If you’re an outdoor person, then an outdoor kitchen might be just the thing for you! Many people would much rather be outside, breathing fresh air and enjoying the sights and sounds than stuck inside the kitchen behind a hot stove. Especially if everyone else is outside playing, why should you be one left alone inside preparing dinner? For this reason and more, outdoor kitchens are a popular option to consider when designing your ideal outdoor living area.
What goes into an outdoor kitchen? It all depends on what you want, and we’ll design the outdoor kitchen area to suit your needs. Some clients ask us to build a generous patio area with space for one or two dining sets. Others prefer to include a bar only with bar stools. Some clients want the works, including a sink, outdoor refrigerator, cabinets, grill, and plenty of counter space. Another popular option is to build a space for a Big Green Egg. The Big Green Egg is well-loved for its long life and consistent results.
Hanamint Chateau round firepit table
California Outdoor Concepts
In addition to cooking and prep space, some clients also like the addition of a fireplace or a firepit to sit and chat by the glow of firelight. When we build a fireplace or firepit, we work hard to design a look that will complement the look of the home and patio. When considering firepits, there are many stand-alone options to choose from, including wrought-iron looks from Hanamint, stone tabletop options from California Outdoor Concepts, and wood-look varieties from Ebel. Our construction team also has a lot of experience with creating gorgeous built-in firepits.
Dash and Albert rug, photo courtesy: Dash and Albert
Often our retail team works closely with the design team to complete the look, recommending outdoor furniture, rugs, pottery and accessories. As a valued Extreme Exteriors client, you will receive a customer appreciation discount item on most retail items so that you can begin enjoying your outdoor kitchen to the fullest the moment it’s complete.
So take a minute and consider how you might benefit from an outdoor kitchen. They’re gaining in popularity for more than one reason! If you’re not sure where to begin but you like the idea, give us a call and we’d be more than happy to have a designer meet with you and come up with the plans for your ideal outdoor kitchen!
Larry planted trees 25 years previously, so they had some beautiful, mature landscaping and plenty of room for the pool. Shea remembers how company president Randy Glenn presented a 3-D rendering of the pool design so they would be able to easily picture how the pool would look with the existing trees. She said, “He brought the design out and we loved it. When it was done, it literally looked just like the picture.” A few years later, Shea and Larry decided to replace their above ground hot tub with a new spa. The spa features jewel stone mosaic tile that matches the new slide. Shea and Larry both really love relaxing in the new spa. Shea especially likes how she has an app on her phone that allows her to adjust the spa’s temperature and lighting. 
out that you don’t have to go to Dallas to get a great pool. She has known company owners Randy and Mikea Glenn for a number of years and praises their “great vision and work ethic.” She was extremely happy that during both construction phases she and Larry were presented with a picture, a budget was set, and the end result was exactly what was promised. She and Randy are now talking about an addition to the porch and she’s really looking forward to seeing a design that’s never been done before. She appreciates the unique and original designs that the Extreme Exteriors team comes up with, which makes every home its own kind of beautiful.
Don and Cathy’s last name “Carruth” is synonymous with “adventurous”! It’s not often that you meet someone whose driveway is a runway but for Don and Cathy it’s part of everyday life. Don and Cathy can fly just about anywhere only steps away from their front door. Home has been Midland for 26 years, with the exception of two years they spent as newlyweds in the U.S. Virgin Islands, sailing the seas together. Talk about romantic! I would have loved to stay and listen to their many adventures, but I had a brief window of time to catch up with them before they hopped on the plane again.
She had suggested pouring concrete so that she or Don would have a stable place to set up a ladder for washing the windows. The design team recommended using the same pavers that we used to extend their back patio. Cathy said the pavers are both helpful and attractive and that it was a good collaboration. Cathy and Don were also happy that the designers recommended a stucco finish over their existing fence. This was done to accentuate the color of the new Austin stone used in their portico. Cathy said the original portico arches failed and they couldn’t rebuild it using brick because their brick color was no longer in production. Thus, white Austin stone was used for the arches. The Extreme Exteriors design team also used Austin stone for border edging, giving their home and property a cohesive look.
