Desert Crest Press

If there is one thing that any homeowner wishes to add to their Arizona backyard landscaping it is great looking built in BBQs. Phoenix to Scottsdale and Paradise Valley landscaping for the backyard always starts with the patio, which makes perfect sense as it is the largest area and all other elements need to work with it’s shape and location. Naturally, the planning of traffic flow and activity areas will have something to do with what Arizona patio design can actually go into your backyard. This will also determine where your built in gas grill island will be and many times also dictates it’s total size.

This particular built in BBQ’s construction is block masonry with a white stucco finish on the cabinet that will stand the test of time beautifully. Topping it off with a great accent of warm earth tone stone tiles that pick up the browns found in the landscape stone and also the patio pavers gives this backyard landscaping a polished look.

As with all outdoor living spaces, entertaining is just as important as gourmet grilled meals, so the patio provides abundant floor area to accommodate several outdoor bar stools on the round bar area of the BBQ grill’s island. Everyone always gravitates to where the food is in any home, so having some comfortable seating next to the grill is always best. A good deal of food prep and serving space is also included in this modest outdoor BBQ, as is lighting for use after sunset.

We find that besides the element of an outdoor fireplace, the built in BBQ is the most popular addition to backyard landscaping and patio design in all the areas we service at Desert Crest. It seems that no matter how advanced we become as a society, the basic human needs of food, fire and a gathering spot are still on the top of the list for everyone. The only thing that really changes is the color, shape and features requested to be part of the custom built in BBQs we create for people all over The Valley.

Popularity: 1% [?]

One of the great things about custom designed Phoenix BBQ grills is you can have the one on your backyard patio created to accommodate both your cooking or entertaining wishes and the available space. A totally different situation than the standard portable gas grill where mobility is more important than grilling prep space. A concept that was perfectly adequate when most people did nothing more than cooking hamburgers and steaks over the open flame.

As our use of outdoor barbeques has evolved, so has our need for better designed outdoor cooking spaces. If you entertain large groups often, full blown outdoor kitchen may be the best design direction to take. For most homeowners, the smaller BBQ island design is perfectly suited to their outdoor cooking needs.

Slip-in Phoenix BBQ grills give you a lot of room to play with the island design, and the placement of the grill in it’s length too. Picking the shape of the cabinet means you can get away from rectangles and consider the benefits of curved and even S-shape designs. Both these options soften the hard edges we normally have in permanent Phoenix landscaping elements. Additionally, they can add a lot more style to that patio than going with the expected long straight shape.

Before getting started on the project of a unique you built in gas grill’s cabinet design, you need to think about usefulness of your outdoor cooking space and whether you will want enough room for serving too. This particular stucco BBQ grill design with the curve puts objects and recipe ingredients closer to the grill as the counter wraps around the chef. Think about how fast one must react to adding the next sauce or flipping the fish while you’re preparing a meal on the barbeque. Situating the gas grill in a way that puts everything important to the task in quick and easy reach will allow you to become more adept at whipping up culinary masterpieces than if not ‘kitchen planning’ goes into the design at all. Remember there is a big difference between cooking on your stove and grilling over open flames. Excelling is accomplished more readily and consistently if you are properly equipped and prepared for each step of the cooking process, rather than scurrying around and hopefully saving the food in the nick of time.

This client of ours has different levels in the patio design’s appeal too, notice the paver steps leading up to the raised built in gas grill’s location. Not only is the BBQ grill’s cabinet and counter curved, but so is the space it occupies in their Phoenix landscape design as well.  The round raised outdoor bar connected to the grilling area of the cabinet doubles as both seating and serving space, depending on the occasion.

Consider all your needs and how to make your Phoenix BBQ grill’s usefulness the perfect addition to your backyard living space and your landscape design. Its the secret to having the perfect built in gas grill’s assets at your fingertips, rather than being disappointed once you have started using the new feature.

Popularity: 2% [?]

Upgrading Phoenix or Scottsdale patio designs to include the asset of built in gas grills is far more than a luxury. While a great outdoor cooking space is a bonus for any Arizona homeowner and a boon to enjoying outdoor living spaces that much more, its also a tremendous property value booster.

