Enclosed or closable outdoor kitchen: solutions and prices 2026

By Loris Reale, founder of Nox outdoor kitchens · Updated on 1 October 2026

An enclosed, or closable, outdoor kitchen is a summer kitchen that closes up completely when not in use, with a cover, doors, a shelter or a movable roof. At Nox outdoor kitchens, the motorised canopy of the Nox Studio (from 12 900 € incl. VAT), Nox Terrace (from 14 900 € incl. VAT) and Nox Pavillon (from 17 900 € incl. VAT) closes over the entire kitchen. The Nox Light Loggia (13 900 € incl. VAT) and Nox Dark Loggia (13 200 € incl. VAT), sold as a fixed package, enclose their standard equipment under a motorised lifting roof. All these prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting.

At a glance

• Covered: a roof overhead. Enclosed: closed up when not in use. Closable: open to cook, closed again afterwards, with nothing to dismantle.
• Five solutions: a cover, cabinets with doors or front shutters, an enclosed garden room or pool house, a conservatory, a kitchen with a built-in motorised closure.
• Once closed, a kitchen with a motorised canopy keeps out dust, leaves, wind and rain. Frost, on the other hand, is dealt with by draining the water.
• The Nox Studio, Terrace and Pavillon take up 2.07 m², 2.52 m² and 3.27 m² of floor space, below the 5 m² threshold for a prior declaration outside protected areas.

Covered, enclosed or closable outdoor kitchen: what is the difference?

A covered kitchen has a roof above it, an enclosed kitchen closes on every side, and a closable kitchen moves from one to the other: open to cook, closed the rest of the time. The three terms are often, and wrongly, used interchangeably.

The covered kitchen: a roof, open sides

Pergola, awning or built-in roof: a covered kitchen stops rain that falls straight down and the midday sun. Its sides stay open. As soon as the wind picks up, the rain comes in at an angle and leaves settle on the worktop. The comparison between pergola, awning and built-in roof is in our covered outdoor kitchen guide.

The enclosed summer kitchen: closed when not in use

An enclosed summer kitchen closes up completely when not in use. The closure comes either from an added element (cover, garden room, conservatory) or from the kitchen itself (doors, a roof that folds down).

The closable kitchen: open and closed in a single movement

Closable adds a requirement: opening and closing are part of normal use, with no dismantling and no damp cover to fold. Two families meet it: cabinets with doors or shutters, which close the front, and kitchens in which a motorised canopy, door or shutter closes the entire volume, worktop included.

Why close a summer kitchen when it is not in use?

Closing a summer kitchen when it is not in use protects it from what wears it down between meals: dust, leaves, wind and rain, with nothing to put away.

What a closure keeps out

What damages an outdoor kitchen is not a single storm but the build-up: dust stuck to barbecue grease, leaves in the sink strainer, wind-driven rain on the worktop. Once closed, a kitchen with a motorised canopy keeps all of that out. On the day you entertain, you open onto a clean worktop. On days without a barbecue, the kitchen becomes a clean-lined volume again, with fronts in your colour.

What a closure does not replace

A closure is not insulation: it does not protect the water in the pipes from frost. At Nox outdoor kitchens, the structure is made of fingerprint-resistant 304 stainless steel, with a marine-grade PVDF coating designed for coastal climates (UV, sea spray, rain, intense heat, with no discolouration or rust) and six-layer panels with an aluminium honeycomb core. The closure adds protection; it does not make up for a fragile material.

What solutions are there for an outdoor kitchen that closes?

Five solutions close an outdoor kitchen: the cover, cabinets with doors and shutters, the enclosed garden room or pool house, the conservatory, and the kitchen with a built-in motorised closure. They differ in the protection they give and in the building work they involve.

The protective cover

A cover is the simplest and cheapest solution. But it has to be removed, folded and stored before every meal, then put back on a dry kitchen that has cooled down. Placed on a damp worktop, it traps condensation; poorly tensioned, it flaps in the wind. It suits a few meals a season, not daily use.

Cabinets with doors and shutters

Many outdoor kitchens close their storage with doors or shutters. Seen from the front, the result is neat. Check two points: do the worktop and barbecue stay uncovered on top, and are the sides closed? A closed front protects the drawers, not necessarily the cooking area or the sink.

