We would highly recommend Planet Furniture who have just installed our lovely new kitchen. Ruth was fantastic throughout the design process, listening to our ideas and designing the perfect bespoke kitchen for us. Detailing pros and cons, designing drawers that fit our pans and getting everything right for us. She was very patient as we deliberated on final design – even getting different colour samples made up for us and advising on wider decor/flooring etc. She also worked really well with our builder and visited the site a few times to triple check measurements. In terms of fitting, Bill the fitter was hugely detailed and hard working, arriving on time and working late to get everything finished. Comms were great throughout. While a new kitchen is never cheap, the value for money in using Planet was well worth it – and we found them to be genuinely competitive with some of the high street quotes. All for a bespoke kitchen made in Hitchin. Huge thanks Ruth, Leanne, Bill and team! (January 2025)
Outdoor Kitchens
Bespoke Outdoor Kitchens for Garden Cooking and Entertaining
An outdoor kitchen is a permanent, fully fitted cooking and entertaining space designed for the garden, with built in grills, ovens, prep worktops and storage. At Planet Furniture we design and build bespoke outdoor kitchens by hand in our Hertfordshire workshop, tailored to your garden, your favourite way to cook and the British climate.
Whether you want a compact run with a built in gas grill and a worktop for prep, or a full open plan space with a pizza oven, Big Green Egg, fridge and banquette dining area, we design the whole layout around the way you actually use the garden.
Outdoor kitchens are built from materials chosen for the British climate: solid timber and stainless steel framing, exterior grade cabinetry, weatherproof finishes, and quartz, granite or porcelain worktops that handle rain, sun and frost without flinching.
From the overall layout and zoning, through to handle finishes, integrated lighting and shelter, an outdoor kitchen from Planet Furniture is built to sit at home with your existing house and garden style. Visit our Hitchin showroom by appointment to see materials, hardware and design options in person.
Outdoor kitchens at a glance:
- Designed and handmade in our Hertfordshire workshop
- Weatherproof cabinetry built for the British climate
- Compatible with Big Green Egg, Wolf Outdoor Grill, pizza ovens, gas grills and more
- Worktops in quartz, granite, porcelain or solid timber
- Typically usable ten to twelve months a year with overhead cover
- Designed alongside landscapers, builders and pergola installers
Why Choose a Planet Furniture Outdoor Kitchen?
An outdoor kitchen turns the garden into a second living space, ideal for summer family meals, weekend gatherings and year round entertaining under a covered shelter. Designed properly, it adds real value to the home and changes how the whole household uses the garden.
Every outdoor kitchen we build is fully bespoke, designed around your appliances, your favourite way to cook, and the shape of your garden. We work with leading outdoor grill and oven brands including the Big Green Egg, Wolf Outdoor Grill and traditional pizza ovens, and integrate everything into cabinetry that lasts in the UK climate.
We design and install bespoke outdoor kitchens for homes across Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, London, Bedfordshire and the wider Home Counties, working alongside your landscaper, builder or pergola installer to fit the outdoor kitchen seamlessly into the wider garden project. If you are also planning the indoor kitchen, we can match the cabinetry, paint colour and handle finishes across our in-frame shaker, lay-on shaker and handleless kitchen styles.
Outdoor Cooking Appliances Compared
Choosing the right cooker shapes the whole outdoor kitchen layout. The table below compares the appliances we most commonly build cabinetry around.
| Appliance | Best for | Fuel | Year round use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Green Egg | Slow cooking, smoking, grilling, baking | Charcoal | Yes | Ceramic kamado, holds temperature in cold weather, very versatile |
| Wolf Outdoor Grill | High heat searing, weekly BBQ | Gas, natural or LPG | Yes | Heavy stainless steel, fast preheat, ideal for everyday use |
| Wood fired pizza oven | Pizza, bread, slow roasting | Wood | Yes, with cover | Authentic wood fired flavour, reaches 400 to 500 degrees |
| Built in gas grill or burner | Quick weekday grilling | Gas | Yes | Compact, integrates with prep worktop, family friendly |
| Teppanyaki plate | Direct griddle cooking | Gas or electric | Yes | Great for breakfast, fish and seared vegetables |
For a wider list of features to consider, see our guide to the top ten features to put in your outdoor kitchen.
