Poolside Pergola Kitchen with Bar Seating

Design notes

Cottage outdoor kitchens are small and charming. Look for a brick or reclaimed-timber base, a butcher-block or stone counter, a pizza oven or simple grill, herbs in pots along the counter and climbing roses or wisteria on an arbour above. A bistro or farm table sits close by in the garden rather than under a big roof.

What to look for

• The work triangle — grill, sink and fridge within a few steps
• Ventilation: a hood, an open gable or clear sky above the grill
• Where guests sit relative to the cook