How Can I Make An Outdoor Space Work?

An outdoor kitchen sounds like it would be a really neat thing to have outside our home. But I’m not quite sure how to go about doing that. From magazine pictures like in Better Homes and Garden, then always look somewhat enclosed: they seem to be tucked into an area that is flanked by two sides of your house that are perpendicular to one another.

But what if your house is not built like that? My house has just a little “jog” in the wall on our long back deck, which is pretty exposed and has no cover. Then down one story on one side, I have a cement slab against a sliding glass door. But it looks like that if you want the whole shebang—cushioned furniture, counter space, cooktop and an outdoor sink—you need more shelter than I seem to have.

So what ideas are out there for making an outdoor kitchen work when you don’t have the ready-made architecture for it? I’d love to see some pictures and ideas for protecting your kitchen and sitting area from the elements. Because what I have right now is okay for a plain barbecue and sun deck, but I’d like something a little more gracious.