Spring is in the air, and while the temperatures may not be as warm as they could be in Westchester County, an outdoor fireplace is just the thing to help raise the temperature of your outdoor areas and start getting back into your yard. If you don’t already have an outdoor fireplace or are looking into getting one built, here are some tips on achieving a fire feature perfect for springtime use.
Open air
The scent of woodsmoke mixed with the sweet spring air is both fragrant and exhilarating. Enclosed spaces are great for winter patios, but in spring, you’re sure to want to take advantage of the fresh air and open space of your landscape. For a spring fireplace, we recommend placement on a detached patio. If additional covering is needed a pergola can be custom build to provide shade or be used as a frame for retractable sails for protection against light drizzle. A fireplace should never detract from an amazing view. Instead it can be positioned off to one side, or situated to shield against a prevailing wind.
Think design
Decisions related to design should be guided by the architecture of your home, landscaping choices and other elements of your hardscaping. These choices will determine the size of the outdoor fireplace and the materials used, among other things, in order to achieve a look that’s in line with the scale and aesthetic of your home and landscape. For a design that complements the greenery of spring and summer design, subtle, muted colors and earthy shades can be used. These tones work well to allow the richness of color within the landscape to come to the forefront. This is especially useful if a large, bold design is used, in order to lessen its visual impact. Dark colors are good for this purpose as well, but tend to be quite dominant. Alternatively, the sunny disposition of golden sandstone can be used as a reflection of the springtime mood.
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Complementary features
Regardless of the style and design you go with, one thing is certain: your property can only benefit from an outdoor fireplace. It will transform your patio or backyard, serving as the centerpiece for family evenings in the open, leisurely get-togethers with the neighbors or swinging backyard parties.
However, an outdoor fireplace never stands on its own. It works together with the landscape and other features to contribute to a rich and soothing backyard environment. Some features that can complement and enhance an outdoor fireplace include matching or contrasting quality stonework in the surrounding vertical structures and paved surfaces. Accents within the landscape such as rock gardens and water features can further unify an outdoor fireplace with its environment. Functionally, an outdoor fireplace works well in tandem with outdoor kitchens or as an aesthetic and practical counterpoint to a pizza oven. Wood storage is also a necessary feature to take into account in order to get the most out of your outdoor fireplace. Attractive log feature walls and custom storage racks can be designed to provide convenient and visually pleasing solutions.