Image number 32 of the current section of Celebrity builder Kate Builds features Dekton in her outdoor kitchen in Cosentino Canada

Celebrity builder Kate Builds features Dekton in her outdoor kitchen

Tags: news and events | 6 years ago | Written by: Cosentino

There’s 123 days left until it’s officially summer, but that hasn’t stopped Kate Campbell, celebrity renovator of the hit web series Kate Builds from cooking dinner outside in the dead of Canadian winter. Kate recently partnered with Cosentino on her outdoor kitchen project by installing Dekton as her countertops. We sat down with Kate to talk about how Dekton played a significant role in the functionality (with definite winter durability!) and in the design of her outdoor space.

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First of all, how much do you love having an outdoor kitchen?

I’m in love with our outdoor kitchen!  I didn’t realize how much we would use that kind of a space until we had it. I believe in creating spaces that draw you outdoors. When the weather is nice, there’s no better way to spend an evening than cooking, eating and enjoying a glass of wine outside.

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Can you tell us a bit about your vision and inspiration behind your outdoor kitchen?

I wanted our outdoor space to be functional for two people or twenty. We love entertaining so I wanted to create an outdoor area that accommodated many people.  This is why I felt it essential to create an outdoor kitchen and bar area that was open and easily allowed people to flow through it. Also, it was important for all of our entertaining to be done outside without having to go back in to the indoor kitchen. I did this by incorporating things like outdoor cabinetry, a fridge, sink and side burner beside the grill.

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What colour did you choose for the project and why?

I chose Dekton Kelya for the project for a couple of reasons. One, because I had envisioned a countertop that resembled slate. I wanted something sleek and clean looking.  Two, I also wanted something that complemented the outdoor cabinetry.  The dark, almost industrial look of Kelya really played well off of the other colours in the outdoor space.

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What did you find most challenging about building your outdoor kitchen?

At first, before I discovered Dekton, I found it challenging choosing what I wanted to use as an outdoor countertop.  The climate in Canada is wide ranging and I needed to find something durable in both heat and cold but that looked good as well.
The countertop is beautiful! Most products that are used outdoors tend to lose their vibrancy over the years as the elements take their toll.  Our countertop looks like it did on the day it was installed and will always look that way.

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What is your favourite part about your outdoor kitchen?

My favourite part about our outdoor kitchen is the ability to take everything you can do in an indoor kitchen and bring it outdoors in a way that looks good. Our summer season is short in Canada, so I love that we’ve created the ability to spend as much time as possible outdoors while the weather allows us to.

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Finally, what is your top advice for creating the perfect outdoor space?

When thinking about your outdoor space you want to think about two main things:

  1. Think about how you want to use your outdoor space and plan around that by creating zones. For example: A kitchen/barbecue zone, a seating zone, and a dining zone. Create your space around your wants and needs.
  2. Use products that are durable and low maintenance. The last thing you want to do when you step outside is to stress and worry about maintaining your space. Low maintenance is key, and with an ever-expanding outdoor market, more and more durable, low maintenance products are available to you.