Ask a designer: Outdoor kitchens keep evolving

Since the basic backyard barbecue began evolving into the outdoor kitchen, the trend has only grown. Some of today’s outdoor cooking areas can seem almost like full kitchens, with more appliances and food prep space. Even walls, ceilings and TVs.

“It’s not just where you prepare the food. It’s where people gather,” said HGTV’s Vern Yip. “Just as the kitchens inside of our homes are kind of the center of energy at a party or gathering, the outdoor kitchen really has become that as well.”