The Great Canadian Backyard Series: Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens goes to great heights with this modern outdoor social hub
Tags: Cladding, Cosentino, Cosentino Canada, Dekton, Dekton by Cosentino, Kitchen, ultracompact, ultracompact surfaces dekton | 4 years ago | Written by: Cosentino
Most of us are spending more time at home, and naturally, we’re evaluating our living spaces – especially our backyards as the grass grows and the trees bloom. What better way than to kick off Canada’s warmest season by showcasing some beautiful alfresco living spaces? We’re going coast to coast with The Great Canadian Backyard Series, showcasing inspirational outdoor installations featuring Dekton by Cosentino.
Getting a jump on this special summer series, we headed to Belcarra, BC where Matt Herbert, Founder and General Manager at Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens, filled us in on their latest project, an outdoor kitchen built for great heights – a 6’9” client.
Tell us about the outdoor space, including the look and feel you were trying to accomplish.
Our client’s vision was to modernize and update their outdoor by adding a modern kitchen and entertaining space that would be the primary anchor of the project.
What was the motivation behind the design?
We needed to enhance and update the client’s existing outdoor space with a fresh design that would integrate with the style of the property. The kitchen’s design provides a more defined space for people to interact, acting as a hub for social gatherings. A fresh monochromatic look was achieved by using only one material for both the counters and face cladding.
What were some of the challenges when designing the space and how did you overcome them?
The design had to be adapted to accommodate the client’s 6’9” height, providing a more comfortable and usable experience. With our client’s above-average height, he had always found that his love of outdoor cooking was compromised due to the one-size-fits-all BBQ carts that he had used in the past. We included chunky mitred 4-inch counters to help bump up the work surface to an average of 38 inches, 2 inches above the standard 36-inch countertops, to accommodate his height. The custom mitred counters and end gables resulted in simple yet impactful design.
To achieve a clean, modern look, we used Dekton Sirius for both the counters and the vertical cladding. The subtle texture of Dekton Sirius allowed it to connect with the existing textured ledgestone while also creating an impactful contrast. Due to the high level of complexity of the mitred Dekton, our custom aluminium subframe had to be meticulously designed to account for the space’s height variations. At one stage, it required a full redesign during production to ensure the perfect foundation for the stone.
Another challenge was how to incorporate visual interest behind the grill, as this would be unsuitable for stools due to the position of the heat vents at the back of the grill. To add visual balance to the design we used a specialized water jet to cut the Dekton lineal air vents to allow the grill to breathe. Under the seating area, a recessed LED light track was incorporated to add a pop of illumination.
What are some must-haves with this outdoor kitchen?
A Wolf grill and Sub-Zero fridge were chosen, as they provided high-level performance while also adding visual continuity with the interior appliances. The addition of the fridge allows our client’s grandkids easy access to refreshments from the pool instead of heading inside and making floors wet and slippery. This outdoor kitchen was created to be a social hub for entertaining, and an extra-deep 43-inch countertop allows for guests to comfortably sit offset to the chef at the grill while still providing ample workspace for food prep.
For more information on Sherwood Outdoor Kitchen, visit www.sherwoodoutdoorkitchens.com.
