Turning outdoor kitchen dreams into reality. By Dianne M. Pogoda
Outdoor entertaining is an increasingly important part of modern homeowners’ lifestyles, and clients are looking for ways to upgrade their spaces with style and substance.
But backyard entertaining has come a long way from a rickety picnic table and a smoky charcoal grill — with a couple of mosquito coils creating the ambience. More and more an extension of the indoors, plumbing, gas and electric, appliances and lighting are all important components of modern exterior spaces — adding useable square footage as well as value to the home. For the latest in the fast-evolving arena of outdoor kitchens, listen in on NKBA’s March webinar series.
Each month, NKBA offers free 60-minute webinars, each of which features a presentation by an expert in the specific subject matter, delivered via a virtual platform. The sessions offer certified participants 0.1 CEU per event — it’s an easy way for designers to collect the CEUs needed to maintain NKBA certification. Participants must engage in 80 percent of the live sessions to receive CEU credit; registration closes two hours prior to start times. All webinars in 2020 begin at 12 noon, Eastern Time. Create an account at the NKBA store at www.nkba.org to register.
The first webinar of the month, on March 3, was rescheduled from February’s series. Leonie Claus, kitchen and bath manager at Cosentino, will journey to “The Kitchen of the Future.”
She’ll explore what future kitchens might look like, emerging trends and how the space might function, as well as surfaces and design will affect kitchens in the coming decade and beyond. Today’s kitchens might have sleeker appliances with better materials and more color options, but they are still the hard-working heart of the home.
Claus will show how this space is evolving, discuss the importance that outdoor kitchens will play in the next couple of years, and how they will impact interior kitchen design.
To register for “The Kitchen of the Future,” click here.
On March 10, tune in for “Outdoor Mann: Designing Your Next Kitchen or Bath Outside.” Allie Mann, senior designer at Case Design, shows designers how to take their work to the next level, exploring simple as well as complex design ideas that can give clients a memorable outdoor experience. Mann will share professional tips and design advice as to what is behind the outdoor phenomenon, proper materials to select, budgeting, design elements and features to include, troubleshooting and finding solutions for common problems in the outdoor space.
To register for “Outdoor Mann: Designing Your Next Kitchen or Bath Outside,” click here.
Next up, Mitch Slater, president of Danver and Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, will discuss “The Future of Outdoor Kitchens — 2020 Design Trends” on March 18.
This webinar takes a deep dive into the details of the outdoor entertainment space and focuses on the latest design concepts in today’s outdoor entertainment spaces: the sought-after colors and door styles, the must-have appliances and the most effective layouts, including single-family, multi-family, roof-tops, California rooms and other innovative spaces. Based on the acclaimed Outdoor Living Report, now in its 2020 release, Slater will share insights from some of the top designers, architects and landscape architects creating the most beautiful outdoor spaces today. In addition, geographical statistics lay the groundwork for a closer look at the most popular trends currently defining the world of outdoor entertainment spaces.
To register for “The Future of Outdoor Kitchens – 2020 Design Trends,” click here.
On March 24, designer Kerrie Kelly, CEO and creative director of Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, presents “10 Ways to Refresh Your Outdoor Living Designs for Summer.”
“When the weather turns warmer, everything is better done outside,” says Kelly. “Whether you are coaxing plants and flowers into aesthetically pleasing vessels, hosting a group of friends for an al fresco dinner, or simply whiling away a summer day from the seat of a shady lounger, only the great outdoors provides the ideal backdrop.”
In this presentation, Kelly will offer design inspiration and expert advice to turn the garden, patio, or terrace into an ideal summertime destination. From creative seating arrangements to envy-inducing pools and pool houses, open-air entertaining tips to dreamy outdoor shower ideas, this is a one-stop guide to making the most of the great outdoors. Attendees will learn about a variety of elements that can be incorporated into outdoor living designs, learn how to identify outdoor living challenges, and integrate appropriate design elements from various sources to create cohesive outdoor design concepts and solutions.
To register for “10 Ways to Refresh Your Outdoor Living Designs for Summer,” click here.
