You may have installed the mother of all kitchens inside your Turkish home, but the heat of the summer will have you spending every waking moment outdoors and rather than rush in and out of the house to grab drinks snacks and meals, there is a simple solution – build yourself an outdoor kitchen, where you can cook and serve drinks in between dips in the pool and a new chapter in your novel.
Extend Your Living Space
Outdoor kitchens are really an extension of your indoor space and can include all of the comforts and facilities that you have in your kitchen indoors. 
When you create an outdoor kitchen, you are in effect planning another room; the only difference is that this one is not contained within the four walls of your home. If your kitchen leans against an existing wall you can paint this as you would do in your home – to blend and tone with the units and garden furniture. Think long and hard about where to site your kitchen. The best place is close to an existing terrace, deck or swimming pool area. It also needs to be close enough to your house making access easy in case you decide to store something inside rather than outside and also to make it easier to feed off the electric, and plumbing already installed into the main body of your house. Therefore situating the outdoor kitchen on the side of the house will dramatically cut your costs.
Design Know How
You outdoor kitchen can be as large or as small as you wish. If you go for a large kitchen then you can create U-shaped formations to make distinct areas for food preparation, cooking and serving as well as sticking to the traditional ‘work triangle’ ethic. Make sure that the pathway from the kitchen to the dining area is smooth and does not involve a change in textures as this can lead to accidents when carrying hot plates. Ensure that your pathway does not lead by the pool side as this could be slippery and again lead to accidents. Keep a fire extinguisher within view to avoid fire hazards caused by over enthusiastic chefs!
Safe from the Elements
You need to ensure that you choose weather-resistant units and appliances even though you may have some form of roofing over your kitchen. Good choices are stone, slate or marble counters and enamel or stainless steel sinks. For storage areas you can use bricks with shelving in between, there is no need to add doors unless you want to, but if you do want to enclose your cabinets with wooden doors then use teak or cedar, which are the most rot-resistant. Tile around the worktops and sink area using traditional Islamic ceramic tiles to add a more authentic feel. The great thing about all-weather supplies is that you can clean them efficiently by hosing them down without the worry that they will warp or tarnish. Your floor can be constructed from concrete, terracotta, natural stone or slate tiles – the same materials as you would use on your garden patio area.
Let There Be Light
Electricity to your site is not essential – you can cook on an open fire or barbecue and use storm lanterns and candles for lighting. However connecting to your electricity supply will mean that you can have more home comforts outdoors like fridges, a coffee percolator, a TV, laptops, a stereo system, a strong bug zapper and good lighting; some people even include a dishwasher!. You can still add ambient lighting in the form of candles and lanterns but it is wise to add low-level lights on the paths leading to the house and the patio dining area.
Slaving Over a Hot Stove
The heat of the Turkish sun can sometimes be unbearable especially if you are not used to it. However, there is no need to slave over a burning hot stove in the sweltering heat; creating shade in your kitchen is relatively easy and there are many options. You can erect a pergola draped with grapevines to add a more natural Mediterranean look or a simple reed roof available from many DIY stores and garden 
centres. This also creates a natural feel, but will need replacing after a couple of years or taking down when the weather is not so good. If you are creating an earthy feel to your kitchen with terracotta coloured bricks then you could build a couple of brick columns and add a tiled roof. More modern alternatives are using Plexiglas or a retractable awning.
For cooking you can build a stone or brick oven or barbecue. Many people opt for a wood-fired pizza oven. Whatever method you decide to build, make sure that you include storage spaces for wood, coals, food and dishes. You will also need a chimney vent at the top. Whatever material you use, make sure it is fireproof – many building bricks are not.
A Kitchen on a Budget
An outdoor kitchen doesn’t have to cost the earth. If you use cheap, natural materials like bricks and stone and don’t opt for a high tech elaborate extension of your indoor kitchen you will only need a shoestring budget to provide you with an outdoor preparation and cooking area. Whatever your budget, an outdoor kitchen will make entertaining much more fun and a lot easier even if it is more of a glorified barbeque and drinks area. Whatever you choose you are sure to find that it will become the most popular ‘room’ in the house!
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