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In this article, we have compiled the basic rules that will help you organize a safe, cozy, picturesque and functional barbecue area in your local area or summer cottage..
The most pleasant pastime in the warm season is, of course, outdoor picnics. The happy owners of their own houses and summer cottages necessarily equip such corners on their plots in order to receive guests and relax with the whole family not in stuffy rooms, but surrounded by nature. And dishes cooked over an open fire, much tastier than usual, from the oven or microwave.
The barbecue season has already begun, so hurry up to use the simple and effective rules of the professionals to help you equip a cozy and safe outdoor recreation area..
Organizing the right barbecue area requires more than just investing in such beautiful wicker furniture and building a hearth. In fact, there are several principles for creating a corner for outdoor recreation.
Rule one
The first thing homeowners planning to set up on their property for a barbecue area need to be is to choose the right spot. Professionals advise choosing areas that are closed from prying eyes, not at the entrance to the courtyard, but somewhere in the back of the garden. If your site already has a pond, fountain, rose garden or alpine slide – great! It is near such beautiful objects of landscape design that the barbecue area will look especially harmonious.
In addition, when choosing a place for picnics, you should pay attention to the following points:
- The presence of a shadow. Roasting in the sun, of course, is not very pleasant, so shade in the barbecue area is a must.
- Wind rose. Be sure to consider the prevailing wind direction in your area in order to position the table and hearth most conveniently. Agree, it will be very unpleasant if the smoke from the hearth or barbecue is carried by the wind directly to the set table.
- Safety. Barbecue means open fire. Therefore, a recreation area with a hearth should be located at a sufficiently large distance from wooden fences, a children’s house, trees and other objects that can ignite from an accidentally caught spark..
Choosing a barbecue area is not easy. For example, if it is located like this – away from trees and other buildings – it is safer. However, there is no shadow on such a site, and it is not always comfortable to be in a completely open space.
Second rule
The next thing to decide on when organizing a barbecue area is the choice of the design of the site itself. Two options are possible here:
- Fully enclosed, glazed pavilion with a roof. Of course, the organization of such a site will require a lot of effort, but it will be possible to use it throughout the year. However, in such a pavilion, only a real hearth can be installed, for example, a fireplace with a chimney that will be brought out to the roof.
- An open area, possibly with a light canopy only in the area where the table is set. On such a site, you can install any brazier or hearth, not necessarily with a chimney.
If you decide to build such an indoor pavilion, you will have to take care of a fireplace or fireplace with a chimney
Rule three
The hearth will, of course, be the heart of the barbecue area. Therefore, his choice becomes an important step towards the arrangement of this corner of the site. So, which focus can you choose:
- Portable brazier. Compact and inexpensive model for those who do not have picnics very often or just want to save money. In addition to the simplest collapsible braziers, you can choose more modern and attractive ones, for example, in the form of a cylinder or a funnel..
- An open stationary hearth in the form of a fireplace lined with stone. Above it can be skewers, a net for large pieces of meat and vegetables or skewers.
- Tandoor. The eastern version of the open hearth, which is becoming increasingly popular in our country. By the way, the tandoor allows you to cook not only meat, poultry or vegetables, but also bake bread, and using a minimum of firewood or coal.
- A full-fledged stationary hearth or a garden fireplace made of brick or stone. Such a solid structure can serve not only as a stove or barbecue, but also as a smokehouse..
Such a lightweight, compact, portable metal brazier is inexpensive, easy to use, but it is unlikely to decorate the barbecue area
And this is already a real art object and an element of landscape design, although in reality it is an ordinary metal brazier, which will be easy to transfer to another place.
Tandoor is a traditional oriental stove that you can build with your own hands, for example, from refractory bricks
Outdoor fireplace with canopy. In this case, it was decided to plaster and whitewash it, although it could have been revetted with artificial stone or simply left a beautiful brickwork
Rule four
Care should be taken to store firewood and coal. For example, lay out an unusual woodpile in the form of a toy house, with an ordinary pile, tower, mop or stack. The main thing is that your firewood is protected from the rain and always remains dry. To do this, you should prepare a base of stones or bricks, and also take care of a reliable canopy..
If you choose a garden fireplace, in its lower part, under the hearth, there will traditionally be a place for storing firewood. If you have an ordinary barbecue or an open fireplace, you will have to take care of a separate woodpile
There is enough space under the shelf, which will be used as a work surface during cooking, for such a solid woodpile.
