. This will help protect holidaymakers from bad weather and insects.
Combined kitchens
Combine elements of the open and closed kitchens. The overall look depends on the imagination and financial capabilities of the owners. As a rule, the structure has one solid wall, and the remaining sides can be open or glazed. Thanks to this, the structure retains its external lightness.
Interior of the summer kitchen: types, nuances
The design project of the summer kitchen is desirable to develop, referring to some rules:
- The width of the dining area – at least 3 meters, the length of the zone can be more. Thanks to this approach, even a large number of people can comfortably sit around the table.
- The furniture should be practical and functional, preferably with rounded corners. Ease of maintenance is also an important factor, which should be relied on when choosing interior items.
- When arranging furniture and appliances, it is important to remember the rule of “working triangle”, which is the special arrangement of the sink, refrigerator and stove in relation to each other. Proper arrangement is the key to a comfortable process of cooking. However, much depends on the shape of the room. In a rectangular kitchen, working areas are placed along several walls or in a G-shape. In a square room, a U-shaped arrangement is appropriate.
- It is desirable to place the stove or barbecue not closer than two meters from the dining area. In this case, the possible sparks are not terrible for the furniture, and the smoke and hot air will not interfere with the guests.
- It is worth to think about the even distribution of light sources. Several levels of fixtures will help to zoning and illuminate the space at night. It is necessary to provide lighting directly over the working area. In an open summer kitchen, it is better to use water-proof fixtures.
- Plenty of greenery around the kitchen will help to hide unaesthetic areas, and give the space more privacy. You can also use plants to mark the boundary between zones.
The design of the summer kitchen can be thought of in one of the many styles, each of which has its own characteristics.
Classic
The main color of the interior is white. This style is suitable for spacious rooms, in which it is possible to arrange several zones – working, dining and sitting area. Massive furniture made of natural wood with carvings will emphasize the fine taste of the owners of the summer kitchen. A large fireplace will add warmth to the outwardly cool space.
Modern
The style is characterized by a combination of classic details and objects in the folk style. The structure itself is better to build of brick, you can add an interesting space in the form of a wine cellar. The furniture in the room is bright, contrasting shades. The refrigerator is quite massive, as well as the Russian stove. You can decorate the space with crystal vases with fresh flowers.
Rustic
Also known as eco-style. This decoration of the space is the best way to suit the outdoor summer kitchen. Finishing the walls and floor is mainly carried out with natural wood, covered with varnish.
Solid wood countertop is covered with a lace tablecloth, and decorate the space with flower pots, vases and earthenware.
The design of the summer kitchen looks original, yet simple, so the style is quite often used in the design of the building.
Provence
The style design is suitable for the summer kitchen, which is an extension of the main house. A distinctive feature of Provence is antique furniture. The wooden products can be aged manually, for this there are methods of firing, brushing and treatment with special substances.
The room reminds of a rustic house, and the special atmosphere is added by cushions with patterns, covers on chairs and paintings with landscapes. Window sills and open shelves can be decorated with climbing plants in pots.
American
This style requires a large space. The room should have clear zoning, add various niches, arches and partitions, on which you can place the necessary things in the kitchen.
To the ceiling light sources add wall lamps and sconces, which make the room more cozy. Wall and floor finishes can be made of simple materials that are disguised as expensive.
Instead of a large table, the central place of the dining area is occupied by a bar counter, which can also be used as an additional work area.
Oriental
The construction should be properly shaped with clear and smooth lines. The interior is usually finished with dark wood.
Cushions are often used instead of chairs, and a low stand is used instead of a table.
The necessary atmosphere of the East is added by mats, Chinese lanterns, decor with hieroglyphs. Summer kitchen in the oriental style can be both open and glazed with simple windows with white frames.
Mediterranean
Style for a spacious room summer kitchen. The interior looks quite simple and laconic, while using a large number of tiles and shades of natural colors.
The dining table is the centerpiece of the summer kitchen. In general, the furniture in the room is simple and practical, without unnecessary decor.
Finishing the walls and floor is done mainly with tiles, and use both pastel and bright natural colors, such as turquoise, lemon, red, green, brown.
Scandinavian
The interior of the summer kitchen, decorated in this style, is characterized by simplicity and practicality, but the appearance recedes into the background.
The main materials for furniture, as well as wall and floor finishes, are untreated wood and stone. The center of the kitchen is the stove or fireplace. To make the room cozy, you can put animal skins on the floor.
