Bellaire, Texas

A cook's dream outdoor kitchen in Texas

A sink placed the "wrong way" in the countertop, several hidden storage spaces and some serious cooking power make this homeowner's outdoor kitchen a dream for grilling, baking and entertaining.

Located in a suburb of Houston, TX, it is the heart of a backyard entertaining space that includes a pool, a living room and dining room.

Dena Brody, principal of Dena Brody Interiors in Houston, TX and the designer of the outdoor kitchen says, "There is no margin for error [in an outdoor kitchen]. It has to work. It can't just be pretty."

Choosing an 'L' shape for the kitchen, Brody says it is better to work on because it "gives you an area to mount things." She was clever about designing in more space, creating pull-out storage where there wasn’t enough room for cabinetry, in the tiled sections to the right of the grill and the left of the ice maker. Brody also gained more work and serving space by turning the sink to run perpendicular to the edge of the countertop.

Task lighting was hung from the ceiling and strategically placed over the grill, sink and prep area to make the cook's work easier after the sun goes down. Ceiling fans, heaters and misting systems were installed throughout the kitchen, dining and living areas to make outdoor entertaining more comfortable when the elements don’t cooperate.