Beyond
the
Ohio Landscape Association
President Ryan Drake, J.F.D.
Landscapes Inc.
Executive Director
Patty Lampert
Associate Director
Rick Doll
Director Emeritus
Sandy Munley
For advertising information, please call 216-377-3693.
On the cover:
Image courtesy of Land Creations Landscaping Inc.
Cooking Up Fun
An outdoor kitchen can be a fantastic addition to your home, especially when installed by a professional landscape company.
Your outdoor kitchen will extend your home’s useable entertainment space and create the perfect gathering area for family and friends! Just think of the barbecues, parties and other gatherings you will enjoy.
A well designed and professionally implemented outdoor kitchen is an attractive investment that will boost your home’s property value. Potential buyers will see this as a luxury feature.
L andscape companies will guide you to select highquality materials designed for weather resistance that will complement your home and landscape. They ensure proper installation for safety, efficiency and many years of enjoyment.
Whether you are looking for something simple or elaborate, our members can help! We would love to align you with a member from the Ohio Landscape Association. Go to ohiolandscapers.org and click on “Find A Professional” to find an OLA member in your area to help you make your landscape dreams come true!
Respectfully,
Ryan Drake, 2025 OLA President
the BarbecueBeyond
A griddle makes cooking breakfast outdoors possible!
Outdoor kitchens are letting homeowners take meal prep, dinner parties and backyard fun to the next level. //
By Jill Sell
It’s not your dad’s outdoor kitchen anymore, despite what his apron says. Move over, pizza oven. Make way, turkey fryer. Step aside, smoker. There’s a new hottie in town and it’s even challenging everyone’s favorite outdoor cooking source, the grill. The griddle, a centuries-old cooking implement, has been updated with improved materials for both better heat distribution and easy-toclean maintenance. But most importantly, the griddle is also a good match for today’s lifestyles and outdoor cooking experiences.
“It really started last year for us with a few people wanting griddles. Then all of a sudden it really caught on,” says Jeff Rak, president, Land Creations Landscaping in Columbia Station. “A griddle has a lot more
flexibility than a grill. A lot of our customers are actually doing breakfast on it.”
“A griddle has a lot more flexibility than a grill. A lot of our customers are actually doing breakfast on it.”
Jeff Rak President, Land Creations Landscaping
Because a griddle is a flat surface heated from underneath, it’s easier to cook pancakes, eggs, hash browns, fried rice and fajitas on one instead of a grill, which has grates and
an open flame below. A griddle is more conducive for cooking smaller pieces of food, more delicate ones or thinner cuts of meat.
“People were also used to a grill’s hood. But griddles didn’t have one, so people didn’t like the aesthetics,” adds Chris Kronenberger, vice president, Valley City Supply in Valley City. “Now you can get griddles with hoods, and it makes a big difference to some people.”
Griddles are successfully burning up many former outdoor kitchen experiences, but many homeowners want both a griddle and a grill. But there is also more than just the intended culinary result. A griddle, like a grill, contributes to memorable social encounters and quality family time when outdoor cooking becomes a shared event.
Major appliances should be conveniently placed and reflect how the homeowner uses their kitchen.
Size, Layout and Aesthetics
The typical outdoor kitchen has consisted of a built-in grill/griddle, storage, refrigeration, trash receptacle and usually a fireplace or firepit, according to Rak. Outdoor sinks and faucets, ice machines, freezers, kegerators, vent hoods, warming ovens and patio heaters are also part of some people’s backyard dream.
Auxiliary cooking options include an outdoor kitchen burner for boiling water and simmering sauces, as well as an outdoor BBQ smoke box. Hot dog roller grills and bun toasters are fun for kids, but only outdoor or indoor/outdoor models should be used for a patio or deck kitchen.
To accommodate everything, including larger high-end (usually stainless steel) appliances, outdoor kitchens are growing in square footage. Homeowners just don’t want an outdoor refrigerator. They also want a wine or beverage cooler with a glass door to show off their inventory. And that takes more space.
Rak also often reminds homeowners to plan for adequate preparation and serving areas that need to be away from smoke and
the possibility of accidently bumping into the backyard barbeque chef. Flexibility is also big. One designated space may be the prep area for a family cookout on Sunday. But add a mobile bar and it becomes an entertainment venue on Saturday nights. Complete with cocktails.
Outdoor kitchen layouts often follow an “L” form, but much like an indoor kitchen, placement of major appliances should be convenient and reflect a homeowner’s preference.
