Bringing all the joys of cooking out to the backyard is one of the best ways to truly blend the indoor and outdoor living spaces in your home. As anyone who entertains regularly knows, great food is always the center of attention. And with a well-designed outdoor kitchen, that "center" can be located in the backyard next to the in-ground pool. Here's a look at 3 must-haves to make sure you'll be able to entertain like a pro.

Photo shows the Oasis outdoor kitchen from Kalamazoo.

1. Outdoor Refrigerator

When planning an outdoor kitchen area it's important to run through the hosting process in your mind. What will it be like to make the outdoor kitchen the hub of the party? When doing this, most of us will realize quickly that without a place to keep food cold before and during the party, entertaining will be a series of sprints from indoors to outdoors and back again. There are many stainless steel outdoor fridges on the market that won't break the bank.

2. Bar Counter

Including an outdoor kitchen bar as a place for folks to sit close by while the steaks hit the grill is a great way for hosts to stay present during the party. The backside of "L" or "U" shaped outdoor kitchens offer an awesome place for building a bar height counter bar where guests can enjoy a glass of wine. For more intimate outdoor gatherings of 6 or less, this counter/cooking area is often the only place where everyone hangs out.

3. Outdoor Sink

Let face it...cooking great food requires getting your hands dirty and digging in. Preparing meats for the grill, cleaning fish, and slicing and dicing veggies for the side burner means washing off your hands in the sink. For outdoor cooking purposes, this sink does not have to be anything big or fancy. Much like the outdoor fridge, forgo the sink and you will pay with leaving the party over and over again just to keep your hands clean.