Why do some outdoor kitchens end up barely getting used?
It usually isn’t because there’s anything wrong with the kitchen. It’s because it was planned around everything that could be included instead of what the homeowner would actually use.
We love designing incredible outdoor kitchens, and for some of our clients that means a grill, pizza oven, smoker, refrigeration, bar seating, and plenty of room to cook for a crowd. For someone else, most of those things might sit unused.
Nate recently talked about that with House Digest for its article on patio trends that are starting to feel outdated in 2026, including luxury outdoor kitchens that are more focused on looking impressive than on how the homeowner actually cooks and entertains.
Read the full article on House Digest
About the Feature
A bigger outdoor kitchen. Another appliance. A larger fire feature. More places to sit. Something you saw at a resort or saved online.
And we love giving our clients things they’re excited about. A lot of our projects have features you won’t find in a typical backyard.
But we don’t add something just because it makes the yard look more impressive.
That’s the idea behind the trend House Digest included Nate in. The article points to a move away from luxury outdoor kitchens that feel more showy than practical, and Nate talked about what can happen when the features become more important than the people who are actually going to use them.
An outdoor kitchen is a good example. You can add a grill, smoker, pizza oven, refrigerator, sink, ice maker, bar seating, and just about anything else you can think of. For the right client, all of that might get used constantly. For someone else, half of it might sit there untouched.
Foxterra’s Perspective
Luxury is not about how much you can fit into a yard.
We want our clients to walk outside on a Tuesday night and actually use what we designed. We want their kids in the pool after school, friends staying for dinner, weekends spent outside, and the house everyone wants to come to.
Sometimes it takes a pretty incredible feature to make that happen.
We’ve had clients who wanted a swim-up bar because they entertain all summer. We’ve designed sports courts for families who are constantly playing together, wellness areas for clients who wanted that routine at home, and outdoor kitchens where cooking is part of the night instead of something happening away from everyone else.
Those features aren’t there just to look impressive. They give that particular family another reason to be outside.
And that’s really how we think about luxury.
You can spend a lot of money on a beautiful yard and still end up with spaces you rarely use. Or you can put that investment into the experiences that matter to your family and end up with a yard you’d rather be in than almost anywhere else.
About Foxterra
Foxterra is a luxury outdoor design studio specializing in immersive backyard environments that blend architecture, landscape, and outdoor living. The firm creates custom outdoor spaces throughout the United States, with projects ranging from modern pool environments to resort-inspired entertainment destinations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a luxury backyard feel overdone?
It usually happens when features get added because they look impressive rather than because they make sense for the people who live there. A luxury yard can have a lot going on, but we still want every part of it to fit the way the family actually spends time outside.
Is a large outdoor kitchen worth it?
Absolutely, if you’ll use it. For someone who cooks and entertains outside all the time, a full outdoor kitchen can be one of the most-used parts of the yard. For someone else, that same space and budget might be better spent on a bigger pool, more room to entertain, landscaping, or something their family will use more often.
What features should you include in a luxury backyard?
There isn’t one list that works for everyone. We look at what the family likes to do, how they entertain, what they wish they could do more of at home, and which features would actually change the way they use their yard.
Behind The Article
Nate Fox
Designer
Nate Fox helps shape Foxterra's creative vision, blending architectural detail with a designer's eye for proportion and flow. His work redefines the backyard as an extension of modern luxury living.
For this story, Nate shares why luxury isn’t about adding as many features as possible, but choosing the ones that make sense for the way a family actually wants to use their yard.
Ready to Transform your yard?
Whether you’re planning a fire feature, pool environment, outdoor kitchen, or complete backyard transformation, Foxterra helps homeowners visualize what’s possible before construction begins.
