See How 20 Patios Celebrate the Fire Pit
Just steps from the house, these outdoor fire features offer warmth and backyard style
There are a lot of choices to make when adding a backyard fire pit, whether you decide to have one custom-made or buy one ready-made. Aside from their function, fire pits offer another opportunity to tailor your backyard’s design to you, regardless of its size and style. Here’s a collection of some of our favorite outdoor fire pits previously featured on Houzz. They’re mostly one of a kind. Which is your favorite?
2. Resilient on Vancouver Island
To tackle the constant coastal exposure of the Pacific Northwest, where this outdoor lounge on Vancouver Island, Canada, is located, designer Jonathan Craggs had all of the outdoor features built into the patio, including the fire pit. The fire feature sits on a poured-in-place concrete base with a polished and colored precast concrete top. Tempered-glass fragments from Blazing Glass cover the burner, which sits on top of a metal pan.
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To tackle the constant coastal exposure of the Pacific Northwest, where this outdoor lounge on Vancouver Island, Canada, is located, designer Jonathan Craggs had all of the outdoor features built into the patio, including the fire pit. The fire feature sits on a poured-in-place concrete base with a polished and colored precast concrete top. Tempered-glass fragments from Blazing Glass cover the burner, which sits on top of a metal pan.
Read more about this home
3. Terraced in San Francisco
Landscape designer Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design tamed a sloped backyard in San Francisco’s Castro District by creating a series of terraced outdoor rooms. On the lowest level, closest to the house, she created this fire nook, with a freestanding rusted-metal gas fire pit. Mullins placed it close to the stairs in case additional seating was needed during a party.
Bol fire pit: Paloform; see more fire pits
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Landscape designer Beth Mullins of Growsgreen Landscape Design tamed a sloped backyard in San Francisco’s Castro District by creating a series of terraced outdoor rooms. On the lowest level, closest to the house, she created this fire nook, with a freestanding rusted-metal gas fire pit. Mullins placed it close to the stairs in case additional seating was needed during a party.
Bol fire pit: Paloform; see more fire pits
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4. Midcentury Style in Phoenix
A new deck for this renovated midcentury modern home in Phoenix helps bring indoor living outside. A custom steel gas fire pit built into an outdoor bench warms the deck at night and complements the streamlined, efficient architecture of the home.
Cushion fabric: Sunbrella; decking: Trex
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A new deck for this renovated midcentury modern home in Phoenix helps bring indoor living outside. A custom steel gas fire pit built into an outdoor bench warms the deck at night and complements the streamlined, efficient architecture of the home.
Cushion fabric: Sunbrella; decking: Trex
Read more about this home
5. Naturalistic in Los Angeles
Landscape architect June Scott designed this backyard in Los Angeles to embrace the natural beauty of its rocky terrain. For the fire feature, which sits in the middle of a built-in corner bench, she converted a hollowed-out stone planter from L.A.-based Asian Ceramics into a gas fire pit.
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Landscape architect June Scott designed this backyard in Los Angeles to embrace the natural beauty of its rocky terrain. For the fire feature, which sits in the middle of a built-in corner bench, she converted a hollowed-out stone planter from L.A.-based Asian Ceramics into a gas fire pit.
Read more about this home
6. Campy in Houston
The couple who owns this bungalow in Houston met at camp, and campfires played a big part at the beginning of their relationship. It was important to continue having them at their home as well.
The board-formed-concrete gas fire pit sits at the edge of the concrete and gravel patio, pulled far enough away from the house so as to not heat up the house itself. Designer Brett Zamore left all the sides around the fire pit open so plenty of chairs could be pulled up around the fire.
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The couple who owns this bungalow in Houston met at camp, and campfires played a big part at the beginning of their relationship. It was important to continue having them at their home as well.
The board-formed-concrete gas fire pit sits at the edge of the concrete and gravel patio, pulled far enough away from the house so as to not heat up the house itself. Designer Brett Zamore left all the sides around the fire pit open so plenty of chairs could be pulled up around the fire.
Read more about this home
7. Pared-Down in Northern California
Designer-contractor Chris Corbett maintained a strict material palette when designing this backyard in Davis, California. For the fire pit, he used a honed, precast concrete top attached to a rusted steel base. He created a gap between the steel pit and the concrete patio in order to avoid rusty runoff stains.
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Designer-contractor Chris Corbett maintained a strict material palette when designing this backyard in Davis, California. For the fire pit, he used a honed, precast concrete top attached to a rusted steel base. He created a gap between the steel pit and the concrete patio in order to avoid rusty runoff stains.
Read more about this home
8. Industrial Accent in Seattle
The backyard of this townhouse designed by landscape architect Mark S. Garff features some industrial touches, including the steel wall that runs along its back edge and the compact, freestanding Cor-Ten steel fire pit. The fire pit has a cover, so it can serve as a table when not in use.
