Where the kitchen stands, how to deal with splash water and sun, and how guests move between pool, kitchen and table.
01 By the pool
An outdoor kitchen by the pool becomes the center of the day: breakfast in the shade, lunch between swims, dinner as the light goes down. Planning it starts with the water: how close, on which side, and where wet feet will walk.
The cabinets are 5/16 in (8 mm) marine-grade aluminum, finished with Off-Shore powder coating with a chromate-free, nano-ceramic pre-treatment. A FREILUFT kitchen is designed for sun and salt air on a pool deck. More on the material.
02 Distance
Leave a clear walkway between the pool edge and the kitchen, so swimmers and the cook do not cross. Water and power usually come from the house, so the sink and the refrigerator module often sit on that side of the run.
Splash water will reach the plinth and the fronts. The kitchen has drawers that shed water: water-repellent, not waterproof. Wipe standing water off the worktop after a pool day.
The kitchen needs a firm, weather-resistant, non-combustible base; gravel is not suitable. We check the pool deck during the site visit.
03 Care
Pool water carries chlorine or salt, and splashes dry quickly in the sun. Wipe them off the stone and the fronts, then clean as usual. Clean aluminum and the coating with mild soapy water, clean natural stone without acids, and lubricate the hinges twice a year.
For small chips and scratches, use a touch-up paint pen, included with every original delivery. We also offer a care check before the hurricane season in May and before the main outdoor season in November.
04 Shade and light
At midday, a kitchen by the pool stands in full sun. Plan shade for the cook: a lanai roof, a pergola or an umbrella kept well away from the fire. Place the grill-and-fire element so that smoke drifts away from the water and the loungers with the prevailing wind.
For the evening, add warm-white 2700 K LED lighting for the plinth and the worktop. Under a roof, see covered patio outdoor kitchens. For the fire itself, see outdoor fire.
05 Example
A straight run for the pool deck: the corner grill-and-fire element at one end, then drawers, the sink and the refrigerator module under one natural stone worktop. Add a FREILUFT Island or a Fire Lounge later, and the pool deck becomes an outdoor room.
Every FREILUFT kitchen is planned and made to order. This is a starting point.
There is no single distance. It depends on your deck, the local rules for gas, power and fire near water, and the paths you want to keep open. We plan the position during the site visit and check the local requirements with licensed partners.
Often, yes, because gas, electrical and plumbing work near a pool is regulated locally. We prepare the documents the licensed contractor needs for the permits.
Clean aluminum and the coating with mild soapy water, clean natural stone without acids, and lubricate the hinges twice a year. Wipe splashes of pool water off stone and fronts before they dry.
The kitchen does not need to be covered. It is built to stay outside year-round and comes with storm hooks in the plinth that secure the doors.
Yes. FREILUFT does not make roofs, so we plan shade with partners for roofs, as a lanai roof, a pergola or a shade sail. See covered patio outdoor kitchens.
Pricing depends on the layout, the modules, the stone, the appliances and your site. We give you a fixed quote after the design.
Tell us about your pool deck and how you like to spend the day outside. We reply personally within one business day. Currently planning kitchens in Florida (where we work); for projects in other states, we offer a video consultation.
