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At Novara we understand that cooking outdoors requires materials that can withstand the elements, finishes that do not degrade in the sun, structures that maintain their stability over the years.
It’s that time of year when turning on an oven can be torture and we avoid it at all costs. But the A side of the heat is broader than the B side: it is part of our climate, it marks our rhythm, character and way of life. It pushes us to enjoy the outdoors and, therefore, to socialize.
And it is precisely when the heat becomes the protagonist that many households discover a recurring, almost instinctive desire to cook outside.
We are not talking about improvising a barbecue on the terrace. We are talking about moving the kitchen outdoors with all its functional dignity. To do it well. With guarantees. With design. And without giving up anything.
Design for heat, not against it
At Novara we do not conceive outdoor kitchens as simplified versions of indoor kitchens. On the contrary, we understand that cooking outdoors requires a different kind of precision: materials that can withstand the elements, finishes that do not degrade in the sun, structures that maintain their stability over the years.
Resistance is not an extra: it is the base. Because when the temperature rises, everything else depends on it.
A well-placed kitchen is half the solution
But not everything is solved with materials. It is also important to know where to locate the kitchen. The orientation, for example, can make the difference between a space usable all day or one limited to the early hours of the morning. The ideal is to look for natural semi-shade, avoid southwest orientations and study the sun’s path according to each season.
A light deciduous pergola or even a low wall that acts as a solar barrier can help protect the cooking area without insulating it. The important thing is for the space to breathe, but not to overheat.
It is not a matter of hiding from the heat, but of knowing how to negotiate with it.
Thinking outside as inside
A well-designed outdoor kitchen is not an annex: it is an extension of the interior space. It must therefore offer the same conditions of use and the same guarantees. What changes is not the requirement, but the context.
And when the context is summer, it’s a good idea to plan ahead.
