Picking hardscaping material for your outdoor kitchen is a pivotal moment because it sets the tone for future birthday parties, dinners, and summer barbeques with family and loved ones. Hardscaping can make or break an outdoor cooking space, both aesthetically and practically: you want to impress guests with details while keeping your kitchen safe and contained. Though a variety of hardscaping materials are available today, concrete retaining walls and natural stone fit the bill for being both design-worthy and functional. Read on to learn why they might just be the best hardscaping materials for your outdoor kitchen.
Concrete and Natural Stone Hardscaping: Your Most Versatile Bet
Concrete
A beautiful choice for outdoor spaces, concrete may either be poured or installed via concrete pavers and retaining wall systems. Because of the freeze/thaw climate we have here in the Fishkill, Lagrangeville, Poughkeepsie area, interlocking pavers and walls are often a much better choice for outdoor kitchens. Available in a wide range of colors, textures, and patterns, concrete paving stones and walls from manufacturers such as Unilock offer a lifetime warranty. For major landscaping projects like outdoor kitchen installations, this warranty can offer a great sense of security for the large investment made.
Because outdoor kitchens require flat work for the patio space or “floor”, as well as vertical elements for the walls forming the actual kitchen elements, it is important to choose a material category that offers functionality for both solutions. Paver and wall manufacturers offer product lines that handle this with ease while offering a selection catalog unmatched by others. The landscape designers at Harmony Hill Landscaping are happy to go over the options for your Hudson Valley outdoor kitchen design, offering expert advice on combining pavers and walls for a cohesive design.
Natural Stone
As an alternative—or complement in some cases—to concrete pavers and wallstone, natural stone is available in varying shapes and colors here in Dutchess County, NY. In fact, even if your outdoor kitchen will be utilizing concrete materials, often times natural stone such as Pennsylvania Bluestone will be used as the countertop. For the “floor” of your outdoor kitchen, choose from Irregular shapes such as flagstone to provide rustic charm, or opt for more linear cuts which allow modern designs to flourish.
When using natural stone for the vertical elements of your outdoor kitchen, natural fieldstone is a beautiful choice. Quarried into different thicknesses and sold by the pallet, natural fieldstone can be used to create both rustic and contemporary designs depending on the installation method. Natural stone comes with a timeless, classic look and feel that ages well with time.
Combining Natural Stone with Concrete Pavers and Walls
Often the best outdoor kitchens in the Hudson Valley make use of a commination of material choices. Truly special landscape projects are created when concrete pavers and walls are combined with natural stone. For instance, consider a natural stone material like PA bluestone for the patio around your outdoor kitchen while using Unilock’s Rivenstone wall system for the vertical aspects of the project. Try using concrete pavers for the patio—perhaps a naturalistic choice like Unilock’s Richcliff paver—and natural fieldstone veneer for the kitchen island. Top it off with bluestone or granite countertops for a polished look.
Get Your Outdoor Kitchen in Cooking Shape!
Now that you know the pros and cons of concrete and natural stone – two of the most popular outdoor kitchen hardscaping materials – you can make an informed decision about how to make your outdoor vision come to life. Your next barbecue is sure to be a hit!
Contact the team at Harmony Hill Landscaping for expert design and installation of outdoor kitchens across the Hudson Valley region in Dutchess County communities such as Fishkill, Pleasant Valley, Lagrangeville, and Hopewell Junction.
