Where to Save and Where to Splurge on Your Outdoor Kitchen

When creating your dream backyard, it’s important to stick to your budget, but it’s equally as important to know where to save and where to splurge on your outdoor kitchen. While it might be tempting to go the cheapest route whenever possible to get the lowest possible spend, it’s not always in your best interest. However, there are great places where you can save to stay within your budget.

In this blog, we’ll cover where you can save on costs and where you should invest so you can get a high-quality outdoor space that you’ll get to experience for years.

Where to Save on Your Outdoor Kitchen

To stay within your budget or keep costs down, there are a few places where you can save when building your outdoor kitchen. These are our favorite tips to spend a little less:

Outdoor Decor

Decor comes and goes depending on the season, your current tastes, and the ongoing trends. Unless you plan on keeping your decor exactly the same for decades, there’s no reason to spend huge amounts of money on your backyard decor. Why invest hundreds of dollars in something that you might outgrow in a few years or months? When it comes to outdoor decor, you can easily thrift pieces and snag the best sales to keep costs low.

Outdoor Furniture

Furniture is also easy to replace down the line. If you’re looking for options to cut back spending, you can easily find practical, cost-effective furniture instead. This is a great option as well to see how you end up actually using your space. You might find that certain couches and seats get more use compared to others. When it comes time to upgrade, you might want to splurge on those pieces that you know will get the most use. 

Recreational Activities and Entertainment

While it might be tempting to invest in a backyard golf simulator system, hockey-rink-in-a-box, or gigantic OLED TV, there are better options to get your dream space while saving money. And like with decor and furniture, it’s easy to add-on and replace pieces in the future. Plan for the future with wiring, plumbing, and gas lines. If you don’t want to splurge now all the things you want in the future, you can still plan for them by having everything ready to go when you can! 

Where to Splurge on Your Outdoor Kitchen

When deciding where to splurge on your outdoor kitchen, you want to think about the quality of what you’re investing in. The places where you’ll want to spend more of your budget are in backyard pieces meant to last and hold up to the highest amount of use.

Outdoor Grills and Appliances

Spending extra money on outdoor grills and appliances means you’re set for a long while. Investing in high-quality appliances ensures you’ll be cooking quality food in your outdoor space, no matter what you decide to make. Buying top-of-the-line grills, refrigerators, and other outdoor appliances means that you won’t have to constantly be maintaining your purchases — and they’ll last a lot longer, too. Our experienced designers help homeowners find the perfect products with the best guarantees and warranties: which helps you get more out of your purchase.

Countertops and Cabinets

Outdoor countertops and cabinets need to be made with quality materials so they last. If you buy the cheapest option, be prepared for it to warp quickly in the Minnesota climate, and expect that it won’t hold up for many seasons. Investing in quality countertops and weatherproof cabinets means that you won’t have to worry about your outdoor space.

Pavers and Patios

Investing in high-quality pavers means they’ll hold up to Minnesota’s frigid winters and blankets of snow for seasons to come. The same goes for any paver sidewalk, walkway, driveway, or patio that you decide to add to your space. The higher quality materials you use, the longer everything will last. Using professionals to install everything ensures they last even longer, too. In many cases, you’ll end up saving money down the line as you won’t need to be doing constant spot repairs on mediocre material.   

Related Content: The Benefits of Paver Patios

Pergolas and Pavilions

Since they’re frequently made of wood, pergolas and pavilions require more attention and quality materials than you think. This isn’t an area where you want to buy the cheapest materials and DIY it. When done incorrectly, you might only enjoy your pergola or pavilion for a season or two before it starts to degrade. When done well, you can enjoy your outdoor space for years to come. Our builders at Outdoor Innovations are skilled in creating strong foundations and backyard spaces that can hold up to Minnesota’s harshest winters and last for years.

Explore Pergolas and Pavilions

Weather Protection

Last, but not least, one of the most important parts to invest in is weather protection. In Minnesota, our seasons fluctuate a lot, and all your hard work can be taken out in a single winter if you’re not careful. Ensuring that all your outdoor features are winter-proofed and have the appropriate weather precautions is crucial to a longer-lasting backyard space. That way, your outdoor kitchen, dining room, and other features can bring you and your family years of enjoyment.

Invest in Your Dream Outdoor Living Space

Knowing where to save and where to splurge on your outdoor kitchen can make a big difference in how long your space holds up against Minnesota’s vast range of seasons. If you want to get your money’s worth, spending money on items that will offer years of use and saving on more short-term items is going to offer you the greatest benefit. When it comes to the actual foundation of your backyard and outdoor space, that’s where your investment will go the farthest.

Your dream backyard and outdoor space is an investment that you can get back in years of memories and actual profit later, when/if you sell your home. While remodeling your backyard might seem like a huge expense, it’s actually one of the best decisions you can make for higher curb appeal, and it doubles as a fantastic entertainment space for your family. Are you ready to start creating your dream space?

Outdoor Innovations Landscaping creates elevated backyards for homeowners in Minnesota. From in-ground pools to luxurious grilling stations to outdoor living rooms, we do it all. Explore our past projects and get a quote online to make your dream backyard a reality.