At ZebraScapes one of our favorite pastimes is building gorgeous outdoor spaces for our clients to use on a daily basis. These need to be functional spaces that friends and family are comfortable spending time in at all hours of the day. One of the most popular installations that clients always love is an outdoor fireplace. It does everything we have mentioned, enabling you to host guests even when temperatures are cooler than normal. Outdoor fireplaces also add an aesthetic element to the landscape and scream luxury. However, an outdoor fireplace would look awfully out of place on its own, so we wanted to go over five ways to build an outdoor fireplace that make sense.
Go Crazy on Seating
The number one thing the area around your outdoor fireplace needs is seating. What use is the fireplace if everyone must stand around? This seating arrangement can be creative, with so many different designs to choose from. You should find something that fits the theme of your backyard, and there should be plenty of catalogs to help. In this same vein, an outdoor table centered between these seats is another amenity that will make the area more leisurely.
Focus on the Backdrop
When considering the location within your landscape to install an outdoor fireplace, think about what guests will be seeing when they look at it. In an ideal world, there will be a significant amount of plant material that offers beautiful colors and comforting greenery. Behind that immediate installation, you want a scene that is pleasing to the eye. Maybe this means you face the outdoor fireplace to the east, so you can see the sunset in the west.
Cover the Space
If you want to use your fireplace even when it is raining, no worries. The best thing to do is to install a pavilion or pergola to cover the seating area that you have placed next to your fireplace. This will maximize your investment, as using the fireplace on a chilly yet rainy day might be in your best interest.
Ensure Firewise
As a responsible property owner, the last thing you want is to let a fire feature like an outdoor fireplace cause a hazard for you and your family. The best way to do this is to have ZebraScapes engage in firewise services for your property. This process enables us to install safe fire features by thinning brush and choosing fire-resistant plants. We like to utilize this in as many of our properties as possible, especially because of the fire risk that the dry weather poses in Arizona.
In Combination with Outdoor Kitchen
Another great way to install an outdoor fireplace is in combination with an outdoor kitchen. If your goal is to host guests in this outdoor space, an outdoor kitchen adds so much to the area. The fireplace provides warmth while you whip up a world-famous family recipe for the cousins. Utilize the same type of stone in both installations for a cohesive look.
We design, build and maintain fully functioning yards that meet our clients’ needs and exceed their expectations through quality, integrity, efficiency, teamwork, and relationships. Give us a call at (928) 830-4061 today.