This week, our #DesignerViews series features Juan Roldan, a designer with KasaBarBQ Outdoor Design in Bonita Springs, Florida. From design to build, he works with his clients to assess their needs, inspire new possibilities and carry them through to stunning reality.

1) What inspires you as a designer? When I go to customers’ properties, I like to identify the dead spaces then transform them into useful cooking/bar areas.

2) Which outdoor design trends do you feel are making an impact in 2018? L-shaped bars for a full entertainment area if the space allows, one straight outdoor cooking area, and U-shaped when the customer wants to have all the bells and whistles.

3) What should someone take into consideration when designing an outdoor living space? What should they ask themselves? What do they want to accomplish? How many people do they want to entertain? What’s their budget? And what equipment do they want to have in their outdoor kitchen/bar?

4) The grill is the heart of the patio. What do you look for in a grill when you’re adding one to a design project? How many people do they want to entertain? That will give me a better idea for the size of the grill. What do they like to cook? That will give me a better understanding of what accessories I’m going to offer.

5) What would you say to a client who is choosing between an outdoor kitchen, versus a stand-alone grill —and what impact does each have on an outdoor space? An outdoor kitchen will make their life more comfortable with countertops for prep area and sinks/wet bar areas so they can entertain beyond just cooking. The kitchen offers them more enjoyable memories with their friends and families.

Explore the entire Aspire by Hestan product lineup here to get started building your dream outdoor kitchen.

Aspire by Hestan outdoor kitchen installation by KasaBarBQ.