The enclosed garden room or pool house

Installing the kitchen in an enclosed summer kitchen shelter or a pool house gives you a real room, with a door that locks. It is also a building project: slab, walls, roof, electricity, and often a prior declaration or planning permission, since the construction quickly exceeds a 5 m² footprint. A gas barbecue is used in the open air: you do not cook in a closed room. To cook under cover, an open kitchen is better placed under a pergola or an awning, for example a model from the Nova collection.

The conservatory

A conservatory encloses a space against the house with glazed walls. It turns the outdoor kitchen into an indoor kitchen: heat under the glass in summer, smoke to extract, gas barbecue ruled out. Depending on its floor area and zone, it requires a prior declaration or planning permission. It is chosen for living in, rarely for grilling.

The kitchen with a motorised closure: canopy, door or shutter

Several brands offer kitchens closed by a motorised canopy, door or shutter, over the whole volume or over the front depending on the model. At Nox outdoor kitchens, the canopy is part of the unit: the roof closes over the entire kitchen, worktop, barbecue, sink and fridge included. No cover to handle, no building to construct. The two Loggias follow the same principle with a motorised lifting roof. How it works and prices across the segment: see our guide to the outdoor kitchen with a motorised roof.

Nox outdoor kitchens prices, standard equipment included, excluding delivery, installation and crane lifting.

Unsure whether to close an existing kitchen or choose a kitchen with a motorised closure? Book a discovery call with the Nox team: a project manager studies your terrace and access, then configures the kitchen with you by video call, with no commitment.

Which Nox outdoor kitchens models close?

Five Nox outdoor kitchens models close: the Studio, Terrace and Pavillon, whose built-in motorised canopy closes over the whole kitchen, and the Light Loggia and Dark Loggia, with a motorised lifting roof. The four Nova models, from 8 400 € incl. VAT, are open kitchens, to be placed under a pergola or an awning.

Nox Studio, Terrace and Pavillon: the built-in motorised canopy

Same 93.5 cm depth, same 235 cm overall height: the canopy is part of the structure. Open, it shelters the cook; closed, it covers the whole kitchen.

• Nox Studio: 221 × 93.5 × 235 cm, 203 cm of usable width, from 12 900 € incl. VAT. 690 mm sink and sink cabinet, 30″ barbecue (3 burners), 21″ glass-door fridge, two 550 mm shelves. For a terrace and 4 to 6 people. As options, the extractor hood, TV and speakers cannot be combined: you choose one of the three.
• Nox Terrace, the best-seller: 269 × 93.5 × 235 cm, 251 cm of usable width, from 14 900 € incl. VAT. The Studio's equipment, plus a 480 mm 3-drawer cabinet, an extractor hood and a 32″ TV. For a garden and 6 to 8 people.
• Nox Pavillon: 350 × 93.5 × 235 cm, 319 cm of usable width, from 17 900 € incl. VAT. Two 3-drawer cabinets, 800 mm sink cabinet, 30″ barbecue (3 burners), 24″ fridge, extractor hood, 42″ / 107 cm TV, Bluetooth speakers and electric wall cabinet. For a large garden and 8 to 12 people.

Light Loggia and Dark Loggia: the motorised lifting roof

The two Loggias take the opposite approach: a low volume of 269 × 88.5 × 112 cm, 251 cm of usable width, whose motorised lifting roof rises for cooking and folds down afterwards. Fixed package, standard composition: 3-drawer cabinet, sink, 30″ barbecue (3 burners), 21″ glass-door fridge, 42″ / 107 cm TV, Bluetooth speakers and glass rack shelf. Light Loggia at 13 900 € incl. VAT, Dark Loggia at 13 200 € incl. VAT, for a garden and 6 to 8 people. Like those of the Nova, Studio, Terrace and Pavillon, these prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting.

In the field: a Pavillon in Six-Fours-les-Plages

In Six-Fours-les-Plages, in the Var, access through the garden was impossible: the Pavillon was lifted by crane over the house, set down on the terrace, connected and demonstrated to the customer the same day. Facing the Mediterranean, the 304 stainless steel and the marine-grade PVDF coating stand up to the sea spray. The project in pictures: Six-Fours-les-Plages project.

