WWOO/Promo image
I have mixed feelings about outdoor kitchens. A hundred years ago, lots of people had them, since a stove took forever to heat up and cool and it could make the entire house unbearable. With gas and electric stoves this was no longer an issue, and once air conditioning came along, you could just buy electricity to make it go away.
On the other hand, most of the ones you see in the magazines are over the top ridiculous, with expensive stainless appliances that probably cost more than the inside kitchen. Almost everyone I have seen reeks of excess. They are usually “expensive, poorly designed and require a lot of maintenance.”
But in the Netherlands, Piet Jan van den Kommer has designed the WWOO, and takes a different approach. The kitchens are made of concrete and are almost maintenance free, they are modular so that you can get as much or as little as you need. (the model set up for the website is probably more than most need)
Compared to the North American outdoor kitchens, the prices seem almost reasonable, with a six foot high wall plus counter and shelf, five feet wide, starting at 900 Euros.
What I really like is how they have adapted the whole design for outside cooking, using wood and a big green egg, rather than trying to create outside versions of inside appliances. It just looks outdoors.
It is still an outdoor kitchen for the 1%, but there are a lot of nice ideas here. More at WWOO
Nahb Builders Show/Promo image
And in case you missed it, here is the typical American version.
