A pool deck kitchen is the closest thing to a resort you can have at home: a bar facing the water, something on the grill and nobody walking wet through the house. Getting there takes a bit more planning than a regular patio, because water, sun, chlorine or salt and bare feet all change the rules.
1. Place it with swimmers in mind
Walk the deck and watch how people move between the house, the pool steps and the seating. Keep the cooking end away from the main swimmer path and the splash zone, and put the bar side where guests can see the water. Ask your pool builder and local building department about required setbacks from the water’s edge and from pool equipment before you decide on a spot. Don’t guess.
2. Choose materials that like the outdoors
Pool decks are hard on materials: strong sun, splashed water, pool chemicals and, near the coast, salt air. Paradise Grills islands use 304 stainless grills and appliances, welded aluminum frames and Italian Avellero stone tops over a honeycomb aluminum core, and the newer siding is a thicker, architectural vertical-lined material that holds up even better outdoors. Whatever you buy, follow the owner manual’s cleaning routine, and rinse stainless and stone with fresh water after pool parties.
3. Shade turns it into a resort
Without shade, a pool-deck bar sits empty on summer afternoons. This is where the Shades of Paradise line shines:
- Thatched: the Tahiti puts a thatched shade over a cocktail station and stone top with a TV above the bar; the Abaco is a grand thatched hut with the 8-in-1 hybrid grill and a full stainless refrigerator.
- Pergola: the St. Barths Double, Monaco and Mykonos put the kitchen under a pergola. Monaco and Mykonos include a TV, fans and dimmable puck lighting.
Check your HOA’s rules on shade structures and thatch, and confirm the structure’s placement with your pool builder.
4. Build a bar people want to sit at
The magic of a resort bar is that guests face the water while the host faces them. Plan a cocktail station, a sink if you can run water and a drain, and separate cold storage for drinks and food. The Tahiti, for example, includes a cocktail station, a sink, a bar fridge and a wine fridge. Use acrylic or other shatter-resistant drinkware around the pool.
5. Get the surface and drainage right
The island needs a level, solid base, and the area around it should drain away from the kitchen and the house. Slip-resistant decking matters where wet feet meet a bar. If you’re building a new deck, coordinate the island location with your pool builder early so the base, drains and any utility runs go in before the pavers.
6. Respect electricity and gas near water
Water and electricity need extra care. Have a licensed electrician install properly rated, GFCI-protected outdoor power for the island and confirm it meets local code for pool areas. Gas lines should be run by a licensed gas professional. Check the grill manufacturer’s clearances, and keep the grill away from pool floats, umbrellas and anything that can blow into it.
7. Plan for the evening
Pool parties drift into night. App-controlled LED lighting on the island, soft deck lighting and a marine-grade Bluetooth stereo on equipped bars keep the space usable after sunset. Keep the pool area supervised and gated as your local rules require.
8. Bring your pool builder in early
The best pool deck kitchens are planned with the pool, not added after. Pool builders, landscapers and other trades can ask Mark about the Paradise Grills trade program.