External Blinds & the Outdoor Kitchen Revolution

The Aussie barbeque tradition is as strong today as ever. In recent years, however, it has seen a major change. Aided and abetted by the trend for open plan living and a blurring of the lines between ‘indoors’ and ‘outdoors’, our traditional barbeque area has had an upgrade. It has matured and morphed into the outdoor kitchen.

The simple suburban barbeque and outdoor table have been replaced by fully functional, well-planned spaces with benchtops, sinks, grills, fridges, pizza ovens, and more.

Far from a loss or something to regret, this change can best be seen as a natural progression; a way to expand our outdoor lifestyle, an opportunity to improve our Sunday rituals by eliminating the need to dash inside when we need something from the kitchen, and a chance for us to eat something more than steak and sausages at barbeques.

Of course, creating an outdoor kitchen requires a little more work than an old-fashioned barbeque area. Things to consider when planning one include location and space, access to utilities (water, gas, electricity, etc.), and the potential corrosion of appliances.

Stylish, hard-wearing, taut, and even, Verosol’s external blinds are perfect for any home regardless of architectural style. They are just the thing for transforming a tired barbeque area into a fullblown outdoor kitchen.

External blinds and outdoor kitchens

Protection from the elements

Another thing to consider is the elements. Nothing ruins an outdoor event like rain or excessive heat. Appropriate shelter and shading are therefore critical.

This is where Verosol’s range of external blinds come in. Made with quality materials including stainless steel, glass-filled nylon, extruded aluminium, and high performance fabrics, these state-of-the-art products provide effective UV and heat control, protection from pests and rain, and privacy.

And most importantly, they provide seamless integration of indoor and outdoor entertaining areas. Functional, and available in spring-assisted, crank, and motorised options, they are simple to adjust and only need to be used when the conditions require them – which means homeowners can rest assured that installing them isn’t about transferring their outdoor space into another room. It’s about improving your outdoor cooking options.

Easy to install and fully customisable, Verosol’s external blinds are available in a range of colours and shading levels. And, considering their slim, compact design, they are suitable for any home regardless of architectural style.

Four customisable varieties

Though these products are customisable, there are two standard varieties available, namely Veromax External Roller Blinds and Ambience External Roller Blinds. Each of these is available with two side channel options (either Guide wire or with the Verolock Zip system).

The Guide Wire models (and their associated base fittings) incorporate a discreet cable guided solution that keeps the roller blinds in position, stops them blowing around in the wind, and creates a stable food preparation/cooking environment. Excellent for floor to ceiling applications, this system features a universal bracket to fix the base of the wire guide to the floor, face, or recess. The Wire Guide system is simple and utilises compression springs to stretch the wire, ensuring a smooth guide for the fabric.

In the case of the products with Verolock Zip system, the blind is guided by an actual track instead of a guide wire. Choosing between the two is a question of deciding what suits the particular application in terms of factors like protection from rain and insects. Roller blinds incorporating the Zip system are more fully enclosed and therefore provide more protection from both.

Conversely, the Wire guided models are recommended for those seeking a lighter product without a visible side channel. These products lose nothing when compared to the zip versions in terms of tautness and evenness and help ensure an excellent outdoor cooking and entertaining environment.

Wide spans & long drops

Available with a 5-year warranty, Verosol’s external blinds are made to handle the harshest climatic conditions. And, moving slightly against trend, they are available in large sizes with wide spans and long drops. As such, they are suitable for spaces that measure as much as 6.5m x 4.0m.

Sounds like just the thing to keep those sinks, fridges, and pizza ovens in outdoor kitchens in good working order; keep those weekend get togethers rolling; and help continue Australia’s love affair with the outdoors.

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