The fifth rule
To use the hearth and cook as conveniently as possible, you must also take care of the following accessories:
- A work table where you can cut vegetables, string meat on skewers, and so on.
- Shelf for spices and dishes. Of course, you can bring everything you need from home every time, but, you see, it is more convenient when everything is at hand. You can organize a whole rack or fixtures for hanging glasses and spice boxes.
- Storage space for skewers, nets, skewers.
- You will also need a poker for stirring the coals, a metal scoop to remove them from the hearth later, potholders for transferring hot dishes and removing meat from skewers.
Of course, you can do without such seemingly trifles, but their presence will definitely make the cooking process more pleasant and convenient.
This is no longer just a barbecue area, but a real summer kitchen with a sink, shelves for dishes and spacious storage areas
The owners took the trouble to bring water to this barbecue area and organize a work surface. It turned out to be a real open-air kitchen
Rule six
The choice of picnic furniture is not only a matter of taste, but also the financial capabilities of the owners. However, even if your funds are limited, don’t buy cheap plastic in flashy shades! In this case, it is better to create a furniture set with your own hands, for example, from deliberately rough boards in a rustic style..
The following options are perfect for arranging a beautiful recreation area:
- Elegant in appearance, but very reliable forged furniture.
- Wicker rattan, willow or plastic furniture.
- Furniture made of modern composite materials.
- Furniture with special glass or ceramic inserts.
In any case, it is better to choose furniture of restrained colors, close to the natural range, for example, brown or green.
A light, simple set of plastic furniture looks quite harmonious thanks to discreet colors and wicker inserts on the backs of the chairs
Folding wood furniture is ideal for a barbecue area
Rule Seven
Landscaping is an important part of setting up a barbecue area. With the help of such green decorative elements, you can make this corner of the site even more beautiful and cozy. In addition, you are in the mood for relaxation surrounded by nature, so you simply cannot do without living plants..
Professionals advise planting the following plants in the barbecue area:
- Garden herbs and spices in containers or beds along the border of the site. Here you will cook and treat guests, so that such greens will become both tasty and healthy decor. And fresh spices for salad and meat will always be at hand.
- You can highlight the area for relaxation with rose bushes..
- Conifers will look great next to the barbecue area, possibly dwarf plants such as spruce and thuja.
- You can hide the recreation area from prying eyes using a screen with climbing plants, for example, hops or girlish grapes.
- If you decide to set up a flower bed next to the barbecue area, do not forget about the night violet – its amazing aroma will be a pleasant accompaniment to a family dinner..
- For a hedge around the recreation area, it is better to use boxwood, euonymus, cotoneaster, hawthorn or ordinary lilac.
A recreation area surrounded by a tall hedge looks more closed, private
Smooth green lawn, dwarf conifers and shrubs – this barbecue area looks especially cozy and beautiful
On the barbecue area, you can simply arrange flowerpots and pots with plants
Pots with a variety of cacti – an original option for landscaping the barbecue area
Rule eight
And finally, a little about the decor of the barbecue area. Already equipping the hearth, do not forget to make it more attractive and interesting. For example, insert various ceramic figures into raw plaster, make panels from beautiful pebbles or mosaics. In general, if there are a lot of plants on your site, there is an elegant forged brazier or a garden fireplace with beautiful masonry – a lot of decorative elements are not required. Of course, you should take care of such pleasant little things as bright napkins, a vase of flowers and beautiful dishes..
In the evening, the main decoration of the barbecue area will be a well-thought-out lighting system: a lamp with a lampshade above the table, forged lamps near the hearth or under the roof of a canopy, a garland of bulbs along the border of the site, and so on..
You cannot do without lighting in the barbecue area, because you are not going to move into the house as soon as dusk has fallen! On this site, bright bulbs also serve as a beautiful decorative element.
A barbecue area in such a lush garden does not need lush decor. A pot of flowers and beautiful dishes are enough
As you can see, all the tips offered by professionals are simple and clear, and their implementation will allow you to create a barbecue area, which will be comfortable and cozy not only for your family, but also for numerous guests..
Question: Are these 8 rules for organizing a barbecue area applicable for both small backyard gatherings as well as larger events?