Outdoor kitchen toekick options

Outdoor Kitchens are beautiful and most often the design is in the details. In this post we are going to share a few of the toekick details that you may want to consider when you're finalizing your outdoor kitchen. 

toekick options

This is something that is often overlooked when designing outdoor kitchens. Here are a few of the details you want to think about when it comes to the toekick or the bottom of your cabinets. 

Flush Toekick: This is where the panel at the bottom of your cabinets is at the same depth as your cabinet doors. To the eye this can look nice, but often it's not functional. The job of the toekick is to allow your foot space to go under the cabinets so you can move your body closer to the countertop when you're working. The general rule is that if there is countertop workspace you don't want the toekick directly below it to be flush.

Appliance Venting: Many outdoor appliances have vents to allow proper air flow. They are necessary but not always appealing. There are a few details you can consider in your design. You could choose a stainless toekick for all of your cabinets to somewhat conceal the venting. Even with powder-coated cabinets, this can be a sharp look if done properly. Depending on your appliance, you can have the vent powder-coated to match the cabinetry and toekick so it is somewhat concealed. Or you can of course simply allow the vent to be exposed and allow the rest of the toekick to match your cabinetry. 

Returning Toekick: Depending on the design, you have to decide how to handle the toekick at the ends of the run of cabinets. Many times it is a sharp look to have a panel at the end to go right to the floor and allow the toekick to run right into it. This is a clean and polished look. Another option is to return the toekick back to the wall under the last cabinet of the run. If there is no wall at the back you will want to consider whether it makes sense to wrap the toekick around the entire perimeter of the cabinetry layout (like an island). 
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Coloured Toekick:  We love matching the toekick to the powder-coated finish of the cabinetry. However, there are also times that it can add interest to colour the toekick a different colour from the rest of the cabinets. Like we discussed in the venting area, stainless is a sharp option. Yes, powder-coating the toekick to be a bright fun colour while leaving the rest of the cabinets black or neutral is a great and unexpected way of adding some design flair to your outdoor kitchen. This also makes it easy to switch out the toekick to a different colour if you choose to down the road without having to replace all the cabinetry. 

Casters: A great option is to consider putting casters on your cabinetry so they can be moved around. This is especially useful for smaller areas, where you can tuck away the cabinetry when you aren't using it.  Make sure to consider the mechanics of any appliances or plumbing that you may be incorporating into these units.  If it's deemed safe and functional to incorporate this idea, be sure to use quality heavy duty casters. Keep in mind when asking your designer to look into this option, you are looking for casters and not wheels. The main difference between the two is that wheels only move on one axis (or in one direction) and casters can move in all directions. 
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Let us know what your favourite options is! Looking forward to hearing from you about your upcoming outdoor kitchen project!