30-inch fire pit: Thos. Baker
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The backyard of this townhouse designed by landscape architect Mark S. Garff features some industrial touches, including the steel wall that runs along its back edge and the compact, freestanding Cor-Ten steel fire pit. The fire pit has a cover, so it can serve as a table when not in use.
30-inch fire pit: Thos. Baker
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9. Lightening Up in Northern England
This fire pit seating area in North Yorkshire, England, features a curated collection of contrasting textures, including horizontal slat fencing, honed sandstone paving and a fireplace made from reclaimed York stone. Landscape designer Lee Bestall maintained an overall light-colored material palette in order to brighten the north-facing space.
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This fire pit seating area in North Yorkshire, England, features a curated collection of contrasting textures, including horizontal slat fencing, honed sandstone paving and a fireplace made from reclaimed York stone. Landscape designer Lee Bestall maintained an overall light-colored material palette in order to brighten the north-facing space.
Read more about this home
10. Coastal Casual in Southern California
A decomposed granite (DG) patio in the backyard of a home in Manhattan Beach, California, frames a seating area centered around a smoke-free concrete fire pit. Landscape architect June Scott collaborated with the project’s homeowners, who selected the teak furniture and colorful outdoor throw pillows to complement the colors of the home and tie in with materials used in other parts of the project. French doors closely connect the lounge with the home’s main living area.
Patio furniture: Teak Warehouse in Manhattan Beach; see similar teak furniture
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A decomposed granite (DG) patio in the backyard of a home in Manhattan Beach, California, frames a seating area centered around a smoke-free concrete fire pit. Landscape architect June Scott collaborated with the project’s homeowners, who selected the teak furniture and colorful outdoor throw pillows to complement the colors of the home and tie in with materials used in other parts of the project. French doors closely connect the lounge with the home’s main living area.
Patio furniture: Teak Warehouse in Manhattan Beach; see similar teak furniture
Read more about this home
11. Soft Geometry in Milwaukee
For a renovated backyard in Wisconsin, designer Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio created a series of outdoor rooms, including this fire lounge area. The gas-powered fire bowl is filled with charcoal-colored fire balls, which tie in with the pebbles that outline the patio. Modern charcoal lounge chairs from Loll also pair well with the color scheme.
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For a renovated backyard in Wisconsin, designer Jim Drzewiecki of Ginkgo Leaf Studio created a series of outdoor rooms, including this fire lounge area. The gas-powered fire bowl is filled with charcoal-colored fire balls, which tie in with the pebbles that outline the patio. Modern charcoal lounge chairs from Loll also pair well with the color scheme.
Read more about this home
12. Beachfront in California
Landscape designer and builder Margie Grace reinforced the experience of relaxing at the beach when she created a sandy patio in the backyard of this waterfront home in Carpinteria, California. A stacked flagstone fire pit topped with fire glass complements the stacked flagstone bench built into the yard’s sea wall. Trucked-in sand brought the outdoor floor up to the same level as the beach, creating a seamless transition from the home garden to the natural landscape.
Concrete and ipe chairs: Wells Concrete Works
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Landscape designer and builder Margie Grace reinforced the experience of relaxing at the beach when she created a sandy patio in the backyard of this waterfront home in Carpinteria, California. A stacked flagstone fire pit topped with fire glass complements the stacked flagstone bench built into the yard’s sea wall. Trucked-in sand brought the outdoor floor up to the same level as the beach, creating a seamless transition from the home garden to the natural landscape.
Concrete and ipe chairs: Wells Concrete Works
Read more about this home
13. Urban Refuge in Brooklyn
Private outdoor space in New York City can be hard to come by, so Edward Jones and Irene Kalina-Jones of Outside Space NYC did all they could to transform a previously uninviting sunken concrete pit into a urban garden refuge. Artificial turf surrounds a raised gas fire pit, providing the homeowners with a place to relax outside without the maintenance of taking care of a lawn.
Artificial turf: XGrass Luxury Pro artificial turf, ProGreen
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Private outdoor space in New York City can be hard to come by, so Edward Jones and Irene Kalina-Jones of Outside Space NYC did all they could to transform a previously uninviting sunken concrete pit into a urban garden refuge. Artificial turf surrounds a raised gas fire pit, providing the homeowners with a place to relax outside without the maintenance of taking care of a lawn.
Artificial turf: XGrass Luxury Pro artificial turf, ProGreen
Read more about this home
14. Seeing Red in Oakland
Ive Haugeland of Shades of Green Landscape Architecture gave a corner of this backyard in the Bay Area of California a shot of color by covering its concrete walls with red stucco. The concrete fire pit is topped with red fire glass and can be covered with a tabletop when not in use.
