My Favorite Outdoor Project of 2011

Recently Donna of Funky Junk Interiors featured  favorite outdoor projects of 2011 for her Saturday Night Special theme. She challenged her readers to pick their favorite outdoor project they did last year to link up to the party. 

I paused when reading about the themed link and thought, you know, I never did reveal my updated/refurbished Outdoor Kitchen from last summer.  I intended to, but the photos were never right and I kept waiting to get better ones.

Well folks, the better pictures never got taken, but I still want to share this project as my favorite of 2011.

The actual kitchen build was my project during the Summer of 2010.  I built it with all curb shopped /salvaged materials with the exception of the framing lumber. If you’re interested you can read more about that by clicking on the Outdoor Kitchen Project label in my sidebar.

Here’re a couple pictures from my Outdoor Kitchen reveal post.

Despite my best intentions to preserve the top by covering it and taking off the wood bar top for the winter, I never did get around to it.  Winter came too soon last year and caught me by surprise.

By Spring my kitchen was a disaster!

I decided at that point to start over on the countertop entirely, using a different approach.

This time I was going to use concrete so i wouldn’t have to worry about the elements. 

No tutorials here, I can address that in another post.  All I can say now is that it’s not as hard as you would think, but if I were to do it again I would rent a concrete mixer.  I mixed it up in a plastic tub and boy was that ever a workout!  The actual concrete part goes fast, it’s the building of the forms for each section that takes time. 

Anything you do wrong there will show in the finished concrete!

   

We added some window boxes behind the sink for an herb garden.  This worked well, as the sprayer from the sink faucet was right there to water it with too!

This is what concrete looks like before it’s sealed.

     

This is after sealing.  The sealer adds shine and repels water for easy cleanup.

 

I love the texture of the concrete!

 

We found that an E Z UP over the bar end of the kitchen was perfect for shade on sunny days and to hang lights from on evenings we entertained out there.

New metal bar stools from Overstock.com were a splurge but they really went well with the more industrial feel of the concrete. Besides, I was getting complaints about my ladder barstools being too wobbly. :(

 

We added some galvanized roofing panels in strategic places to tie it all in.  A stainless refrigerator was another splurge.

These cafe lights from Pottery Barn called to me.  They just needed to be part of our Outdoor Kitchen!

  

The best part about this project is that my husband enjoys this area so much.  I love it when he just laughs out loud with delight when cooking dinner out there and watching a ball game or golf tournament on the TV. 

That reaction is better than I could ever have hoped for!

Next summer I plan to add a pergola structure over the top.

;)

Linking up to Saturday Night Special Favorite Outdoor project of 2011 theme party.

Also linking up to Gail”s Catch as Catch Can party, the one where anything goes! Love it!