Outdoor Worktop Materials Compared
Worktop choice matters more outdoors than indoors. UV exposure, frost cycles and direct rain all change how a material ages. These are the surfaces we specify most often for outdoor kitchens.
| Material | Weather resistance | Heat resistance | Maintenance | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz, engineered | Good for sheltered runs, can fade in direct sun | High | Low | Best under a pergola or canopy |
| Granite | Excellent, ages naturally | Very high | Low to medium | Workhorse for fully exposed runs |
| Porcelain, large format | Excellent, UV stable | Very high | Low | Modern, thin profile, lightest visual weight |
| Solid timber, iroko or teak | Needs annual oiling | Low | Medium | For prep edges and breakfast bar overhangs |
| Stainless steel | Excellent | Very high | Low | Around grills and hot zones, contrasts with timber |
Outdoor Kitchen Articles
Outdoor Kitchens: Frequently Asked Questions
A bespoke outdoor kitchen is a permanent, fully fitted cooking and entertaining space designed for the garden, with built in appliances, prep space, storage and worktops, all custom made to suit your home, garden and the way you cook outside. Unlike freestanding garden BBQs, a bespoke outdoor kitchen is a fixed, weatherproof installation built to last.
Outdoor kitchens need to handle rain, sun and frost. We typically use exterior grade timber and stainless steel framing, weatherproof finishes and worktops in quartz, porcelain or granite. Soft close hardware and drawer runners are specified to outdoor grade where possible. The table above gives a side by side comparison of the materials we use most often.
Almost anything: gas grills and burners, Big Green Egg kamado cookers, Wolf Outdoor Grills, pizza ovens, side burners, teppanyaki plates, outdoor sinks, refrigerated drawers, wine fridges and built in extraction. We design the cabinetry around the appliance list you want to use.
Yes, with the right shelter and appliance choice. A pergola, veranda or fixed roof keeps rain off, and ceramic kamado cookers and gas grills work happily in cold weather. With overhead cover, many of our clients use their outdoor kitchen ten to twelve months a year, including winter.
It varies with size, materials and appliances. As a guide, a fitted run of weatherproof cabinetry, worktop and a single built in grill sits at the lower end, and full open plan outdoor kitchens with pizza oven, kamado, fridge, sink and shelter sit higher. We give you a clear quote after the initial design consultation.
Most outdoor kitchens built within the curtilage of a home do not need planning permission, especially if they are open or sit under permitted development structures. Listed buildings, conservation areas and larger covered structures may need consent. We will guide you through this during the design phase.
Yes. If you have an existing handcrafted kitchen from Planet Furniture, or another well made interior kitchen, we can pick up the cabinetry style, paint colour, handles and worktop choices so the inside and outside read as one continuous design.
We design and install bespoke outdoor kitchens across Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, London, Bedfordshire and the wider Home Counties. All cabinetry is built in our Hertfordshire workshop and then installed on site, working alongside your landscaper, builder or pergola installer.
All of our outdoor kitchens are designed and built in our own Hertfordshire workshop, using materials chosen for the British climate. We then install on site, working with your landscaper, builder or pergola installer as needed.
Have Another Question?
Let us know if you need further help and didn’t find an answer to your specific question.
Our Guarantee
Our exceptional reputation is something we are incredibly proud of. We are confident in the superb quality of the furniture we produce, and you can be confident in the standards we set are ourselves in every aspect is incredibly high.
From our expert designers to our superb craftsmen and our highly experienced fitters to our talented hand painters, we are proud to say are exclusive to Planet Furniture, therefore no aspect of our work is sub-contacted out – This allows us to maintain our high standards throughout the entire process of your project.
What Do Our Client’s say about their projects?