Because food and entertainment go hand in had, lifestyle is a big player in Scottsdale landscape design where backyard living is concerned. For anyone who already has a solid, attractive patio in place, the most popular feature to add to that beyond the back door room is most likely a built in barbeque. There just comes a time in life that rolling that designed to be replaced BBQ grill becomes a hassle. One that takes on bigger issue proportions when the darn thing runs out of propane half way through cooking up a culinary masterpiece.

One thing that many homeowners might not even consider when the decision to add built in gas grills to that patio comes along, you can do away with the gas bottle altogether if your home is already using natural gas for appliances. Naturally, you’ll need to work with a contractor, like Desert Crest, that is licensed and experienced in running gas lines. This aspect of custom built in barbeque installations might not always be possible when adding the grill to an existing patio. Determining that will depend on several factors, including where you want the grill placed in correlation to your home and also the type of material your patio is made of.

While stucco built in gas grills are popular here in Arizona and easily blend with our residential architecture, not everyone wants their BBQ islands built from this material. This particular custom grill island and bar features natural stone facing on the cabinet portion. For the cooking prep counter and the bar top though, the homeowner chose polished marble, where many homeowners will go with a stone tile or ceramic tile.

The two natural materials are an excellent large feature accent on this Scottsdale patio design’s concrete surface. The color of the home’s walls and the patio flooring are a perfect match, making the rich color of the stone masonry and that gorgeous marble top that much more outstanding. With a built in refrigerator to keep drinks, condiments and ready to cook foods cold, the chef on this patio is prepared for both cooking and entertaining handy to the grill top. The addition of the bar sink makes prep and clean up that much easier, not to mention offering on the spot cold drinking water for guests grillside.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Backyard living in any location just isn’t complete with great patio designs. Here in Arizona, the perfect feature to round out the usefulness of your outdoor living space is definitely built in gas grills. Portable grills are fine, but generally lack the long lasting material quality you find in models designed to be built into BBQ islands. At some point many homeowners get weary of replacing the grill every few years. Since outdoor cooking is something we can enjoy most of the year, having a more permanent setup is highly desirable in the Phoenix area.

While we have graduated from the basic grill fare of burgers, hot dogs and steaks to more gourmet dishes and meals, adding things like cook tops and even smokers to Phoenix BBQ islands has become not just popular, but important. Not only is it convenient to be able to prepare and cook an entire meal on the patio, designs homeowners seek today blend entertaining, cooking and dining into one outdoor space. So more often than not, requests for designing Phoenix BBQ grills means adding bar space to the unit along with food preparation counter space.

Stainless steel grills and cook tops come in a variety of sizes, but most people tend to lean toward a mid-sized grill and a four burner stove inset. If you’re going to go all out in whipping up a feast, its best to have enough cooking space to pull it off. Adding refrigerators and storage space is also popular, but not necessary for enjoying the permanent grilling space.

Patio designs made with Phoenix pavers are probably the most popular style in the area. Long lasting, great looking and less expensive than natural stone paving, pavers are the most commonly requested material for new patio installation today. Since they are always a blend of earth tones we find in natural stone, this paving material makes a great companion to stone and stucco BBQ islands.

While the shape of a BBQ island isn’t anything set in stone, many homeowners request a design something like the one pictured above with a round bar on one end that will accommodate four comfortably. This particular built in gas grill’s design uses a curved island with prep or serving space both sides of the grill. The bar can double and added room or keep the party where the action is. Having the bar so close to the grill is great for keeping a close eye on your meat while having easy access to a chair and your dinner partners.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Outdoor living spaces evolved from BBQs, not just here in Arizona, but nationwide. Once upon a time, patio designs weren’t much more than a mud-free place to enjoy your lounge chair and grill up some burgers, the occasional steak and provide your children with their beloved hot dogs.

Things have come a long way since the days of accepting the poured concrete patio as the place to relax. That charcoal grill has long been replaced by built in gas grills designed to accent and embellish Phoenix patio designs. Kicking back and enjoying spare time somehow became synonymous with everything that embodies backyard living and now encompasses all outdoor home activities from entertainment to mid-week dinner for the family.

There aren’t many complaints about this change in expected uses of a yard or the application of features in Phoenix landscape design that draw the variety of uses we find in our backyards into a cohesive whole. Granted, Phoenix pavers for patios have done a great deal in making full featured outdoor living spaces a much more feasible goal for even the average homeowner. And then there is that BBQ, where magic in cuisine  happens on a daily basis for anyone, on every level of society.