Adirondack chairs. “It’s our favorite place to sit and read the paper, have coffee, or enjoy breakfast together.” Cathy also enjoys the sound of the water bubbling nearby in the fountain that the Extreme Exteriors team installed. In describing their experience working with the team, Cathy was very complimentary, commenting on the team’s politeness. “There was an ease about speaking to people, and it was evident that they wanted to do their very best.”
Deidre was very pleased that she received in-depth explanations as the pool project took shape. “We were given lots of options and they helped explain what was feasible and what would look good,” she said. “They were never pushy.” During construction, Deidre said she always received very good information on what was happening next and who would be working at their home. And when the pool was completed, she was very thankful that the Extreme Exteriors team made sure she understood how to use the chemicals, how often they should be used, and when it was safe for her boys to use the pool. She appreciated the feeling she got that the door was always open if she had questions, and that we took the time to make sure they loved the final results. “I always recommend Extreme Exteriors because of the process,” Deidre said.
due to dangerously high water levels. Everyone who comes over notices that the pool fits right in with their home and that it looks like it’s always been there. That’s one of the major goals that Deidre wanted to achieve. Deidre and Ryan are both very happy that the colors of the pavers, the stone, and the shape of the pool all look natural and match the mood of their home. Deidre’s other “must-haves” were the waterfall and the jumping rocks. The waterfall cascades into the deepest part of the pool, and as the boys grow older, they will never have to worry about hitting the bottom of the pool! Deidre and Ryan look forward to their home being a place where the boys’ friends will want to 
come over and hang out, especially during their middle school and high school years. In the meantime, Deidre and Ryan are having fun watching the boys experience some swimming “firsts” together, like putting on googles and going underwater.
The Bennetts relocated to Abilene from Denver City almost five years ago and thought that their lot was too small for a pool. But one day when Chip was walking around the neighborhood, he saw a spool in one of his neighbor’s backyards and found out that it had been completed by the Extreme Exteriors team. With this information in mind, he contacted us about finding the right design that would work for his home. Chip and Darla were very impressed with the professional design plan they received. Chip appreciated that the plans were to scale and included a key to where the plants would go. They received a competitor’s bid, but he only drew them a pencil sketch on a piece of paper, so Chip and Darla felt that there was no comparison when it came time to choose a builder.
Kelli and Clay had some great ideas of what they wanted for their backyard. “We loved the idea of having a hot tub and a fireplace. We also wanted as much pool as we could get for the space available.” The Extreme Exteriors design team took Kelli and Clay’s ideas and came up with a plan that came to life in a wonderful way. The pool features a waterfall that kids can jump off of into the deeper part of the pool just beneath the spa. Kelli likes how there’s plenty of room in the pool for anyone who wants to be on a raft or to relax on the tanning ledge. Kelli also likes the small flower beds around the pool that add some pretty color but are easy to maintain. “I’ll just take a morning to add the color plants and the girls will help me. We love putting the plants in together.” Everyone in the family uses the pool for multiple reasons! Clay uses it to cool off after playing 
golf or mowing the lawn, her kids love it for having friends over, and Kelli enjoys sitting close to the pool and visiting with her mom. Kelli really likes the tanning ledge because anyone can easily sit at the water’s edge and dip in their feet and ankles to cool off. The tanning ledge is also a great place for little ones to play. The Batemans have invited over young families to swim and the girls also babysit little ones, so the shallow water is a perfect place for tots to splash and play. Older kids love to swim for a while and then grab a towel and sit under the shade of the pergola. At night, Kelli told me how much fun the teenage kids have over by the fireplace. “They like to roast s’mores on the fireplace and have their own place to talk that’s separate from 