We’re rated 5 stars on Houzz.co.uk & Google Maps
Talisa was helpful from the outset and we knew we wanted to go with Planet Furniture after meeting her and her lovely dog, Mabel. Nothing was a problem or too difficult throughout the entire process from design to completion and we are so happy with our beautiful finished kitchen and utility room. Planet Furniture also helped us with a built in upholstered bench and dining table in our dining area, a unit for our Games Room, a built in wardrobe for our loft bedroom and units in our hallway to hang coats and put shoes. Their fitter Craig was so careful and precise with his carpentry and we couldn’t be happier with the finished result. Thanks to you all for your hard work and attention to detail, it has really paid off and all our friends and family enjoyed sharing the new space with us over Christmas and New Year. We would highly recommend Talisa, Craig and Planet Furniture to anyone interested in a high quality and beautifully crafted kitchen – they know what they are doing! (January 2025)
Working with Planet Furniture on a recent client project was an absolute pleasure. Their team demonstrated exceptional attention to detail and professionalism, ensuring that the kitchen design aligned seamlessly with my vision and met my client’s needs perfectly. The collaboration between us felt effortless—they were responsive, knowledgeable, and proactive in finding solutions to achieve the best results. From the initial planning stages to the final installation, the entire process was smooth and enjoyable. Their craftsmanship and quality speak for themselves, but what truly stood out was their commitment to ensuring that, together, my client received not just a stunning kitchen, but one that functioned beautifully and felt tailored to their lifestyle. I would highly recommend Planet Furniture to anyone looking for a company that values collaboration and delivers exceptional kitchens with a high level of care and expertise. (December 2024)
We are delighted with our new kitchen! Ruth is a very talented designer and really took our requirements into account. The fitters were professional and took the time to make sure that all the details were perfect. The whole experience was remarkably straightforward considering the number of moving parts that were being co-ordinated. This is the second time that we have used Planet for a kitchen renovation, and on both occasions they have given us exactly what we wanted. (December 2024)
Our kitchen was long overdue a refresh but I was daunted by the possible scale of the project. We tried a few of the obvious names in the kitchen market but after failed appointments and unsatisfactory service, we decided to look at the higher end of the market. The difference in the quality and service from Planet Furniture was instantly clear. Talisa came up with some inspiring designs, different to what we might have imagined and we went with one of those. She guided us through all the choices, including sourcing some appliances to go alongside our own purchases. The fitting of the kitchen from start to finish was around 7 weeks but that included 2 weeks of remedial work in the room first. The fitters were tidy, largely prompt and the installed kitchen looks fabulous. My husband loves the quality feel of it and I love the layout – there is always a risk designing something on paper that might not work in reality but this one does. Admittedly not the cheapest option out there, but this room is the heart of our house and the kitchen is built to last. It can be repainted when you fancy a change and the flexibility on colour choice is infinite. Thank you PF. (December 2024)
Amazing work from start to finish. Detailed designs that were clearly explained and well thought out. Sensible and honest advice. Helpful service throughout. Excellent and skilled fitters. We are so pleased with our kitchen and would recommend Planet Furniture to anyone. I would particularly like to highlight the customer service which has been exemplary. Thank you!
During September, Planet Furniture refurbished our kitchen and utility room. They installed the original kitchen and utility room in March 2008 and they have worked so well for us and remain in such good condition that we decided to refurbish rather than replace. All of the doors, drawer fronts and decor panels were repainted a new colour, handles replaced and updated, door hinges updated, splash back for the hob replaced, a new mixer tap fitted and a new bin and recycling unit installed. From start to finish the service was very professional and the work well planned, executed and managed. The Planet Team arrived when they said they would; did what was planned and were a pleasure to have in our home. They were also very careful to ensure COVID restrictions were adhered to to protect us and themselves. We are extremely happy with the outcome and would not hesitate to work with Planet Furniture in the future.
The team at PF were great to work with, they guided us through the entire process, listening to our ideas and sharing their experience. The craftsmanship was second to none and we are delighted with our new kitchen. Thanks team PF.
Planet Furniture were simply superb from start to finish. High quality design and high quality furniture. Every aspect from start to finish was excellent. The people were a joy to work with and they genuinely took care at every stage to ensure we received our dream kitchen. I highly recommend them.
We were recommended by friends to check out this company when we decided to have a new kitchen. After a visit to their showroom and a chat with one of their design staff, Andy, we decided to go ahead and have all the plans drawn up and costed, all without obligation. We were helped all the way through the design phase including choosing colour, style, lighting, fixtures and fittings etc, and after a couple of onsite inspections, suggestions were made and we found we could all work together and the final design left us very impressed. We chose to go ahead with their recommended professionals for all the building, electrical, plumbing and plastering required to prepare the room for the new kitchen. All phases of the work happened on time, on budget with all professionals arriving on the advised day and time and all work completed by competent friendly guys all willing to talk, listen and answer questions as they proceeded. By the time all the “ground work” was completed it was time for our new kitchen to arrive and be installed. This took approximately 6/7 days and as we watched our kitchen take shape we could not fail to be impressed with the quality of the construction of each unit and the care taken in fitting it. The whole project was topped off by the hand painting/finishing of all the units. leaving us with our dream kitchen. Overall, it was expensive and there are cheaper options out there but probably not of this quality. Five Star all the way.