Jason Andrew loves firepits, grilling and being outdoors—even when the weather is bad. “I’d see him grilling outside, getting poured on,” says his wife, Meena Andrew, “and I thought, ‘Let’s put a roof over the grill.’ ” The couple, each in their early 50s, ended up doing so much more, adding an outdoor kitchen and gathering area to the back of their Kensington home. The space blends the verdant views, natural soundscape and fresh breezes that come with being outside with the plush comforts of being indoors.
Screens on three sides offer views of the tree-lined backyard, vegetable garden and flower-filled planters, and give the space an outdoor feel, says designer Maureen Robinson of Arlington, Virginia-based Blue House Gardens. The 36-by-16-foot room was completed in August.
The kitchen area is mostly composed of noncombustible metal, concrete and brick, and equipped with Hestan built-in stainless steel outdoor kitchen products, including a pizza oven and a grill with an exhaust hood. Under the counter, slide-out trash bins, refrigerated drawers and storage cabinets have black toned door panels against a white painted brick base. The light gray cement countertop, which was poured and sealed in place, incorporates a removable chopping board so cuttings can be dropped into the trash bins below.
Matching cement shelving and a buffet with a black inset prep sink line the opposite wall. Also matching is the cement surface of a Robinson-designed table made with pressure-treated lumber, its frame and legs stained in black. Project builder Wilber Garcia of NW Home Services in Boyds built the custom pieces. The 10-foot-long, 40-inch-wide table fits up to eight teak-and-rope counter stools from Essentials For Living and accommodates the couple, their two teenage children and friends, “a priority for me,” Meena says.
The other side of the room is an inviting space for gatherings, anchored by a gas-fueled RH (formerly Restoration Hardware) Ixtapa rectangular fire table with a black concrete surround. “We loved the table and bought it nine months before we built the room,” Jason says. Two teak RH sofas with linen cushion covers provide comfortable seating around the table. The Surya rug is outdoor safe, as are the ipe wood flooring and the Azek guardrails with ipe top rail.
To complement the room’s white and black features, interior designer Anabel Hering of Black Salt Home Design in Kensington chose whites, soft grays, blues and pops of green for the furnishings. The firepit table and Bromic ceiling-mounted infrared patio heaters warm the space. Outdoor ceiling fans by Visual Comfort keep it cool.
This appears in the May/June 2025 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
