Outdoor Kitchens, Masonry & Fire Features
Outdoor Kitchens Built for How You Actually Live
The best outdoor kitchen isn't the one with the most appliances — it's the one built for the way your family actually entertains. At King's Landscape Design, we've been designing and building custom outdoor kitchens, fire features, and masonry structures across Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Western Springs, and the Chicago western suburbs since 1959. Our work has earned multiple APLD (Association of Professional Landscape Designers) awards, and several of our most recognized projects have centered on outdoor kitchen installations.
We don't install prefabricated kits. Every outdoor kitchen we build starts with a custom design — stone species, counter depths, appliance placement, and structural details that match your home's architectural character and your specific outdoor entertaining patterns. Whether you're envisioning a simple built-in grill station with counter space or a fully equipped outdoor culinary environment with gaucho fire spit, tandoori grill, wood-burning pizza oven, wine cooler, and wet bar, we design from scratch and build to last.
Our masonry crews are craftsmen, not installers. The stone, concrete block, and veneer work on a King's outdoor kitchen is built with the same attention to detail as the interior masonry in the estates we work around. We understand that in Hinsdale and the western suburbs, outdoor features are visible from the street and the neighboring properties — the craftsmanship standard is non-negotiable.
What We Build
Outdoor Kitchens
Complete outdoor kitchen installations — built-in grills (gas, charcoal, or wood), side burners, rotisserie systems, refrigeration, ice makers, sinks, and custom stone or stucco countertops. We handle structural foundation, utility rough-ins, and finish work.
Fire Features
Custom fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, fire tables, and linear fire features. Gas-fired or wood-burning. Integrated into patios or standalone. We've built fire features at every scale — from intimate conversation circles to statement fireplaces that anchor large outdoor rooms.
Custom Masonry
Stone columns, retaining walls, seat walls, veneers, and structural masonry that ties your outdoor kitchen into the broader hardscape. We work with travertine, bluestone, limestone, granite, and architectural block — selected to match your home's existing materials.
Specialty Cooking Equipment
For clients who want to go beyond a standard grill station: gaucho Argentine fire spits, tandoori clay ovens, wood-burning pizza ovens, and commercial-grade smokers. We've installed all of these — they require custom structural engineering and we know how to do it right.
Outdoor Bars & Entertainment
Wet bars, wine coolers, kegerators, and entertainment shelving integrated into outdoor kitchen structures. Covered with pergolas or solid-roof structures. We design these spaces to function as true second kitchens — not weekend-only novelties.
Lighting & Electrical
Outdoor kitchen projects require proper electrical and lighting from the start — not added as afterthoughts. We coordinate utility work and design ambient, task, and accent lighting that makes the space usable at night and beautiful from every angle.
Our Outdoor Kitchen Process
Every outdoor kitchen we build goes through the same design-first process. We don't start with a catalog — we start with your property, your home's architecture, and how you want to use the space.
Consultation & Site Analysis
We visit your property, assess existing conditions (grade, utilities, drainage, access), and discuss how you entertain. We ask about cooking habits, frequency of use, number of guests, and any appliance wish list before anything is drawn.
Custom Design & 3D Rendering
Our design team creates a complete plan — footprint, elevation, material specifications, appliance layout, and integration with surrounding patios or structures. You see a 3D rendering before any construction begins.
Permitting & Approvals
Outdoor kitchens in Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, and most western suburbs require building permits. We handle all permitting documentation, submit to the appropriate village building department, and schedule inspections — you don't need to manage this process.
Construction & Installation
Our masonry crews handle all structural work. Utility connections (gas lines, electrical, plumbing) are coordinated with licensed subcontractors. We manage the full project — you have one point of contact from groundbreaking through final inspection.
Featured Outdoor Kitchen Projects
These projects represent the range of outdoor kitchen work King's has delivered across the western suburbs.
An Outdoor Chef's Dream Kitchen
Gaucho fire spit, tandoori grill, wood-burning pizza oven, ambient lighting system, and custom stone masonry.
View Project →
An Entertainer's Paradise
Custom pergola, outdoor kitchen for 8, wine cooler, wet bar, and fire feature centerpiece.
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A Family Affair
2022 ILCA Silver Award — pergola, Buckingham Rustic Royal Chateau stone, hot tub integration, and fire feature.
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"King's created the most beautiful outdoor kitchen and fire feature for our home. The craftsmanship and attention to detail is outstanding. We use it almost every weekend."— Sue T., Hinsdale, IL
Outdoor Kitchen FAQ
How much does a custom outdoor kitchen cost?
Custom outdoor kitchen projects in the Hinsdale and western suburbs market range from $25,000 for a single-station grill structure to $150,000+ for fully equipped multi-cooking outdoor culinary environments with pergola cover, bar, and fire features. Cost depends on footprint, appliance specifications, stone species, and utility work required. We provide detailed proposals after the design consultation — not ballpark ranges over the phone.
How long does outdoor kitchen installation take?
From signed contract to completion, most outdoor kitchen projects take 6–12 weeks. This includes the permitting lead time (typically 2–4 weeks in DuPage and Cook County), material procurement, and construction. More complex projects with custom stone, specialty appliances, or integrated structures take longer. We provide a project timeline at proposal.
Do you handle building permits?
Yes. Outdoor kitchens with gas lines, electrical connections, or permanent foundations require permits in virtually all western suburb municipalities. King's prepares and submits all permit applications, liaises with the village building department, and schedules required inspections. You never have to navigate the permitting process yourself.
What materials do you use for outdoor kitchen countertops?
We work with granite, porcelain, concrete, natural bluestone, and limestone for outdoor countertops — each with different performance characteristics in Chicago's climate. Granite is the most popular for durability and aesthetics. We don't use composite or laminate surfaces on premium builds. Material selection happens during the design phase and is specific to your appliance configuration and aesthetic goals.
Can outdoor kitchens be used year-round in Illinois?
With proper design, yes. We design outdoor kitchens with Chicago winters in mind — freeze/thaw tolerant masonry, properly graded drainage so water doesn't pool under structures, and appliance specifications for cold-weather performance. Many of our clients cook outdoors through November and again starting in March. A covered structure (pergola, solid roof) extends the season significantly and is worth considering at the design phase.
Do you also build the patio or deck surrounding the outdoor kitchen?
Yes — and this is often where King's has the most impact. We are a full-service landscape design and build firm. We design the outdoor kitchen as part of a complete outdoor living space — patio, hardscape, plantings, lighting, drainage — not as a standalone structure dropped into an existing yard. If you need both the kitchen and the surrounding environment designed and built, we handle everything under one project.
Serving Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Western Springs & the Western Suburbs
King's outdoor kitchen projects span the premium western suburbs — Hinsdale, Burr Ridge, Lemont, Western Springs, Oak Brook, Clarendon Hills, La Grange, and beyond. Our Lemont base puts us within 15 minutes of most of our project sites.
Our Work
