Nestled by the firepit. Cooler temperatures are settling in giving us our first real hint of Fall. While everyone enjoys the summer sunshine there’s a lot to like about this time of year. 
Besides being the optimal time of year for planting, it’s a great time to really enjoy being outside. Warm sun, dry air and cool breezes are a real relief from the blistering heat and humidity of summer. But as the sunsets get earlier and the evening chillier you may be tempted to go just go inside and settle in for the winter. Don’t waste this spectacular weather! Add a fire feature to your garden and extend the outdoor season. Not only will you enjoy more hours in the landscape, but the added ambiance of a fire will really add a dynamic new aspect to the garden, and perfect place to gather around with your family and friends.
There are a lot of options for fire features to suit about any style, budget and use. From a rustic fire pit to contemporary fireplace we can help find a design a fire feature customized for you. But here are some basics to consider.
Size – a fire feature can be anything from a feature that allows a crowd to gather around to a more visual fire feature with only one or two flames in a boulder or sculptural piece. Consider your needs and what your space allows. You might like the idea of more communal type fire feature but have a limited space. There are a number of options for fire features, and custom designing to you and your space is what we do, but be realistic about what can be done in the amount of space you have.
Style – A popular landscape trend is “outdoor rooms” and a common component of this is the outdoor fireplace. These tall, freestanding fire features serve a wall-like purpose along a patio, framing in the space and creating a focal point that furniture can be arranged around, just like in your living room. Other people prefer a more casual or understated feature in the garden, and options for this include a firepit, essentially a low masonry wall to enclose the fire, generally around 18” high and four or five feet across, can be square or round, and can also serve a seat wall when not in use. A still more rustic approach is a fire ring, usually natural stone boulders, and set further away from the house, with informal stone paving or lawn surrounding it.
Source – Many people prefer the convenience of natural gas. These fireplaces are easy to light and have less mess than a natural fire. Wood-burning fire features are the most natural and traditional types of fire features, and many people enjoy the smell or the wood burning, and experience of building and tending the fire. A third option is a combinations fire place, that incorporates a natural gas or propane source to ignite a wood source, giving you a little bit of the convenience of gas with the experience of wood.
Whether you want have an at-home “hang-out” space for your older kids, need to add a little ambiance to your boring patio, or creating an outdoor room for entertaining, we will work with you to custom design and build the perfect fire feature for you.