How to Use a Program for 3D Design of an Outdoor Kitchen

If you want to create a new outdoor kitchen, you'll probably want to hire an architect or designer that has experience in creating these structures. And you might want to be able to relate to this professional what you have in mind for your outdoor kitchen. While you can do this using sketches, you have a better chance of getting your message across by using a program like Google SketchUp to create a preliminary 3D design.

Instructions

List the items you want included in your outdoor kitchen, such as counters, grill tops, burners, sinks and a mini-fridge. Some people even add a spot for a microwave. Also decide what kind of structure you want for this kitchen, such as whether it will be on a deck, attached like a porch or perhaps placed under a gazebo.

Download and install Google SketchUp. Then start the program. When SketchUp opens, you will be presented with a menu at the top, a toolbar on the left and a large perspective view in the middle. In the lower-right corner, there is a readout that gives you lengths and heights as you work. In the view itself there is a ground plane and a 2D figure useful for judging relative sizes of things like stairs and doors.

Select the "Line" tool and use it to draw out on the ground plane the shape of you structure. For instance, a gazebo would be octagonal. Then use the "Push/Pull" tool to select this shape a extend it up to form the base of the gazebo. Use the numerical readout at the bottom to make sure you are getting the sizes right.

Create the other shapes for the gazebo structure (stairs, roof) in the same way, building them on a different part of the groundplane. Once completed, use the "Move" tool to stack the various parts of the gazebo together. Now select the "Paint Bucket" tool. In the dialog that pops up, browse through the categories and select a material or texture you would like to apply to some part of the gazebo and click on that part. The texture is applied. Do this for each part of the structure.

Now you need to add your appliances and other furnishings. Click on the 3D warehouse" icon at the top. In the dialog that opens browse through the categories to find the items you need. Click on one to add it to the scene. You can use the "Move" and "Scale" tools to get the item exactly where you need it. Do this for each item you wish to add. And that's it. You now have a good 3D version of your ideas that you can show the professional.

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