And who could blame us for suddenly needing built in gas grills? There’s plank cooked meats, secret marinade recipes for every style of cuisine from Bangkok to Buenos Aries to Baltimore and beyond. From simple hotdogs and hamburgers or flame seared steaks and on into full blown gourmet meals, our outdoor BBQs have unleashed a whole new way of embracing patio designs as an important part of Phoenix landscape designs for Arizona living.

One may say it is smaller properties that has driven us to create outdoor living spaces that encompass both patio designs and pool landscaping into a place known as outdoor living spaces. Truthfully, we have only compacted all the finer points of the world we own beyond the back door to enrich and enhance our daily lives, as well as our homes.

Rather than simply settling for the latest and short lived model  of outdoor Phoenix BBQs offered by long standing barbeque manufacturers, we can now create one with masonry and a variety of simple to incorporate built in gas grills that allow us to cook up just about any dish under the sun.

Patio designs today for Phoenix landscape design commonly incorporate pool landscaping as part of the overall outdoor living space’s allure, hot tub spas included. Compact backyards allow us to put together a handy assortment of features that are easily accessed, somehow separated and yet create a wonderful unit known outdoor living spaces in Arizona landscaping. It doesn’t stop with built in gas grills and homeowners can now create destination escapes right outside their back door with the right design and installation company as their contractor.

Popularity: 13% [?]

A great way to add subtle color accents to outdoor living spaces is using natural stone tiles as the capping materials on the permanent features so popular for patio designs today. The popularity of custom designed patio living elements can include a wide range of things in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Built in BBQ grills, patio bar islands, an outdoor kitchen’s counter, seat walls and decorative inlays on outdoor fireplaces are all places homeowners look for ways to accent for the most beauty.

As patio bar areas and built in bbq grills go, this particular finished project is a great example of just how colorful natural stone can be. The more common colors of flagstone or stack stone available for Arizona landscaping present us with earth tones only. While these are wonderful for a neutral look, some homeowners prefer more unique colors as is found with this counter stone tile selection.

Entertaining in outdoor living spaces means having a special set of dinnerware and glasses that fits the colors and scene on the patio for many homeowners. Imagine how much fun you could have with that when you have a surface like this one to work with. This combination of stone used in the tiles gives so many hues and tones to work with in creating a smart looking setting. There are pinks, green, gray to charcoal and some tan to sand colors that run through the different stones in this mixed tile. Here’s a closeup so you can see just how gorgeous counter surfaced and decorative touches with this particular choice can be.

The unpolished surface of this Phoenix built in BBQ grill’s counter and patio bar island is a wonderful companion to the popular color of adobe stucco homes found all over Arizona. Being natural stone, also allows this choice to work with any preferred style of design from ultra modern contemporary to traditional and rustic. Something you might want to make note of, for such a material won’t become dated when it has such timeless beauty. It would be just as at home a century ago as it is on this current day Phoenix patio design.

Since every Phoenix patio design we do at Desert Crest is customized to fit the house, the space and the customer’s taste and lifestyle, it would be pretty rare to see two of them ever look alike. That’s part of what is so interesting about being a Scottsdale and Phoenix landscaper, variety is a constant presence. Many times, we’re as excited to see outdoor living spaces and  patio designs come to life as our client is.

When planning what will be included in your Scottsdale or Phoenix patio design’s spaces, living with it every day should be first and foremost in your mind. One can’t forget either that these elements are permanent fixtures in your Arizona landscaping, or that they are a home improvement project. If you do lose sight of that fact when working with us as your Scottsdale or Phoenix landscape design and installation company, we’ll help you get back on course so that your outdoor living spaces are an asset to both your lifestyle and your property value long term.

Popularity: 24% [?]

While outdoor living patios are all the rage nationwide, Arizona residents enjoy almost year around use of outdoor rooms and pursuits. This makes the outdoor kitchen even more of an in demand item around Phoenix. Landscaping sure has come a long way in the past couple of decades. What was once meant to soften the foundation of an abode is now something far, far more. Just as our outdoor world at home has evolved, so has the situation of the outdoor BBQ grill.

How did we ever get by with a Hibachi and some charcoal? Granted, except for smokey BBQ’d or flame broiled meat, our idea of grilling out was confined to hot dogs, burgers and steak with a little zesty basted chicken tossed in for excitement. Today with the advent of the built in gas grill breaking ground for complete outdoor kitchens, anything goes for whipping up a feast in the backyard.

