Houston Outdoor Kitchens – A Concrete Idea Of Style

Among our Houston outdoor kitchens, this one is unique because of its concrete countertops, pergola with stucco wrapping and custom storage.

It’s a vast improvement. Just check out this “before” picture!

 “It’s not one of our biggest covered outdoor kitchens in Houston,” says Outdoor Homescapes of Houston owner Wayne Franks. “But it’s unique, and it looks really nice, too!”

This client, a young family, wanted an outdoor kitchen with a more minimalistic, modern look, explains Outdoor Homescapes senior designer Lisha Maxey.

“They’re both doctors and very much attuned to detail,” she says. “Their primary goal was to create a space where they could lounge while the children played as well as an area to entertain family and friends while cooking and dining outside.”

Like a growing number of people wanting small outdoor kitchens in Houston, this client expressed interest in using concrete as a surface material: “The look is contemporary and is easily paired with any type of outdoor furniture – from wicker to teak to iron.”

Here’s a closeup of the concrete countertops. You’ll notice that they’re glossy and smooth like glass, thanks to special sealers and a topcoat of UV-resistant resin that prevents the countertop from yellowing.

Since these particular clients lean toward the minimalistic side of contemporary design, she continues, “the standard granite countertop of many Houston outdoor kitchens would not work, since it typically has a lot of movement and can be busy.”

Lisha sees the use of concrete as a growing  outdoor design trend for Houston outdoor kitchens: “It’s easy to maintain and again, leans towards a more modern look for outdoor.”

All the furniture and lighting is from Restoration Hardware, says Lisha, who’s offering $500 in free outdoor furniture consultation services as a special promotion right now. (Interested? Contact us!) The dining and lounge chairs are from the Antibes collection in cast aluminum with a bronze finish. The table is a Belgian Trestle weathered concrete and teak round. Simple track light was used on the pergola in keeping with the minimalist look of the space:

The pergola is a treated pine, stained  a Minwax Jacobean, which appears almost black. “This client chose a pergola over a roof extension off the house because they wanted it to still seem light and airy in their outdoor space for their young children,” explains Lisha. “They wanted a certain degree of sun and shade protection, which a pergola does provide, but they wanted it to seem a bit like a park for the kids to play in.” 

“The seating/storage bin was not a part of the original design,” says Lisha. “As the project progressed, the client expressed interest in some sort of chest for the new outdoor furniture cushions to be stored in.”

The design for the storage bin was developed to accommodate this request: “It eventually evolved into a seating area as well. And to keep the look consistent with the new kitchen, it was agreed that the stone be carried through the design. The wood top was necessary so we could design a hinged access for storage.”

Looking for ideas and inspiration? Check out our pictures of Houston outdoor kitchens on Houzz!