Outdoor Kitchen and Living Space Ideas for Your Luxury Minneapolis Home

Minnesotans' love for the great outdoors isn't bound to a single season, their love for nature lasts all year round. For those in the Minneapolis area, especially in residential districts like Ramsey or Ham Lake, extending the comfort of the indoors to an outdoor living space means more time relaxing in nature.

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Whether you enjoy lakeside relaxation or yearn for fresh air and sunlight, this list of ideas for your outdoor living space is sure to inspire Minneapolis's nature lovers.

Outdoor Kitchen Ideas

While Minnesota’s landscapes are perfect for hosting summer BBQs or serving dinner on the patio, the long winter season keeps nature lovers indoors for almost half the year. An outdoor kitchen lets you savor the culinary experience year-round with the same convenience and comfort as your indoor space. 

Gardening Meets Gourmet

Cultivate a garden that grows a diverse range of herbs and vegetables 365 days a year. Decorating your pergola or outdoor kitchen wall with a vertical garden offers easy access to fresh ingredients that you can harvest as you cook.

Several aromatic herbs also double as pest repellent, ensuring your garden stays healthy in the summer without the need for vigilant gardening. For an even more convenient experience, use a smart garden instead of traditional plant pots. They will automatically water your plants and expose them to sun lamps in the winter. 

Modern Kitchen Design

Embrace a minimalist aesthetic with natural materials and abundant daylight, drawing inspiration from Scandinavian simplicity. Opt for sleek, handleless cabinetry and versatile cooking appliances to maintain a clean and modern vibe.

Swim-Up Bar

Integrate dining with leisure with a swim-up bar in your pool or hot tub for a relaxing and luxurious experience. Imagine savoring a glass of wine and sampling hors d'oeuvre while getting a jet massage or floating on a lilo.

Backyard Cooking Fire Pit

Blend the rustic feeling of outdoor cooking with the warmth of a rustic woodfire pizza oven. For a classic BBQ, install a waterproof grill or elevate the traditional campfire with a multi-functional fire pit.

Outdoor Living Space Ideas

Create an ambiance of seamless comfort with outdoor furniture that can rival your indoor sitting area. Investing in high-quality amenities will ensure you never miss out on star gazing or a northern lights show.

For the true die-hards, heated flooring will keep you warm whether you're in your outdoor entertainment space or kitchen. Here are some outdoor living space ideas that are ideal for everything from a high-profile soiree to an evening spent decompressing.

Outdoor Furniture

Create an ambiance of seamless comfort with outdoor furniture that can rival your indoor sitting area. Opt for lounge chairs and sofas that recline, offer electric heating, and resist the wear and tear of the elements while also utilizing your favorite materials. The same goes for the materials you decide to use for your side tables and footrests.

Covered Outdoor Living Space

Install a pergola, awning, or retractable roof to ensure that neither the rain, hail, nor snow spoils your outdoor plans.

Energy-Efficient Outdoor Area Lighting

Lighting sets the mood and extends the day. Modern LED lighting can be both powerful and cost-effective, enhancing the beauty of your space long into the night.

For an even more eco-friendly lighting solution during the long winter nights, opt for solar-powered lights. There are lots of smart lighting options that can connect to your smart home or smartphone so that you can turn them off and on automatically, ensuring you never waste energy.

Waterproof Outdoor Entertainment Center

A dedicated entertainment center with a waterproof protective casing can house your TV, music system, and game consoles, ready to entertain with a push of a button. From weather-resistant flat screens to state-of-the-art sound systems, high-quality, waterproof outdoor entertainment gear is a must for a luxury outdoor living room.

Custom Hot Tub

No luxury outdoor space is complete without a hot tub. The Twin Cities' cold winter nights are perfect for star-gazing from the warm waters.

You can customize your hot tub to include the latest technology that lets you automatically control the temperature and use voice commands. You could also arrange your TV in front of your hot tub so you can elevate your evening series binge to include defrosting and de-stressing.

Look for energy-efficient hot tubs that can save you money and the environment. And don’t forget to customize your design so that you can easily avoid the snow and frost as you transition to the steamy water. 

Stylish Space Heaters

To enhance warmth without compromising on style, consider elegant space heaters that combine both aesthetics and functionality. Space heaters are another feature that can become part of your smart home and automatically start when the temperature drops below a certain level.

Never again will you have to pause a conversation while you wrestle with getting the switch to work.


Relax, cook, or entertain while enjoying Minneapolis's great outdoors all year round. Don't just design for outdoor living, create an outdoor space that rivals the comfort of your interior.

Price Homes can build your dream outdoor space to match your exact needs with unparalleled craftsmanship. If you're in the Minneapolis or Brainerd Lakes area, schedule a consultation to walk us through your ideas or concerns.