The L-shape outdoor kitchen configuration is the most popular design we build in Tulsa, and for good reason — it solves the social seating problem that a straight-run kitchen cannot. An L-shape kitchen uses one run for cooking and preparation and a perpendicular extension for bar-height seating, creating an integrated social zone where guests sit at the counter while the host cooks, maintaining conversation and proximity without the host being separated behind a straight bar facing away from the group. For Tulsa homeowners who entertain regularly, the L-shape configuration transforms the outdoor kitchen from a cooking station into a social anchor.
L-Shape Kitchen Dimensions
A functional L-shape outdoor kitchen in Tulsa typically has a cooking run of 8 to 12 feet and a perpendicular seating run of 6 to 10 feet. The cooking run houses the built-in grill, side burner, and preparation counter; the seating run provides bar-height counter with knee clearance below for bar stools. The standard outdoor kitchen counter height is 36 inches, which works with 24 to 26-inch barstool seating and provides comfortable preparation surface height. Some designs raise the seating counter to 42 inches for a bar-height surface that distinguishes it visually from the preparation counter while allowing standard 30-inch barstool seating. We discuss these height options with Tulsa homeowners at the design phase based on their preferred seating style and the kitchen’s visual relationship to the covered patio structure and surrounding hardscape.
Appliance Layout in an L-Shape Kitchen
Appliance layout in an L-shape kitchen positions the high-heat cooking appliances — grill, side burner — at the far end of the cooking run, away from the corner where the two runs meet. This layout keeps the primary heat source away from the guest seating area at the counter extension, improving the comfort of the bar seating zone during cooking. The refrigerator and sink are typically positioned in the middle or near the corner of the cooking run, where they are accessible from both runs without requiring the host to walk past the grill to reach them. Under-counter storage for cooking tools, condiments, and supplies is distributed throughout both runs to keep the countertop surface clear for preparation and serving.
Integration with the Covered Patio
An L-shape outdoor kitchen positioned under a covered patio in Tulsa typically occupies one corner of the covered structure, with the cooking run along one wall or the back of the structure and the seating run extending perpendicular into the covered area. This positioning leaves the remainder of the covered patio area open for dining table seating, lounge furniture, or a fire feature seating arrangement. The kitchen’s position in the corner rather than against a single wall maximizes the use of the covered area and creates natural traffic flow between the kitchen, the dining area, and the outdoor living zones beyond the covered structure.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free outdoor kitchen consultation in Tulsa. We’ll design an L-shape kitchen layout that fits your covered patio dimensions and outdoor entertaining style.
