amber peebles
Transforming a Culinary Dream into Reality: Amber and Brooke's Outdoor Kitchen Journey
In the world of Amber Peebles and Brooke Howard-Smith, food is for pleasure and cooking is a way to bring together family and friends. Their remarkable outdoor kitchen, designed and brought to life by Love Kitchens, has become a sanctuary for the couple and a gathering place for their loved ones.
Put simply by Brooke, “When people are there they never want to leave”.
When Amber approached Love Kitchens with the idea of surprising her husband, Brooke, with an outdoor kitchen, she had an idea in mind but was eager to hear expert recommendations.
"We love cooking, and Brooke particularly loves grilling and slow-cooking meats, but we hadn't considered creating a space like this until I saw Love Kitchens at a home show expo a few years back," explains Amber.
Motivated by their desire to create a space that would bring loved ones together and serve as their very own culinary haven, Amber collaborated closely with Rhys, the mastermind behind Love Kitchens, to create the perfect solution for their home.
"Rhys was incredible throughout the entire process," Amber recounts. "I approached him with my basic sketches, and he immediately grasped my vision. We were going back and forth for months as the project evolved and Rhys never hesitated to embrace my new ideas, always finding a way to turn them into reality. I quickly discovered that 'no' wasn't in his vocabulary. In fact, he was the genius behind the benchtop’s seamless waterfall edge design. It was a concept I had admired in one of his indoor furniture pieces and he found a way to bring that same magic to our outdoor kitchen."
Together with Rhys, the couple opted for white marble countertops for a touch of elegance with a light wood bar leaner to add natural warmth and atmosphere. Included amongst their impressive selections are a handcrafted clay pizza oven, an Argentinian BBQ and grill, a discrete drinks fridge and an attention-demanding Escea fireplace.
"The Escea fireplace is a show stealer,” Brooke shares. "With an Ember generator and 13-point adjustable cooking plates, I can cook a complete meal while the fire adds warmth and ambience during the evenings."
“Admittedly, the outdoor kitchen now surpasses our indoor one in both functionality and charm.”
To ensure the space would withstand the elements without compromising its impeccable finish, Rhys sought out the most durable material for the project, and, when it came time for installation, executed the process seamlessly, completing it within a single day.
"The installation process was truly remarkable," Amber says. "Rhys built the entire kitchen in his workshop, ensuring minimal disruption to our daily lives. Piece by piece, the components were carefully craned onto our property, it was amazing."
As proud hosts, Amber and Brooke have been enjoying using their outdoor kitchen to serve tasty dishes to their guests. From sizzling steaks on the Argentinian grill to wood-fired pizzas and delectable butterfly chicken in the Escea fireplace, every meal becomes an experience.
And when they are ready to have the space back, their newly adopted farewell ritual, symbolized by placing a whole pineapple on the table, signifies the end of the gathering and gently prompts their guests to bid adieu — an endearing Pacific Island tradition. And if that doesn't do the trick, playing the familiar tune of "Closing Time” will!
Amber and Brooke's outdoor kitchen, brought to life by Love Kitchens and their collaboration with Rhys, has become a space they can now use all year round. As Brooke puts it, "The kitchen is the perfect space for an active relaxer like me, and it’s truly transformed the way we live our lives."
