An outdoor fireplace would add instant charm to your backyard. Truly a gathering piece, this trendy feature is perfect for entertaining, cooking, and relaxing. With the seasonal weather changes in Huntington, NY, an outdoor fireplace is one of the best ways to extend your family’s outdoor season because of its warm and inviting characteristics. There are so many design ideas and options to consider, between a more traditional fireplace or a fire pit, using wood or natural gas, where to install it, and what materials to use.
Deciding Between a Fireplace or a Fire Pit
Before deciding on design ideas you’ll need to know what type of fire feature you want. Fireplaces typically take up much larger space than a fire pit and often have a traditional feel and design. Seating is usually set up in front, similar to an indoor fireplace, lending views to a beautiful mantle or stonewall design. A fire pit gathers guests around a fire with a free flame, while enjoying open views around the entire backyard.
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1. Material Ideas for Your Fire Feature
Your outdoor fireplace should complement the architectural design of your home. If your home has a rustic feel, you can consider using a natural stone like bluestone, flagstone, granite, or limestone. Incorporating wood with one of these materials, whether it be a wood-burning fire pit or a treated wood mantle, will lend itself to that cozy, comforting feel.
Some homeowners have even created visual interest by combining some of these materials, which can each lend to a truly unique look and attractive textural contrast.
2. A Fire Feature Paired with a Veranda
Create a hideaway with curtains, plants, or greenery perfectly landscaped around your veranda or pergola, to give a more private feel to your fire pit. The feel of a small oasis in your backyard can have the fire feature as its focal point to host a luxurious night under the stars, dinner with guests, or a romantic evening.
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3. Convenience and Highlighting Your View
Where your fireplace is placed in your backyard can determine how often it is used. Keeping it closer to your home will be more convenient and allow you the view of your beautiful landscaping. Accent walls connected to the home with floor to ceiling windows on either side can surround a beautiful stone fireplace, bringing the indoors outside. A fire trough or fire circle add a touch of glam and, by being placed at the edge of your deck or patio, would allow for easy entertaining.
4. Adding a Pizza Oven
Love to cook? Adding a brick oven feature to your fireplace with either brick or stone will impress your guests and incorporate an additional entertainment feature. Explore setting up a dining area or outdoor kitchen near the fireplace so that you easily gather in both areas while the smell of brick oven cooking fills the air.
5. Fire Glass Beads
If you opt for a gas fire pit, the fire glass beads will add a visual glow to your landscape design. The typical color choices are blue or green, and the effect is a modern look and feel to your design.
