Although compact spaces are no stranger to our outdoor kitchen designers, outdoor living design supervisor Erin Hopson admitted some challenge with this one. The homeowners — by all accounts, a really great older couple who were a delight! — wanted a space to entertain close loved ones once or twice a week. Easy, right? Throw in a very tight fit and butt the design up against the house, shrink the budget, then stir generously for 10–12 minutes over medium heat. Pepper to taste for a project that's more than meets the eye.

We tried to talk them into spacing it a little further out for some breathing room, but they didn't want the extra walk, Erin explains. Once the owners told me their interior kitchen was basically halfway across the house, I was on their side. Who can blame them? I think I'd tolerate that for maybe a day. With all these factors in mind, doggedly optimistic Erin and her brilliant designers set out to work within tight limitations to give these homeowners an outdoor kitchen that fit their hosting needs, cut down on the back-and-forth, squeezed in quality-of-life conveniences, and stayed simple to clean. Here's how they did it.