How a Landscape Design Plan Can Benefit From the Addition of a Fire Pit in Wheaton, IL
One landscape feature can extend your enjoyment of the great outdoors well into the cooler months: a fire pit. In fact, cooler temperatures encourage people to gather around the fire! Here’s how a landscape design plan can benefit from the addition of a fire pit in Wheaton, IL - not only to give you more enjoyment from your landscape, but to elevate your home’s value.
1. Add a Welcoming Focal Point
When you or your visitors step outside onto a patio, your eye is immediately drawn to its key elements. A fire immediately says “welcome” to everyone. It inspires people to pull up a chair and socialize. Do you love the look of a rustic stone wood-fueled fire pit that reminds you of camp? Do you want to enhance your backyard with the chic look of a sleek and sophisticated granite gas-fueled fire pit? Do you want a fire pit big enough for a large family to sit around comfortably, or a small one perfect for two? Whatever style you choose, fire draws people together!
2. Add a “Wow” Factor to Alfresco Dining
A dining-table or bar-height fire table is a modern adaptation of the classic fire pit. These fire features have a deep ledge perfect for plates and glassware. Fire tables are natural gas- or propane-fueled for safety. It’s an opportunity to add flair to an outdoor kitchen, and to add interest with colored fire glass.
3. Expand Your Cooking Options
A fire pit can also be used for cooking. Permanent or temporary grates are the perfect spot to cook anything from corn to burgers (just be sure to use wood that is suitable for cooking, such as fruitwood; pine will give your food a very sharp taste). You can use a gas- or propane-fueled fire pit for cooking, but you’ll have quite a bit of cleanup to do as food residue can bake right on to the lava rock or fire pit glass.
4. Express Your Style
Your fire pit can be a stand-alone artistic feature that uses materials found nowhere else in the hardscape. Or, it can be made to match or complement retaining walls or other vertical elements like water features. You can choose between elevated or recessed fire pits, and decide whether you want permanent (masonry or wood bench) seating or movable patio furniture. A generous ledge on a coffee-table height fire pit lets people sit closer to the fire. You can choose between round, square, or rectangular shapes, as well as various heights and of course sizes. Personalize your fire pit area with colorful cushions, built-in low-voltage lighting, or colorful fire glass.
5. Add Coziness
Whether your outdoor space is large or small, a fire pit will encourage people to go outside. A fire pit can be centrally placed to break up a large expanse of patio; or, it can be tucked into a corner to make a small patio feel more spacious.
6. Add Value
When it comes to value, a fire pit can be a big draw. Wood-fired fire pits offer arguably more charm, but they are also messier and more hazardous. Natural gas fire pits need to be professionally installed. Propane fire pits will require nearby storage for a propane tank. Whichever fuel you choose, a fire pit makes your backyard “the” place to be, and not just during balmy evening nights.
