Since the dawn of time when humans first discovered it, we’ve been fascinated with fire. Fire has given us light, kept us warm, and cooked our food.
Fire is mesmerizing to watch as flames change hues and embers undulate with flickering light breaking off to sail heavenward. In short, even before S’mores were invented, fire has beckoned us to gather and be in community with one another.
Nothing defines an outdoor gathering space as much as a fire pit. And as simple as the concept is, fire pits are surprisingly varied.
As we all know, form follows function. But, the simplicity of having an outdoor fire means fire pits come in a whole array of forms.
Depending on your outdoor space and your needs, there is a fire pit style that will work for you.
Let’s discuss traditional wood burning fire pits first. These fire pits can be a permanent part of your hardscape. They can be in-ground or above ground and are traditionally constructed of either concrete, stone, or brick. There are options in metal like steel and copper as well. They are designed to be used in all seasons.
We should also mention a few other options not shown here.
One is a propane fire pit. Propane is a little pricy but many propane fireplaces are mobile so you can insert it into your landscape.
You can also have a fire pit that is connected to your home’s natural gas and features gas logs. If access to fire wood is an issue, this might be a good solution. The fire pit above with the gas starter,would work well in this scenario.
There are also gel fuel fire pits. These work well in limited spaces and can utilize a favorite vessel like the fire pits we shared above. They can also be placed in unexpected places like in the middle of a water feature if you choose.
So there really is a fire pit option for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re urban or rural, have acres of yard or a small outdoor deck or have a modern or more traditional aesthetic.
The one thing that is a “must” though with any fire pit is an ample supply of marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, and a hair-raising ghost story or two.
