When summer is over and the cooler temperatures of fall bring a chill to the air, there is no reason you must abandon your luxury outdoor living area. You and your family can still stay warm and toasty with a bit of advance planning. But even beyond warmth, here are four welcome reasons to add an outdoor fireplace to your back yard.
Create a Dramatic Focal Point
While fire pits, fire tables and fire features are all the rage right now, there is something to be said about adding a traditional outdoor fireplace to your space. Even though other fire features can have eye catching extras, such as colored glass media, they cannot compete with the elevation and structure of a fireplace that anchors your patio. Even contemporary outdoor fireplaces, which tend to be wider overall and not quite as high, are large enough to become the focal point of the space.
Establish Structure and Definition
Outdoor fireplaces are also good at standing out from their surroundings. If your backyard features a lot of trees and greenery, a fireplace is an anchor in a sea of green and naturally draws the eye. In a large outdoor area, the fireplace provides structure and defines zones. For instance, you are likely to create a comfortable seating arrangement in front of the hearth, which denotes this space as being the place to hang out, as opposed to an area for dining, sports, barbecues, and whatever else you and your family enjoy doing outdoors.
Beyond Warmth: Heat and Light
We all know that when you add an outdoor fireplace to your backyard, its main purpose is to provide warmth. But beyond just a cozy, warm atmosphere, an outdoor fireplace puts out a lot of heat. Why waste that? Break out the marshmallows and hot dogs to give your fireplace multi-functionality. Kids, in particular, love cooking their own meal on the open flames.
The light from mesmerizing flames is also beneficial. That cozy glow can be enhanced by strings of outdoor lights or left on its own to provide subtle illumination. There is nothing like crackling flames and an incandescent radiance to attract family members and guests outside.
Increase the Value of Your Home
When you add an outdoor fireplace to your backyard, it increases the overall value of your home since it is a permanent installation. Unless its bulk takes up too much space in a small area, we have never heard of a potential homebuyer wanting to remove an outdoor fireplace. It looks good and performs well, making it a valuable addition to any outdoor living space that will be used over and over again. Luckily gas fireplaces require little maintenance, so it is nearly carefree.
If you have been considering that it is time to add an outdoor fireplace to your home’s back yard, now is the perfect time to take action. Remember that an outdoor fireplace becomes a focal point, provides structure and definition, produces light and heat, and also increases the value of your home – no downsides involved.