“Where do you put that trash can — to the right or left side of the grill? And where do you place that refrigerator? It depends on if you are right- or left-handed and whether you throw trash away a lot or if you like to drink beer while cooking,” says Kronenberger, with just the slightest bit of humor in his voice.
Consumers aren’t debating whether they want a little or a lot of convenience in their outdoor kitchen, however. They want everything. That includes recycle bins (usually next to the trash), slide-out cutting boards, pet treat drawers, fire extinguisher cabinets, spice racks, electronic recharging stations, propane tank bins (if not for the
grill, for the portable deck heaters) and paper towel roll dispensers. Tons of storage is a must for plates, utensils, napkins and everything else you can think of to have at hand for a successful outdoor meal.
But the key here is that all the drawers, bins, cabinets and lockers are often hidden seamlessly into the kitchen counters and islands. That’s one long “unbroken” length of stainless steel you are looking at. The style fits perfectly with the overall look of the new, minimalist outdoor kitchen.
Homeowners are moving away from the rustic look, where overdone outdoor kitchens sometimes looked like a movie set for an upscale Texas ranch. We are also moving away from more ornate or themed areas, some resembling a villa overlooking the ocean. Consumers are leaning toward a more sophisticated, linear look that includes darker colors in countertops, stone or veneers. Rak also gives a thumbs up to a leathered finish on granite.
“Everyone who puts that in really likes it instead of a glossy surface,” he says. “When it rains, you get little spots on granite. But a leather finish looks great after a rain.”
Complementary Features
That simple, but elegant look extends to firepits. The round firepit is still popular, but rectangular-shaped units are “modern and convenient,” says Rak. Natural gas is still the most popular way to fuel outdoor kitchen appliances and is also available for firepits.
“People say they want a woodburning firepit, but you have to place them a distance from the house and some homeowners may not want that. Also, new gas firepit burners throw out a ton of heat, which is good because people want to use their firepits and outdoor kitchens all year round,” says Rak, who is known for cooking steaks outdoors for his family’s Christmas dinner.
Kronenberger agrees, adding that firepits can provide more heat than a fireplace. He also recommends radiant heating appliances to extend time spent in an outdoor kitchen. Infrared patio heaters are also popular.
Some overhead cover above an outdoor kitchen is almost mandatory. That can include attractive shade sails or canopies, retractable awnings, pergolas, pavilions or even more substantial roofing, at least over the cooking area.
The seamless transition of indoor and outdoor floor plans has always been more popular in warm climate regions, of course. But today’s newest building materials and designs can have you cooking shrimp on the barbie in Ohio, protected from scorching sun, rain and, yes, even some snow, with an overhead addition.
Use YourVeggies and H erbs
It would be impressive to invite friends over for a cookout and then use homegrown produce that you pull straight from your garden. You can show off your outdoor cooking skills and gardening talents by planting veggies and herbs easily grown in containers or raised beds on a deck or patio. Then just pick some and go to work.
Tomatoes – Bigger varieties to slice are needed for hamburgers. (Think traditional beefsteak.) Smaller cherry or grape tomatoes can be picked right off a plant next to your patio chair and tossed into a salad or become part of a veggie tray. Heirloom tomatoes have the pedigree, but not all are easy to grow. Try Tasmanian Chocolate, a variety with a heritage that also works well in a container and tomato cage. Most tomato plants do well in a good-sized pot in a sunny spot and with proper watering.
Lettuce
– Leaves from fast-growing looseleaf lettuce (if planted early enough and protected from any late spring frost) can be cut for a number of months until Ohio’s summer heat really clicks in. Grow Burgundy Delight and enjoy its attractive dark red leaves.
Basil
– Many people love a fresh basil, tomato, mozzarella and a loaf of good bread or easy-to-fill pita. Cut leaves from basil frequently before the plant goes to flower. There is sweet, purple and lemon basil. But be adventurous and try Thai basil. It tastes like licorice.
Onions
– A caramelized onion is a thing of beauty. Roasted or grilled on low heat, yellow, white, red or sweet onions can be a side dish or used as a topping. Plant baby onions from sets. For even less work, chives grown from an inexpensive packet of seeds can be snipped well into fall.
Peppermint & Spearmint
– Add leaves to ice tea, lemonade or stronger beverages. Or add a leaf and water to each section of an ice cube tray kids and grownups will love the results.
Strawberries
– Plant several everbearing strawberry plants and you should have enough fresh berries to add to fruit salads all summer. (Plants may need to be netted or birds will take your harvest.) Strawberries can also be grilled. Use a food basket, tray or skewer to contain strawberries on the grill and don’t overcook.
