The joys of summer often include cooking and sharing delicious meals with loved ones, and there aren’t many better features to add to a patio than a gorgeous and practical outdoor kitchen.
Completely customizable and supremely enjoyable, outdoor kitchens can have all the features you and your family dream of. As a permanent outdoor structure, an outdoor kitchen should be built to withstand harsh weather and masonry is the best option for the structure itself. Equally important is the surface on which an outdoor kitchen is built. Here is how to choose patio pavers for a Glenview, IL outdoor kitchen.
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Safety is Paramount
The safest surfaces in any kitchen are always non-slip, even when wet. Smooth tile simply won’t work in a place that’s familiar with rain, snow, and ice - or the myriad of kitchen spills that accompany frequent cooking. A texture that can be deemed non-slip is one that provides many points of contact for a shoe or foot to touch as weight is shifted across the surface of pavers. The need for a varied surface such as this might seem like a rough texture is the one to choose, yet there are actually many smoother options of pavers available that won’t be harsh on bare feet when the kids come asking for another hot dog.
Easy Maintenance
High end pavers are often finished with a protective surface sealant that helps enable easy cleaning. Likewise, the installation that comes from a professional landscaping company ensures that there is a top-notch seal between each stone. Instead of regular sand, use polymeric sand which hardens into a tough concrete-like mortar, preventing unwanted debris and substances from falling through the cracks. Modern pavers are replaceable individually should a heavy pot accident damage a paver. Furthermore, it’s a good idea to choose larger format pavers for patios near outdoor kitchens. The fewer the number of joints between pavers, the fewer joints need to be scrubbed clean.
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Colors
One of the best ways to decide a color scheme for pavers near an outdoor kitchen is to consider the presence of natural stones in the area and what combines best with the colors of your home. Luckily, pavers often fall into two main color categories: earthy and gray. Earthy tones are a spectrum that can go from the light tans of sand to reds of oxidized rocks to the dark chocolate browns of local soil. Likewise, gray paver stones also cover a spectrum from light to dark with many shades of blue/gray in between.
For a relaxed outdoor kitchen, homeowners often choose pavers in warmer earthy tones; and for a more sophisticated backyard, the cool greys are often the top choices.
Creative Accents
After establishing a general color scheme, there are many ways that a homeowner and landscape designer can collaborate to make the space around the outdoor kitchen unique and attractive. While subtle variations in color can easily achieve an aesthetic, sometimes a complementary deviation can combine quirkiness and elegance.
For instance, a section of pavers featuring earthy tan colors can be complemented by stones from the opposite side of the spectrum – dark chocolate brown tones. These contrasts can be used as borders or to provide a break in the monotony of perfect organization by creating outdoor “area rugs.” Depending on the accent paver, you may be able to carry this contrast into the vertical spaces as well, as accent bands on the walls and backsplash of your outdoor kitchen.
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