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Ive Haugeland of Shades of Green Landscape Architecture gave a corner of this backyard in the Bay Area of California a shot of color by covering its concrete walls with red stucco. The concrete fire pit is topped with red fire glass and can be covered with a tabletop when not in use.
Read more about this home
15. Layers of Stone in Atlanta
Architect Cynthia Karegeannes transformed what had been the driveway behind a home in Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood into a new outdoor seating area, complete with a stacked flagstone pit. The fire pit uses the same flagstone that was used for the pergola footing and the retaining wall in front of it, creating a cohesive materials palette.
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Architect Cynthia Karegeannes transformed what had been the driveway behind a home in Atlanta’s Candler Park neighborhood into a new outdoor seating area, complete with a stacked flagstone pit. The fire pit uses the same flagstone that was used for the pergola footing and the retaining wall in front of it, creating a cohesive materials palette.
Read more about this home
16. Clean and Classic in Chicago
Black-stained wood, bluestone paving and oversize furnishings contribute to this patio’s cool and classic aesthetic in the Irving Park area of Chicago. The outdoor lounge area, designed by John Algozzini of K&D Landscape Management, sits just below the home’s back deck and features a freestanding cast-iron fire pit and a cluster of hefty but streamlined lounge furniture.
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Black-stained wood, bluestone paving and oversize furnishings contribute to this patio’s cool and classic aesthetic in the Irving Park area of Chicago. The outdoor lounge area, designed by John Algozzini of K&D Landscape Management, sits just below the home’s back deck and features a freestanding cast-iron fire pit and a cluster of hefty but streamlined lounge furniture.
Read more about this home
17. Relaxed Luxury in Napa
This backyard renovation by Katharine Webster in St. Helena, California, is classic wine country style, mixing luxe and comfort to create an ultimate outdoor getaway. In one of the outdoor gathering areas, an oversize poured-in-place concrete fire pit anchors an outdoor lounge area, with extra-large outdoor furniture helping to create a grand presence.
Fence: Howard Wire Cloth
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This backyard renovation by Katharine Webster in St. Helena, California, is classic wine country style, mixing luxe and comfort to create an ultimate outdoor getaway. In one of the outdoor gathering areas, an oversize poured-in-place concrete fire pit anchors an outdoor lounge area, with extra-large outdoor furniture helping to create a grand presence.
Fence: Howard Wire Cloth
Read more about this home
18. Lakefront in Minnesota
This lake-facing house in Excelsior, Minnesota, takes advantage of its great location, with outdoor dining, lounging and a grill sitting right off the main house. The stacked fire pit blends with the back patio paving, with black Adirondack chairs offering a dramatic contrast.
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This lake-facing house in Excelsior, Minnesota, takes advantage of its great location, with outdoor dining, lounging and a grill sitting right off the main house. The stacked fire pit blends with the back patio paving, with black Adirondack chairs offering a dramatic contrast.
Read more about this home
19. A Collection of Color in Marin
Bold color is a dominant theme in this backyard in Mill Valley, California, and the mixture of colorful lounge chairs makes this sleek gas-powered fire pit even more inviting.
Fire pit: RH; Emmet lounge chairs: Room & Board
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Bold color is a dominant theme in this backyard in Mill Valley, California, and the mixture of colorful lounge chairs makes this sleek gas-powered fire pit even more inviting.
Fire pit: RH; Emmet lounge chairs: Room & Board
Read more about this home
20. Steel Meets Concrete in Los Angeles
After designers Peggy Hsu and Chris McCullough, of Hsu McCullough, couldn’t find an off-the-shelf fire pit that matched their style or their budget, they decided they would design their own for their low-water backyard in L.A.’s Mar Vista neighborhood. They had a board-formed concrete pit poured and topped it with three-eighths-inch-thick cold-rolled steel.
Fireplace cap: prepared by Banks Welding in Los Angeles
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More
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Find a landscape architect near you
After designers Peggy Hsu and Chris McCullough, of Hsu McCullough, couldn’t find an off-the-shelf fire pit that matched their style or their budget, they decided they would design their own for their low-water backyard in L.A.’s Mar Vista neighborhood. They had a board-formed concrete pit poured and topped it with three-eighths-inch-thick cold-rolled steel.
Fireplace cap: prepared by Banks Welding in Los Angeles
Read more about this home
More
Eco-Friendly Fire Pits: Casting Backyard Campfires in a New Light
Get the Details That Brought These 15 Patios to Life
Find a landscape architect near you
Architect Kurt Krueger’s renovation of a retired couple’s front yard on a busy street in Los Angeles was designed to extend their living space while also creating a protective screen. The fire feature makes a statement. Exterior-grade onyx covers a steel frame, with a grid of waterproof LED lights inside the steel frame producing a glowing effect through the stone at night.
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