Incorporating a fire pit into the corner of your patio can help to create a cozy, welcoming atmosphere perfect for sundowners and conversation. There are also other hardscape elements that can enhance the warmth and comfort created, like textured stone and low walls that enclose the space. Fireplaces can also be modernized to suit a contemporary hardscape or a formal setting, like a dining area. Consider the following ways in which fireplace arrangements can warm and enhance your Long Island, NY, hardscape.
Centralize your fire feature
By arranging your outdoor furniture around your fire feature, or encircling it with a low wall, you can ensure that it assumes its rightful position as the focal point of that particular outdoor room. A circular arrangement of furniture draws one’s eye to the center, where the fire feature is situated, and marks the fireplace or fire pit as a conversation hot-spot around which people will happily gather. Fireplaces are often also taller than the furniture and other hardscaping features around them, drawing further attention.
A low fire pit, constructed in an open area, can create a nostalgic campfire atmosphere. Circular fire pits are often partially enclosed by seat walls that mimic their shape. This can occupy less space than bulky furniture, making seat walls a smart solution for homeowners with small patios. Consider Brussels Dimensional System for your fire pits, allowing its antiqued finishes to complement the effortless warmth contributed by the flames. The Almond Grove color variation can be used to create fire pits with a particularly relaxed appearance.
The title image features an outdoor fireplace with low walls built with Brussels Dimensional System, complimented by a Brussels Block patio.
Enhancing the beauty and ambience of a fireplace
One of the main functions of your outdoor fireplace is to provide ambience. This ambience can be enhanced by adding candles to the mantle for further soft lighting and plenty of character. Small personalized touches like candles, decorative items, and plants can soften the concrete structure of your fireplace and ensure that its design doesn’t appear cold or impersonal. Another way to personalize your fireplace is through your selection of accent pavers. These pavers are usually in a different color and can be used to create straight horizontal bands or patterns on the fireplace. Careful attention should be paid to their surface textures and colors, as they can be used to create stunning contrasts that really draw attention. The use of different pavers at the base of a fireplace also serves to catch one’s eye and adds a unique touch to the design.
Related Read: 4 Color Combinations for Inviting Cold Spring, NY, Winter Hardscaping
Making fire features more functional
Incorporating a fireplace into an outdoor kitchen can fill it with warmth and character, often contrasting with the sleek metal appliances and smooth, polished countertops. These fireplaces can be created from more unconventional designs, incorporating large curves into their openings and experimenting with the size and length of their chimneys. A fireplace incorporated into an outdoor kitchen can also serve the purpose of preparing glowing coals with which to fuel a pizza oven or other such open air, wood-fired cooking equipment.