Light the Night
We all have seen the neighbor who runs outside to his grill, flashlight in hand. Juggling a spatula and barbecue sauce in hand, the neighbor attempts to see what is cooking on the grill. Luckily, many grills have their own lighting these days and usually there is some additional deck or patio illumination.
But an upscale outdoor kitchen really n eeds high functioning and mood-setting (often LED) lighting that goes beyond the standard. While the immediate cooking area may be lit, Kronenberger urges consumers to consider various lighting techniques to illuminate the entire area, including prep and serving areas, as well as access points to the surrounding yard. He especially likes stair lighting and undercap lighting around the grill's countertop, which can be “almost invisible during the day.”
Undercap lighting uses light fixtures that are installed to shine down on specific
“Undercap lighting can illuminate a sixfoot space and creates amazing outlines.”
Chris Kronenberger Vice President, Valley City Supply
Founded in March 1989 as a full-service landscape company. We service residential, commercial and multi-family dients located in Northeast Ohio. Our offices and yard are conveniently located on 5 acres in Auburn Township, approximately 5 miles east of Chagrin Falls. All of our employees are covered by Worker’s Compensation and fully insured.
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CAPABILITIES
• Weekly maintenance programs
• Seasonal color installation & maintenance
• Lawn fertilization
• Lawn aeration
• Spring & fall clean-ups
• Mulch installation
• Tree & shrub care programs
• Renovation pruning
• Snow Plowing & de-icing
LANDSCAPE CONSTRUCTION CAPABILITIES
• Landscape designs that reflect your lifestyle & budget
• Attractive year-round plantings
• Synthetic putting greens
• Brick or stone patios, walks & driveways
• Sprinkler systems
• Low-voltage lighting
• Natural stone, boulder or engineered retaining walls
• Holiday lighting installation & storage
• Lown installation
• Water gardens
• Tree work
spaces, including garden accent or privacy walls, benches or steps. In an outdoor kitchen, undercap lighting can be used under countertops and appliances for both function and aesthetics. This method of lighting can be especially satisfying if installed under the lip of a firepit to light the surrounding ground.
This type of lighting does not interfere with natural moonlight or the stars above — a huge benefit for the romantics among us.
“Undercap lighting can illuminate a six-foot space and creates amazing outlines,” says Kronenberger.
While the party is going strong, more intense lighting for safety and practicality is imperative. But when the evening wears on you’ll want a more subtle lighting. Adjustable brightness is highly desirable, say landscape contractors who urge clients not to skimp on electrical needs. Otherwise, your outdoor kitchen may look like an airport runway to your next-door neighbors, not to mention, killing any privacy.
Technology and Hamburgers
High-tech controls have been part of lighting and other outdoor kitchen functions for a while. The good news is that we have choices and can let as much or as little as we want into our enjoyment of the outdoors. Some individuals want nothing more than a classic charcoal grill and to test the temperature of pork chops with a trained eye and years of cooking experience. Others want apps to tell them cooking times or smart ovens that just figure it out themselves after you pop that sausage-stuffed quail inside. Cellphones help lower a grill’s gas flame while we are in another part of the yard with our friends, or alert us when we are running low on bottled
water in the fridge. Outdoor televisions, speakers and other entertainment and information sources are often a part of an integrated home system. The ability to use voice commands is expected by some homeowners.
“A lot of people say they wouldn’t want an outdoor kitchen because they wouldn’t use it very much. But once they realize how easy everything is — you don’t have to pull a grill out every time or keep making trips back to the kitchen — they use it a lot,” says Rak.
of U.S. homeowners use their grill year-round 63%
We Love Outdoor Kitchens
In the United States, beef steak is the number one barbecue food. That is followed by hamburgers, chicken and ribs. But meat alternatives, fueled by “increased environmental concerns and the better-for-you movement” is “taking over on grills everywhere.” (Statista.com)
As of 2023, about 80% of U.S. homeowners own a grill or smoker. Sixty-three percent use their grill year-round and 43% at least once a month during the winter. (Burn Pit BBQ)
The most popular priced gas grills cost between $129 and $299. Those with more features range from $700 to $1,500. Top-of-theline, stainless-steel models can “easily top $5,000.” (Hearth, Patio, and Barbecue Association/HPBA)
The global outdoor kitchen market size in 2024 was estimated to be $24.45 billion. It is expected to grow 8.9% from 2025 to 2030. The North American outdoor kitchen market share in 2024 was 45.89% of that total. (Grand View Research)
