The L-shape outdoor kitchen is the most popular configuration in Broken Arrow’s premium outdoor kitchen market — and for good reason. An L-shape design simultaneously creates a functional cooking zone and a social seating zone within a single masonry base footprint, transforming a cooking station into an outdoor gathering environment where guests engage with the host during meal preparation. VistaScapes & Design designs L-shape outdoor kitchens throughout Broken Arrow and helps homeowners optimize the kitchen layout for their specific patio dimensions and entertaining priorities.
How an L-Shape Kitchen Works
An L-shape outdoor kitchen has two perpendicular counter runs that meet at a corner — one leg dedicated to cooking functions (grill, side burner, warming drawer) and the other leg functioning as a bar counter with raised height and overhang for seating. The cook stands at the cooking leg and faces the bar seating leg, creating the social dynamic where the host is part of the conversation rather than cooking with their back to guests. The corner area typically holds a refrigerator, ice maker, or storage that is accessible from both working positions. In a Broken Arrow outdoor kitchen under a 16×20 or larger covered patio, the L-shape typically runs 10 to 12 feet on the cooking leg and 8 to 10 feet on the bar leg, with 2 to 4 barstools on the raised bar counter.
Positioning the L Within the Covered Patio
The position of the L-shape kitchen within the covered patio determines how well the overall outdoor living environment flows. The most common arrangement positions the L in one corner of the covered patio with the open side of the L facing into the patio interior — the corner location anchors the kitchen structurally and leaves the remainder of the patio open for dining and seating. The bar counter leg of the L should face the interior of the patio rather than a wall or fence, so that barstools face inward and seated guests look toward the kitchen and into the outdoor living space rather than at the patio perimeter. We discuss the position of the L relative to the covered patio structure, the house access point, the grill orientation, and the bar seating view direction at every Broken Arrow kitchen design session.
Sizing the L for Entertaining Scale
An L-shape outdoor kitchen in Broken Arrow should be sized for the entertaining scale the homeowner actually uses. A shorter L — 8 feet on the cooking leg and 6 feet on the bar leg — serves 2 to 3 barstools and small-group entertaining. A full-size L — 12 feet on the cooking leg and 10 feet on the bar leg — accommodates a full appliance package (grill, side burner, refrigerator, ice maker) and 4 to 5 barstools for larger gatherings. We help homeowners size the L configuration to their actual use rather than defaulting to the largest possible footprint, which can leave too little patio space for comfortable dining table placement on smaller covered patio footprints.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free outdoor kitchen consultation in Broken Arrow. We’ll design an L-shape outdoor kitchen that fits your patio dimensions, appliance priorities, and entertaining style.