Does a closable kitchen protect against rain, wind and frost?

A closed kitchen protects against rain, wind, dust and leaves, but not against frost: the water in the pipes is drained before the hard frosts. Each risk is dealt with separately.

Rain, wind, dust and leaves

Once closed, the kitchen keeps the worktop, barbecue and sink inside its volume. In the sun, the marine-grade PVDF coating takes the UV, without discolouration. The wind resistance of the canopies has not been published to date: on a very exposed terrace, the siting is validated with the project manager and confirmed on quotation.

Frost and winter

Before the first frosts, drain the water supply and the sink circuit, close the gas bottle, empty the fridge if you are no longer using it, then close up a dry kitchen. The structure is guaranteed for 10 years, the electrical appliances for 2 years.

Is an enclosed outdoor kitchen safer?

An enclosed kitchen hides the appliances from view, but its safety depends above all on how it is used: you always cook with the canopy open, then close up a kitchen that has cooled down. A gas barbecue gives off heat and combustion gases: it is used in the open air, never under a closed canopy. On the Nox Terrace and Pavillon, the standard extractor hood deals with smoke under the open canopy. Once closed, the kitchen no longer shows either the barbecue or the TV.

Do you need permission for an enclosed outdoor kitchen?

The footprint decides: under 5 m² outside protected areas, no formality; from 5 to 20 m², a prior declaration (article R421-9 of the French town planning code); above that, planning permission. The closing solution therefore changes the formalities.

The text of article R421-9 of the French town planning code can be read on Légifrance: it covers new constructions. In a remarkable heritage site, near a historic monument or in a listed site, the threshold falls away and the declaration becomes the rule (article R421-11). The prior declaration page on the Service Public website explains the procedure at the town hall.

A Nox kitchen with a built-in canopy stays under 5 m² of floor space; a garden room or a conservatory quickly exceeds this threshold. In all cases, the local plan can impose siting rules: check with the town hall before ordering.

How do you install an outdoor kitchen that closes?

A Nox outdoor kitchens kitchen is installed on a stabilised, level terrace, with no foundations or masonry, and is fixed to the ground by its four feet. Everything else is prepared before installation day.

What you prepare

• A stabilised, level floor.
• An electrical junction box with a 3G2.5 mm supply ready for connection.
• A water connection ready (Gardena, garden hose or G 3/4 male), stating whether it is cold or hot water.
• A drain, connected in Ø 40 mm to the trap outlet.
• At least 30 cm between the kitchen and a wall, for access and maintenance.

A supply that is not ready on installation day may lead to extra costs and the appointment being postponed.

Delivery, crane lifting and installation

The kitchen arrives finished, inspected and in one piece. In standard configuration, a Studio weighs 650 kg, a Terrace 850 kg, a Pavillon 1 050 kg and a Loggia 400 kg. With direct access, it is set in place without a crane. Otherwise, the crane lift is planned in advance and carried out by Foselev or Mediaco, coordinated by the Nox installers, and installation takes one day. Delivery is charged at actual cost to the site, with a minimum of 190 € excl. VAT, provided the road is accessible to a 19-tonne lorry. Installation by two Nox installers is a flat fee of 490 € excl. VAT, connections included.

How do you maintain an enclosed outdoor kitchen?

A kitchen that closes needs less maintenance, because it gets less dirty: at Nox outdoor kitchens, a damp cloth is enough, provided you close up a clean, dry kitchen. After the meal, let the barbecue cool down, wipe the worktop and let it dry, because a closed volume retains moisture. Each season, check the sink drain and clean the cooking grates.

What mistakes should you avoid with an enclosed outdoor kitchen?

The most costly mistakes are well known: confusing a covered kitchen with an enclosed one, forgetting the water supply and drain, underestimating access for delivery and crane lifting. All of them can be avoided before ordering.

