Add Decorative Charm, Fun & Warmth!

Outdoor fireplaces and fire pits add beauty to your outdoor living space and provide a source of warmth and gathering during cool nights! But which one should you have?  Do you like the idea of an outdoor fireplace or the new trend of outdoor fire pits?

Proper fire pit design will help you get the most warmth and beauty for your dollar; many portable and custom fireplaces are constructed to conserve warmth around their perimeter. Walls and masonry should be placed close by to absorb heat and gently radiate it back on people enjoying the fire pit.

Your outdoor fireplace must meet local codes, and these usually specify firebricks made to withstand the high heat of a fireplace. Safe design and ventilation are crucial, especially if your outdoor fireplace shares your home’s exterior wall.

Design and décor may include tiles, concrete, or stone facade elements, stucco or brick. If your landscape plans include a pool or spa, locate your fireplace or fire pit close by, so guests and family members can use both and stay warm on cold afternoons.

Both portable and built-in fire pits can burn propane, natural gas, or wood, depending on your preference, but size and heat output will vary. Here are a few fireplace and fire pit planning tips:

• Make sure your fire pit is placed away from structures or other fire hazards.
  
  
• Fireplaces and fire pits should harmonize with existing landscaping and architecture.
  
  
• Design for utility so your fire pit can also serve as your barbecue, social setting, and an effective outside light source.
  
  
• Fire pit elements should be sturdy and weather resistant and design should consider how weather and prevailing winds might affect enjoyment of the surrounding space.
  
  
• Make sure gas fittings, cleaning handles and other maintenance items are fully accessible, not buried in concrete that requires a jackhammer to replace.
  
  
• Locate fire pits or fireplaces where they can be seen from your living room or family room.
  
  
• Include outdoor water, gas and electrical stub-out in your home and landscape design plan, for easier hookup later.

Different styles of fireplaces and fire pits.

Chimeneas, Mexican-style chimney pots, lend a traditional southwest feel to your landscape. Little more than large clay pots, they provide both decoration and utility on cold nights, but low-cost Chimeneas may be constructed of non-fired clay that can weather and crumble over time.

Integrated fireplaces can be part of the design of your new custom home, whether attached or freestanding. Designed in to an exterior wall, an integrated fireplace is close enough to your patio entrance for a quick trip inside on cold nights; plus, you will find that using the exterior wall provides a great windbreak. Popular design materials and themes include English, Eastern brick, Southwestern adobe, or Old World traditional. Facade elements and materials should obviously key into your home’s design.

In-ground fire pits. These features are usually made of block or stucco and constructed in the center of a small circular enclosure. Seats may be designed into a low circular wall to add privacy, while conserving heat. Gas percolators are often buried in this type of fire pit, allowing the gas to percolate up through sand or lava rock and burn at the surface. In-ground fire pits usually provide more even, less intense heat.

Masonry fire pits and fireplaces lend a woodsy, traditional charm to your home. Slate, river rock and designed concrete facade elements capture the flavor and tradition you’re looking for, without the high cost of real rock.

Lavers and Fire Rings are decorative portable fireplaces that can be moved as easily as a table or recliner. Both are gaining in popularity, mostly because of their low prices. A laver is a large bowl-shaped metal enclosure usually mounted on a wrought iron base and made of copper, stainless steel, or ceramic materials. Lavers work well in confined spaces because they burn smaller quantities of fuel. Fire rings are made of iron or other metals, and can be placed on a base of sand or gravel to provide a very low-cost fire pit.

Stand-alone fire pits occupy center stage in your landscape design and should be used where they won’t overwhelm your outdoor spaces. Increasingly popular are large stucco, beehive type fire pits, which are excellent for wood fires because they conduct smoke up and away from you and your guests.

Our outdoor living designers can customize a fireplace or fire pit into your outdoor living project.  This can be the perfect finishing touch to help you enjoy the beauty of yor outdoor living space all year!