Patio designs completely reinvented themselves with the advent of the uniform paver stone. Outdoor kitchen designs followed suit, but really only came into the possibility of being once the appliance and grill folks jumped into the weatherproof convenience mode. Today’s outdoor living patio is not quite complete without that grill, and having a built in gas grill is something every homeowner wants. Tossing in that handy fridge and meal preparation surface is a natural part of the outdoor BBQ evolution.

The materials combination used in outdoor kitchen designs are almost limitless for custom installations. You can mix stone, tile, brick, block and stucco to come up with a one of a kind look that is easily shaped to fit your space and utility needs.

A lot of thought and space planning goes into a great outdoor kitchen. Beyond having that built in grill and ample meal preparation and serving space on the counter – what else should you look for in outdoor kitchen designs? For starters, summer temperatures in this part of Arizona decree that you not make the grill the center of outdoor kitchens. If you’re smart that grill will go in the outside corner away from the relaxed  dining space or your guests will feel like they have to get away from the fire.

For some homeowners adding a simple outdoor kitchen with patio dining and BBQ cooking utensils beneath the grill counter and having that handy outdoor refrigerator tucked in too meets all their requirements. Tossing in the kitchen sink and a cook top is a must for serious grill gourmets. Why run in and out of the house when you can remain right there in the center of the gathering? The cabinets and appliances are stainless steel so they will last forever even in the land of ice and snow. One can’t say they are a wasteful investment and the rewards are easily seen.

Old world wood-fired breads and pizzas need not be something you enjoy at certain eateries. Your outdoor kitchen can include these too, but again, you’ll want it not installed in close proximity to the entertainment and dining space in your backyard Phoenix landscaping. You’ll also most likely want outdoor kitchen designs that fit neatly beneath your pergola or ramada to increase the amount of hours you can enjoy this open air space throughout the year.

Don’t forget to weigh in how much importance catching the game live has or enjoying a movie under the stars. You can even add a weatherproof TV to the outdoor living patio. What better place to position this feature than where it can be comfortably viewed from your outdoor kitchen’s bar? No matter what you decide must be included your outdoor kitchen design’s features, as a general contractor, Desert Crest can handle all installations on the spot.  Masonry, electrical, gas lines and shade structures overhead… its a complete outdoor kitchen’s design and installation with one Phoenix landscaping company.

Popularity: 33% [?]

For the best increase in home value and aesthetic appeal, a handsomely coordinated built-in barbeque design is an excellent addition to your paver patio. Outdoor living rooms in Arizona today can have any look or attribute you desire. Entertaining is much easier with a well designed outdoor cooking and gathering space like the patio barbeque featured here.

The material choices for this particular new project beautifully matches the adobe color of it’s base to the outdoor living patio privacy walls and the home itself. The tile top of this custom built-in barbeque coordinates with the natural stone used in great quantity on the structure of the covered porches, as well as the paver patio. The barbeque island is equipped for nighttime entertaining with quality outdoor lighting fixtures to give good illumination to the cooking area on and around the stainless steel grill. These lights will also serve to deliver softer light for guests and the Arizona homeowners joining the cook around the barbeque island bar.

This is a nice sized bar extension on this particular built-in barbeque design for larger gatherings as it can accommodate up to 6 people. When the heat of the sun has departed, this will be a favorite spot beneath the stars on many a desert night. The cook has instant access to any implement stored in the stainless steel drawers designed into the cabinet just beneath the grilling surface. Good attention was paid to providing ample food preparation space next to the grill as well as doubling as serving space for parties. Easy cleanup of any spills is guaranteed with the tile surface of the barbeque island.

A great looking barbeque island design that enriches the value and use of your Arizona outdoor living patio is never a bad investment when the construction is top notch and the materials are well chosen for longevity. The owners of this home will be enjoying great food and good times on their paver patio design enhanced with this built-in barbeque for decades to come. Getting started on your barbeque design project is easy with a call to Desert Crest, an excellent mason. Phoenix landscapers who are skilled and talented in all facets of outdoor and landscaping construction make improving your yard a simple, hassle-free process with a beautiful finish.

Popularity: 51% [?]

One of the fun things about Arizona patio designs is that there is no proper spot to locate your BBQ island or outdoor kitchen. Most people do want their new built-in barbeques in a location that gives easy access to the kitchen – which makes perfect sense. Still no two custom outdoor grill islands are ever in the exact same place within the overall patio design’s layout.

