Because the original brick island already had natural gas and electrical run to it, keeping the new kitchen in the same spot just made sense. We extended a natural gas line off the kitchen and ran it under the concrete to the firepit, giving it a permanent fuel source — no more running out of propane mid-evening. The patio's grading also mattered: it drained toward the inside corner of the kitchen area, so we built small weep holes into the front and back of the kitchen to let water drain through to the landscaping instead of pooling.

The Napoleon grill and griddle make a great pairing in the new kitchen, and look especially good lit up at night. For the firepit, we sourced a burner sized right for the table and built a custom stainless steel pan to fit our custom firepit frame — it throws real heat, sets a great ambiance, and leaves plenty of counter space around it for setting down a drink or kicking your feet up.

The homeowners recently bought this house and have been slowly making it their own — the patio and exterior were a natural starting point so they could enjoy the outdoors while the weather's good. They'd been using the old brick island as-is until a new design came together, and that original grill is now built right into the new kitchen.