The installation of a fire pit in your Canton and Akron, OH outdoor spaces is an excellent way to warm up cold fall evenings and extend the number of hours you can spend outside. It’s also ideal for use as a focal feature for your outdoor design and for adding ambience. When it comes to design options, the choices are endless. We know that choosing the right design options to enhance the look of your patio can be an overwhelming task, since there are so many choices. That’s why we’ve put together these tips to help you narrow down your options.
Banding
Banding refers to the strips of color used to enhance vertical features such as low walls, outdoor fireplaces or fire pits. They can be designed specifically to match your patio, or use contrasting colors to complete your design and to complement the look of the surrounding natural stone. For example, if you pick a Brussels Dimensional Stone fire pit, you might consider adding the rich brick red of Copthorne banding to bring out the subtle colors. For a unifying motif that runs throughout your hardscape design, matching banding can be introduced into the design of all your vertical hardscape elements.
Colored accents
Colored accents need not be restricted to banding, or even to vertical structures. The use of a contrasting or complementary color to draw attention to your fire pit provides you with infinitely many possibilities, each of which can also be used to add a personal touch of flair and make your fire pit feature your own. Why not incorporate a motif in the the paved patio surrounding your fire pit, or opt for differently colored stones arranged in interesting patterns around the perimeter of the fire pit itself? Colored accents can be as bold as homeowners’ tastes allow, ranging from stunning design statements that draw the eye from across the backyard, to subtle details that only copious amounts of time spent around the fire will bring to guests’ attention.
Laying patterns
If you want to get really creative with your fire pit, why not consider some interesting laying patterns for the paved space surrounding it? Arranging your pavers in patterns that break from the conventional tiled look can help draw attention to your fire pit or other focal points, and can also contribute to improving the durability of the surface. An interesting laying pattern contributes visual impact and can transform any functional patio into a more relaxed, naturalistic setting.
The laying patterns available to you depend heavily on the size of the pavers you choose, which in turn depends on the visual impact you’re after. Opting for mostly small pavers can contribute to the quaint, subtle look of cobblestone, whereas using primarily large stones can help create a bold and modern design. You can also utilize a range of sizes for variation and in contributing to a random effect. Beacon Hill Flagstone is a perfect example of this, featuring a variety of geometric arrangements that exude modern class and natural charm. Pick the Sycamore color option for a deep bronzed look, or Alpine Grey or Bavarian Blend for something more subtle and understated.