When Becki and Keiron Ash first moved to their four-bedroom Victorian detached home on the Isle of Wight, the garden was a far cry from the holiday-inspired dream it is today. ‘The garden looked tired,’ remembers Becki. ‘The shed was rotten and we felt it needed a complete overhaul.’
Living on the Isle of Wight means the family have a wonderful outdoorsy lifestyle, walking on the beach most days and swimming in the sea when it’s warm. So, they commissioned a project to build a covered outdoor kitchen and dining area in the garden, so they could enjoy elevated outdoor dining all summer long.
‘We wanted our garden to reflect our love of being outside,’ explains Becki, ‘so we decided to add a pool and an all-weather outdoor kitchen and dining space.’
Fortunately, Kieron is a builder and has a company designing and installing outdoor kitchens (Outdoor Kitchen Company) so he had plenty of ideas on how to make the space work for them. ‘We knew this layout with a covered kitchen would be the ideal solution,’ says Becki.
As it always should be when creating outdoor dining ideas, the weather was a huge consideration in the selection of materials. ‘We left the rendered walls white, so they would weather gracefully in the coastal climate. Plus concrete worktops are extremely robust and have a beautiful raw surface,’ says Becki.
Kieron made the concrete worktops himself and the couple added a pizza oven, grill, fridge and sink so they have everything they need to cook outdoors.
When it came to style, Becki wanted a laid-back space, reminiscent of Mediterranean holidays. ‘We decided to stick to plenty of white surfaces and introduced natural textures for warmth,’ says Becki.
They used a mix of hardy materials, such as concrete, oak and stainless steel, to create a laid-back Mediterranean-style design. The kitchen’s wooden slate tiles and oak frame will weather gracefully over time.
The couple wanted an island in the centre of the space so guests could gather and perch while they cooked. A sink was also a must, and the tap provides both hot and cold water.
'The bench seating, built by Kieron, is perfect for pre-dinner drinks and sundowners,' Becki tells us. 'He added storage below so we can stash away the cushions.'
Importantly, the outdoor kitchen isn’t just used during warmer months and it’s given the couple extra space. ‘Through the spring and summer, we cook and entertain out here all the time, and when winter hits, you’ll still find us baking pizzas,’ says Becki. ‘It’s doubled our living space and has become an extension of our indoor kitchen.’
The huge grill, rotisserie and pizza oven combo allows the couple to experiment with recipes that they can’t do in their indoor kitchen. The dual-headed grill and rotisserie can roast and bake simultaneously, and the gas is concealed below.’ ‘Wood-fired pizzas are delicious and great fun to make from scratch, especially with the kids,’ Becki adds.
Get the look
If you're levelling up your outdoor kitchen then consider investing in the Gozney Arc. It is a gas oven, but easily won a five-star review when we tested it.
For an understated but elegant outdoor dining table this space-saving patio set ticks all the boxes.
Cushions are the perfect way to sneak in a pop of colour to a neutral scheme.
Now it’s finished, the couple couldn’t be happier with the way their garden has turned out. ‘It feels like we are constantly on holiday here,’ says Becki. ‘The kids hang out in the pool, while we adults enjoy cooking, and relaxing in the shade of the sitting area.’
