subject: Outdoor Living Trends: Firepits And More [print this page] There are many ways to add an outside fire to your home's landscape and it's important to pick the right one for your family so let's explore your options.
Here are points to consider when selecting your fire feature.
How easy will it be to start the fire?
We're spoiled by switches that turn on our indoor fireplaces, so you'll want to consider whether you want a wood, charcoal, propane or natural gas.
What other functions do you expect your fire feature to provide?
If you want to grill, you probably want to use charcoal. If you hope to gain some heat from your fire, the chimney focuses heat in one direction.
Is the space protected where you plan to use your fire feature?
A wood fire will generate smoke which can dampen your enjoyment unless it's directed away from you. Fireplaces have a chimney to direct smoke away or you can use gas to avoid dealing with smoke altogether.
What You Want? You'll Use?
The living trends outside start with a patio or deck. Soon you're ready to add more features and you have many choices in the type of "fire feature" you add to your backyard. Before making a large investment, you might want to learn how often you'll use a firepit? Who will you spend time with sitting around the fire? How much time will you spend relaxing around the fire? and more uses like making popcorn, so let's explore.
Firepits and other temporary (they're not all portable) fire features let you learn what you like and don't like at home which is very different from what looks nice at the store or online. The importance of finding what fits your lifestyle is experimenting to learn what you like, before you make a major investment.
Picking the right materials and style is key to years of enjoyment. Your home's style and exterior materials will influence what you pick. You also want to consider how much maintenance each fire feature requires, so that upkeep doesn't affect your ability to spend time outdoors.
When you're ready to step up your living space investment, you know it's because you're spending more time outdoors. Now it makes sense to expand your search to include permanent fire features. Firepits are fun because you can place them in fun places which can also showcase the great views from your patio. Firepits can be raised or sunk into the patio floor which creates lots of options when you've got multiple levels of outside space.
