Building your own outdoor kitchen is becoming a more and more popular thing to do in the warmer southern areas. Of course, few homeowners have the wherewithal to actually DIY an entire outdoor kitchen; a designer and a contractor are virtual necessities if you're going to come up with killer outdoor kitchen. It might seem like this trend runs counter to the general state of the economy, but for the right families, an outdoor kitchen can make an incredible investment.

If you're the kind of gang that often invites over guests and would often take them somewhere in town to enjoy the warm evenings and the sunsets, an outdoor kitchen can actually save you thousands of dollars in "nights out" over the years. It's actually cheaper in the long run to invest once in a high quality outdoor kitchen than it is to continually drive into town to feed your guests.

With the myriad of pieces of equipment that are available for use in well-built outdoor kitchens, and companies like Werever offering free equipment consultations, it's easier and funner than ever to build yourself the perfect outdoor cooking paradise. The process is very straightforward -- call your designer, tell them what you're looking for. They'll come out and survey the space, talk to you about your budget, and come up with a few options for you.

You have innumerable options; the classic gas grill is only the centerpiece of a top-notch outdoor kitchen. Accessories like smokers, side burners, refrigerators, pizza ovens, and even bartending stations make frequent appearances in modern outdoor kitchens. Some companies sell these items as built-in pieces of your kitchen, others will require you to work with their contractor to find or build the right space for any accessories you want.

Of course, depending on your environment, you'll want to take different things into account. If you live in or near a wetlands, you'll want screens or at least a place to put some citronella torches to keep the mosquitoes at bay. If you live further north, you might want to consider a woodstove or some built-in heat lamps to let the party run further into the night without breaking up due to cold.

Whatever you end up building, the basic process holds: get a designer, get a survey, and talk shop -- then find a company that can provide you with the parts and pieces, and get to building. Creating your own outdoor kitchen has never been easier or more fun than it is today.