Sitting around a fire pit roasting marshmallows is quintessentially cottage. In fact, I believe fire pits in urban backyards have gained popularity because they can make you feel like you’re at the cottage. There are a wide variety of styles of fire pits—modern, traditional, DIY, and even professionally installed options. But no matter what style you go for, a fire pit will enhance your outdoor ambiance ten fold.
Take for example, a fire pit built right into the patio. What an amazing place to sit around the fire. Unless you’re a landscape designer, I would hire someone for this one.
There are also fire pits that run on propane just like a barbeque.
Photo courtesy of sunset.com
How simple is that! And here’s a minimalist bowl that operates the same way. So easy, yet so stylish. It would fit in anywhere, with any style.
Photo courtesy of Sunset.com
Some fire pits are multifunctional, and can be used as tables. I wouldn’t recommend wine spritzers sitting next to this one though—unless you drink them fast (which I’m not necessarily recommending!)
Photo courtesy of ohua88.com
For those who prefer to burn real wood, there’s always the classic style of fire pit. Send the family out to collect rocks from the surrounding area (and I don’t mean the neighbours’ landscaped yards) and build a fire pit yourself.
Photo courtesy of feeltheambiance.com
Or use some flagstone and pea gravel left over from a landscaping job.
Photo courtesy of outdoortheme.com
And if you’re not inclined to build something yourself, but you still like the wood-burning aspect, consider buying a metal pit, all ready to go. There are a huge variety of styles.
You could go contemporary.
Photo courtesy of dwr.com
Or more traditional and cottage inspired.
Photo courtesy of littlemonkeymetal.com
And get a load of this—a portable fire pit! Who knew?
Photo courtesy of essay-group.com
Most importantly, don’t forget fire safety. Fire pits have their hazards and they need to be used responsibly. For example, as my brother-in-law can attest to, you should never pour gasoline on a fire. And more importantly, when the gasoline catches on fire and leads back to the container, you definitely shouldn’t throw the full container toward a cabin to be rid of it. Perhaps I should ask if he could write a post on what not to do, based on his personal experiences.
Whatever way you do it, have fun roasting marshmallows at your fire pit this summer, and remember to respect the burning guidelines in your area.
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