Ready to upgrade a basic barbecue? Start by creating a place to slice tomatoes and plate burgers. Here, a peninsula of tumbled cast-concrete blocks and a stone counter turns a freestanding grill into a built-in. DIY this setup for about $350 by stacking blocks on a bed of tamped drainage stone, securing each block with masonry glue. Incorporate blocks of varying sizes and recessed "panels" to make the unit look less monolithic, then top it off with bluestone stair treads for the counter.
Money-saving option: Forgo a built-in and pull up a small table, such as PolyWood's Ivy side table (about $100; The Home Depot).
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