Today’s Arizona homeowner can choose to have any size and any style of outdoor cooking center added to their outdoor living patio. As with patio designs themselves, your BBQ island can be simple and focused on the cooking itself, or it can be expanded to house anything you have in the kitchen. The most popular outdoor kitchen design requested features the grill and work space along with an attached or adjacent patio bar island. This isn’t a surprising mix, since Arizona patio designs are made for relaxing and entertaining.

Whether your outdoor living patio is constructed from natural stone or pavers, the most often requested built-in barbeques design has an adobe base and a tile or smooth stone top. It is the natural compliment to your southwestern adobe home and can be made to match the walls of the house exactly or to pick up the color in your Arizona patio design’s material choice. One thing you should always consider when selecting your new patio’s surface and what the grill island will be constructed from is whether you want these features to stand out or blend in with the scenery.

Many times the location of a home will guide a homeowner is choosing the colors and materials for their individual Arizona patio design’s overall appearance. Homes in the middle of a development will often have privacy walls around the outdoor living patio to block out the surrounding view. Here there is no reason to consider how the open desert plain will look with the coloring and materials used for the flooring surface or the outdoor kitchen elements.

For those homes where the panorama of the natural desert plains is the backdrop of their outdoor living room, selecting  materials for built-in barbeques that coordinate with nature adds a very relaxed feeling. The fluidity of such a tactic in patio design and BBQ island used in this particular backyard is easily seen. The top is crafted from a material color that matches the desert floor perfectly. The low slung adobe wall and base of the grill island, as well as the natural stone used in the patio design echo the distant mountains coloring. The finished look is lovely yet simple and very relaxing.

When you are ready to add an outdoor living room patio with a professionally crafted BBQ island behind your Pheonix area home, do be sure to contact Desert Crest. We would love to discuss the possibilities of creating the perfect outdoor living patio for you.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Great taste in outdoor living rooms includes outdoor kitchens. Arizona landscape design can offer you fully equipped cooking areas or simple custom BBQs.

From simple, yet stylish built-in BBQ’s to fully equipped outdoor kitchens, today’s AZ landscape design features are all the rage. There just is no way to create that flavor indoors, and the outdoor living patio is usually where the action is once winter chill has departed.

Gourmet recipes for grilling and entertaining outdoors have turned the backyard into a private café and secluded getaway. What better way to spend time with friends than discovering new flavors and aromas shared with great wine and good times? Patio designs today by the best Arizona landscapers will be unique, innovative and perfect for cooking up a storm in the desert.

With custom flagstone or pavers, patio flooring can be any shape or coloring you wish. Privacy walls that are incorporated into subdivision backyard seclusion can be beautiful and a lovely hardscape backdrop for the flowering vines and other narrow desert plants that give you greenery and bloom color to frame your Arizona lifestyle with interest. Unlike your driveway, patio designs can be built in different levels creating a series of outdoor living areas for different purposes. Outdoor kitchen design in Arizona can be as unique as your home and the perfect complement to desert living.

Backyard getaway landscape design in Arizona extends your home. Many homeowners enjoy the carefree features that flagstone patios or paving stones provide them with. Accenting with low maintenance and high impact plants warms and softens all outdoor living patios and outdoor kitchens too. Increasing your Arizona home’s value is easily done with beautiful stone BBQ’s and outdoor kitchen islands. Grills, gas burners, refrigerators, freezers, wine coolers and even the kitchen sink are popular patio kitchen appliances.

Cooking islands for outdoor kitchens and barbeques in Arizona will be smooth topped in either tile or cut stone with a base constructed from stucco to match your adobe home or any one of the choice natural stones. Incorporating other fire features that coordinate like the outdoor fireplace or beehive makes backyard landscaping in Arizona far more than a green framing for your home. The best Arizona landscapers will be highly skilled in stucco and stone masonry, as well as expert at pavers installation.

You are better off working with one landscape company who is very experienced in design and installation of all the lifestyle patio design features. From creating outdoor flooring in Arizona patio designs, to giving you instant privacy and shady ramadas or gazebos – craftsmanship and quality will also be important. You will want beautiful barbeque designs that will remain fully functional exposed to the elements, just as with all other features you add to patio designs and outdoor living room designs in Arizona today.

Popularity: 35% [?]