The choice of wall and floor finishes
Finishing the summer kitchen plays an important role, so there are a number of specific requirements for the materials:
- Resistance to moisture, high temperatures, smoke and splashes of grease.
- Easy to care for and long-term preservation of the original appearance even with frequent cleaning.
- Environmental cleanliness and safety for humans and animals.
Wall finishing is necessary to improve thermal insulation, protect walls from wear and damage, as well as to give the room an aesthetic appearance.
One of the easiest ways to finish walls is by plastering. Moreover, plastering is often a preparatory step before further finishing the walls. What other materials can be used:
- Wood. Wooden boards are one of the most common finishing materials. A special coating makes the walls strong, aesthetic and environmentally friendly. A varnish coating adds durability and helps preserve the natural texture and color of the wood.
- Ceramic Tile. Practical material that can be covered both floors and walls. Tile is not exposed to moisture and does not deform over time.
- Gypsum board. Useful material for creating flat walls and further covering them with paint or tiles. However, due to the high degree of moisture absorption, plasterboard can be used only in enclosed summer kitchens.
- Wallboard. High-quality thin panels made of wood. The material is economically consumed and is not affected by moisture.
- MDF panel. The main choice of users for finishing the summer kitchen without heating.
- Paint. One of the most affordable options for finishing walls. You can choose any color, and to create an accent in certain parts of the kitchen glue photo wallpaper or add a drawing.
To finish the floor, as a rule, use one of the following materials:
- tile,
- porcelain tiles,
- stone,
- wooden boards,
- linoleum.
Porcelain stoneware, stone and ceramic tiles are considered the most practical materials because they are easy to care for, moisture-resistant and fireproof. These materials can be used in both open and closed kitchens.
Linoleum and wooden boards are suitable for flooring in an enclosed kitchen. In this case, the boards should be treated with a special compound to protect against external influences. With such a coating, the floor will be quite warm, and the room itself will be more comfortable.
It is worth remembering that the area of the floor around the stove or brazier is better covered with tiles or stone for fire safety purposes.
Choice of color scheme
The color design of the summer kitchen is an important point, thanks to which the room will be pleasant to cook and just spend time. When selecting a color scheme, you can rely on tips from designers:
- The interior of the summer kitchen should consist mainly of warm and saturated colors.
- You should choose the general colors depending on the size of the room: a small kitchen should be decorated with light colors to visually expand the space. A large kitchen can be decorated with both light and dark colors.
- Bright and contrasting colors are appropriate to highlight the cooking zone or the oven.
In one of the sections above, we described the principles by which the choice of color scheme occurs, depending on the style of the interior.
What should be in the summer kitchen
The design of a summer kitchen, even the simplest, usually involves the following elements:
- A device for heat treatment of food. This includes an oven, brazier, barbecue. In the open space, there are almost no restrictions on installation, but in enclosed areas, it is necessary to remember about fire safety.
- Exhaust. In an enclosed space, the hood will help to get rid of odors.
- Sink. After cooking there are dishes that need to be washed. It is not always convenient to take it into the house, so the sink in the summer kitchen should be.
- Working space. It is mandatory to have a table or bureau, on which you can prepare products for further processing.
- Storage systems for utensils and auxiliary tools.
- A refrigerator. In the hot season the equipment will help to keep products fresh, while the speed of cooking will increase due to the fact that everything you need is at your fingertips.
- A well-thought-out lighting system. In addition to the central lamp, it is necessary to provide directional light in the area of the table and working area.
- Dining table with chairs and or armchairs. Furniture is necessary for comfortable eating immediately after cooking.
Especially spacious kitchens allow you to add auxiliary elements, such as a sofa to rest, a rocking chair, TV.
One of the central things in a summer kitchen is the stove. There are several important points to consider when choosing it:
- The stove is placed away from the furniture and dining table, often putting a special partition that defines the cooking area from the rest of the space. In an outdoor summer kitchen, it is important to consider the wind direction when installing the stove.
- In an enclosed space, it is necessary to provide a chimney so that the products of combustion can be freely discharged outside.
- It is advisable to place the work table close to the stove for convenience and speed of work.
A summer kitchen is a unique structure in which you can spend many pleasant hours. The features described above will help to understand what kind of construction a particular family needs on their summer cottage plot, and what summer kitchen design will be appropriate in this case.
