0:00
Hey everybody, what’s going on? It’s James here with RTA Outdoor Living back with another exciting video. This time around, we’re going to be talking about modern outdoor kitchen design ideas. What makes an outdoor kitchen modern and how can you create a modern outdoor kitchen design? We’re going to discuss
0:15
all that and much more. So, without further ado, let’s dive in. What makes a modern outdoor kitchen design? To kick things off, let’s talk about the elements of a modern outdoor kitchen design. Ultimately, a modern outdoor kitchen design can be boiled down to
0:30
three areas. The color, the finished style, and the countertop style. When it comes to a modern color palette, neutral shades continue to dominate the space. There’s nothing better than choosing calming neutral colors to create the highass look you’re after. White, black,
0:45
cool gray, beige, and navy blues are always a solid pick that’ll stand the test of time. But you’ll also have to consider your finished style. The texture of your finish can greatly impact whether the final aesthetic leans
1:00
rustic, modern, or another style entirely. As you may expect, modern outdoor kitchen designs are dominated by smooth, matte finishes, often featured with clean, straight lines. Our plank, slat, and modern concrete finishes are
1:15
all ideal examples to glean inspiration from. If you’d like to see a little more texture in your design, our modern stone finishes are a great way to bridge the gap while retaining a strongly modern aesthetic. And thirdly, countertop style
1:30
is the final element to creating a modern outdoor kitchen design. Both materials and thickness matter here. While natural stone options can be used for a modern design, their inconsistent nature and sometimes heavy artifacing
1:45
can appear to clash with a contemporary look. If you decide on using natural stone, you’ll usually want to stick with options that have light marbling and little variation. For this reason, it’s more and more popular to see solid concrete
2:00
countertops used in a modern island layout. The consistent industrial look lends itself well to a modern aesthetic. Additionally, you’ll want to lean into thinner, clean edge countertops over a thicker, chiseled edge version. The thin, clean lines will only serve to
2:15
further enhance the modern look you’re after. On the flip side, what are some materials and features you should avoid if you want to create a modern look? Tile, flag stone, and stucco are all materials that just don’t mesh well with modern aesthetics. All three of these
2:30
materials lend themselves to a rustic look, and even then, they’ve all been falling out of favor with homeowners for quite some time. For the rustic seeking homeowner, stack stone and weathered wood finishes are on the rise. But let’s
2:45
get back to modern design. Beyond your material choices, you’ll also want to steer away from loud colors in your design. Big and bright colors can not only be polarizing, they may fall out of favor as the trends change. And that’s
3:00
it. So, now that you’re getting an idea of the ins and outs of a modern outdoor kitchen design, let’s take a peek at a few examples. First, let’s check out this modern design from a former MMA fighter, Michelle Wat Gomez. Located down in New Mexico, this modern outdoor
3:15
kitchen blends in beautifully with the desert landscape. Michelle opted for a modern concrete bright finish, bringing a sleek and even clean look to her backyard space. And to add a bit of local flare to the design, this island features white granite countertops with
3:30
light gray marbling throughout. Reminiscent of desert sands, Michelle’s outdoor kitchen design is decidedly modern while paying tribute to her local landscape. Next, let’s head a bit further west with Gina Kersian’s outdoor kitchen down in Orange County,
3:45
California. For Gina’s modern design, you’ll see she leaned into more of a textured finish. The same bright white hue is present, but now with a slim modern stone texture. Gina decided to pair her modern outdoor kitchen with a set of white granite countertops that
4:00
feature gray marbling with even some props of burgundy red here and there. The finish in the countertops Gina chose provide you with that classic modern look but with a bit of personality for a unique touch. Over on the East Coast in New
4:15
Hampshire, homeowner Michelle Johnson has an impressive modern island setup. Instead of the typical bright white you may have come to expect from a modern design, Michelle opted for a charcoal plank finish. This dark black finish
4:30
still creates the sleek clean lines that are indicative of a modern aesthetic while also creating a great contrast to the light colored siding on Michelle’s home. You’ll also notice the plank finishes create additional horizontal lines across the surface, adding yet
4:45
another modern touch to the design. Michelle decided to add a set of smoky gray clean edge countertops to round out this modern outdoor kitchen design. These gray tops add a welcome pop of contrast to the final
5:00
look. Ever wonder how a chef might think about a modern outdoor kitchen design? Well, there’s no need to wonder because right here is an excellent example from Chef Tim Clower over in Tennessee. For Chef Tim, efficiency was an important
5:15
factor when deciding on his layout. His design need to be just as much about the function as it was about the aesthetics. But the looks are no slouch either. This modern outdoor kitchen features a bright plank finish with those same horizontal lines we saw in
5:30
the previous example. Instead of matching the countertops to be white on white, Chef Tim decided to pair his outdoor kitchen with a set of medium gray granite countertops. Beyond providing a great contrast in this modern outdoor kitchen design, the
5:45
darker countertops also keep any potential food or drink staining from being very visible. For a chef that’s always prepping food outdoors and likely making messes here and there, this was a smart move. But most importantly, this modern outdoor kitchen design is a great
6:00
one to keep in mind for your project. Next, let’s take a look at how an experienced landscape designer approached his modern outdoor kitchen layout. Here we have HDTV host Mike Pile’s outdoor kitchen design down in Dana Point, California. And this modern
6:15
outdoor kitchen layout is so impressive, it hardly needs any introduction. Mike decided to shoot for a bright modern concrete finish which perfectly complements the other elements in his backyard, namely the distressed brick patio, wooden pergola, and array of
6:30
green plants. He decided to match his outdoor kitchen finish with a set of equally bright white granite countertops, but with a distinct difference. All the countertops we’ve seen so far have been thin and sleek, whereas Mike’s countertops are far thicker. This brings a lot more
6:45
attention to the countertops, making them a standout feature of the design. Overall, this modern outdoor kitchen design is definitely one to bookmark. Let’s wrap up the examples with another fantastic modern setup from homeowner
7:00
Leila Goldberg in New York. This modern outdoor kitchen design is distinctly classy due to a couple unique design choices. Firstly, you’ll notice the hazy gray modern concrete industrial finish. This relaxed matte finish is a great complent to the neutral tones of Leila’s
7:15
PA patio. She also decided to go for a set of white granite countertops, heavily marbled with gray that matches the island finish. This matching set is undoubtedly pleasing to the eye. But what really takes this modern outdoor
7:30
kitchen design to the next level was Leila’s choice to add waterfall countertop. These countertops flow right down to either side of the island, fully showcasing the marbled glossy granite. Lelaya’s waterfall countertops add a great fluidity to the design, lending
7:45
itself well to an impressively modern aesthetic. Well, those are all the modern outdoor kitchen designs we have for you today. If you got inspired by the layouts you just saw, don’t forget to like and subscribe for future videos. And once you’ve done that, make sure to
8:00
hop over to our free online design tool and create your very own modern outdoor kitchen design. Happy designing and we’ll catch you on the next video.