• Confusing covered and enclosed. A pergola stops rain that falls straight down, not leaves or wind-driven rain.
• Closing a wet or hot kitchen. Let the barbecue cool down and the worktop dry before closing the cover or canopy.
• Forgetting the supplies. Without electricity, water and a drain ready for connection, installation may be postponed and lead to extra costs.
• Building before checking. A garden room or conservatory of more than 5 m² requires a prior declaration, or even planning permission depending on the floor area and zone.
• Comparing prices that do not say the same thing. With or without a canopy, with or without equipment, with or without installation: at Nox outdoor kitchens, the price includes the standard equipment, excluding delivery, installation and crane lifting.

Which enclosed outdoor kitchen should you choose?

The choice depends on use: a cover for a few meals a season, a building for a real room, a kitchen with a built-in canopy to cook often without masonry. Our verdict:

• If you already have a pergola or an awning, choose an open Nova, from 8 400 € incl. VAT.
• If you want a kitchen that closes on a terrace, for 4 to 6 people, choose the Nox Studio, from 12 900 € incl. VAT.
• If you entertain 6 to 8 people in the garden, choose the Nox Terrace, from 14 900 € incl. VAT.
• If you entertain 8 to 12 people in a large garden, choose the Nox Pavillon, from 17 900 € incl. VAT.
• If you want a low 112 cm volume and a fixed price, choose the Nox Light Loggia at 13 900 € incl. VAT or the Nox Dark Loggia at 13 200 € incl. VAT, as a fixed package.
• If you want a room with walls, plan a garden room or a conservatory and the formalities that go with it, keeping gas cooking in the open air.

Prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting. The nine models side by side: Nox model comparison.

Model chosen? Start with the date: choose your installation slot as soon as you request your quote, then secure it after your call with a project manager. Your quote is sent to you within 48 to 72 working hours after the configuration is submitted.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a covered outdoor kitchen and an enclosed kitchen?

A covered kitchen has a roof above it: a pergola, an awning or a built-in canopy. Its sides stay open to wind-driven rain, leaves and dust. An enclosed kitchen closes up completely when not in use, with a cover, doors, a building or a roof that closes over the entire unit, worktop included.

Can an enclosed outdoor kitchen be left outside in winter?

Yes, if its materials are made for outdoor use. Nox outdoor kitchens combine fingerprint-resistant 304 stainless steel with a marine-grade PVDF coating, and their structure is guaranteed for 10 years. The closure keeps out rain, wind and leaves, but it does not protect against frost: drain the water supply, close the gas bottle and close up a dry kitchen.

Do you need a prior declaration for a kitchen with a motorised canopy?

Outside protected areas, no, as long as the footprint stays under 5 m², the threshold set by article R421-9 of the French town planning code. The Nox Studio, Terrace and Pavillon take up 2.07 m², 2.52 m² and 3.27 m² of floor space. In a remarkable heritage site, near a historic monument or in a listed site, the declaration becomes the rule. The local plan can also impose siting rules: check with the town hall.

How much does an outdoor kitchen that closes cost?

At Nox outdoor kitchens, a kitchen with a built-in motorised canopy costs from 12 900 € incl. VAT (Studio), 14 900 € incl. VAT (Terrace) or 17 900 € incl. VAT (Pavillon), standard equipment included. The Light Loggia and Dark Loggia, with a motorised lifting roof, come as a fixed package at 13 900 € and 13 200 € incl. VAT. All these prices exclude delivery, installation and crane lifting.

Can you cook with the canopy closed?

No. A gas barbecue gives off heat and combustion gases: you light it and cook with the roof open, then let it cool down before closing. The same rule applies in a garden room or a conservatory: gas cooking is done in the open air. On the Nox Terrace and Pavillon, the standard extractor hood deals with smoke under the open canopy.

Does a closable outdoor kitchen need a cover?

No, that is the whole point of a closable kitchen: the closure is part of the unit. On a kitchen with a motorised canopy, the roof closes over everything, worktop, barbecue, sink and fridge included, with no cover to remove, fold or dry. A cover remains useful for an open kitchen installed under a pergola and used a few times a season.

What maintenance does an enclosed outdoor kitchen need?

At Nox outdoor kitchens, a damp cloth is enough. Closed between meals, the kitchen gets less dirty, since dust and leaves stay outside. Let the barbecue cool down and the worktop dry before closing, check the sink drain and clean the cooking grates each season, then drain the water supply before the first frosts.

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