In the sunny span of summer, the family backyard calls, and parents and children tend to treat their lawn as an extension of the home -- and never is this more true than for families that have a quality outdoor kitchen. Such a locale blends the freedom and pleasure of the out-of-doors with the ability to entertain and socialize with family and friends. Outdoor kitchens, contrary to many folks' intuitions, have become more popular as the economy has stagnated -- because many families prefer to be able to entertain in a quality home environment rather than continuously spend money to take family and friends out somewhere. Being unexpectedly stuck in a home you were considering selling can also suddenly bring to front the notion that perhaps investing into making your home a place you'd like to stay is a good idea. Before you go about getting your backyard converted into an entertainment space with an outdoor kitchen, there are some basic things you should ask yourself:

• How can your backyard accommodate a kitchen? If it's not level, not well drained, or (if you're going to put your kitchen on a deck) it can't support the weight of the often-hefty equipment an outdoor kitchen involves, you'll need to solve those problems before a kitchen can become a reality.
• Is your backyard private enough to have a kitchen? It seems like a much less important consideration at first, but many parties will suffer a bit if your backyard is wide open to the neighbors or to an alley that gets frequent traffic.
• Are sun and wind going to be issues? Given the orientation of your property, an outdoor kitchen must be able to handle the prevailing winds, and some form of protection from the brilliant light of the setting sun is also often a necessity.
• Are you ready to work with an inspector and a contractor? Even the simplest of outdoor kitchens isn't an entirely DIY kind of proposition. You'll need an inspector to come out and look at any electrical fixtures, plumbing, and gas lines that the kitchen entails. Also, a contractor to assure proper installation of the counters and cupboards is a very wise investment.

Take those basic items into account, and you'll be well on your way to setting up an outdoor kitchen that the whole family -- and your friends -- will enjoy for years to come.