With the desire for outdoor living spaces on the rise, homeowners and professionals alike are looking for new and interesting ways to revamp their outdoor spaces. While an outdoor kitchen is a great first addition, creating an outdoor living experience is about incorporating a variety of features like seating areas, outdoor fireplaces, and pools to define your outdoor space. Here we discuss considerations for including an outdoor fireplace.
Why Should You Have an Outdoor Fireplace?
The goal for a perfect outdoor living space is to create a seamless transition by including features of an indoor living space. An outdoor fireplace is like an indoor fireplace, and it provides multiple benefits in your outdoor living and entertaining areas by enhancing your living area and personal style. For instance, you can choose weather and heat-resistant materials to build your fireplace, like stainless steel, stone, brick, or concrete to provide durability and accentuate your aesthetic. An outdoor fireplace also offers warmth, light, and a relaxing atmosphere for you and your guests while cooking and entertaining outdoors. Placing an outdoor fireplace near a low seating area provides the ultimate social setting on cool nights. You can gather around with drinks or toast s’mores for an after dinner treat.
Considerations Before Adding an Outdoor Fireplace
As with any source of heat and flame, several considerations should be made before incorporating a fireplace into your outdoor living area. The number one consideration is safety about placement and surroundings, as your outdoor fireplace should be placed away from any combustible items and structures and should include venting if necessary. Gas fireplaces have direct vent and ventless options to release harmful smoke to the outside air or to clean the air internally, so these types are better served in enclosed or partially enclosed outdoor spaces. A wood burning fireplace produces a lot of smoke, so you will want to be sure that your space offers proper ventilation to the outdoors, especially if your area is not fully open. Built-in brick outdoor fireplaces are permanent structures that require careful planning. Portable outdoor fireplaces are enclosed and are much friendlier for placement, and they are often ready to use from the box. Some manufacturers even offer outdoor fireplace kits, which give you all the necessary items (hearth, fireplace box, chimney, etc.) to safely operate your outdoor fireplace.
Best Outdoor Kitchen Layouts for a Fireplace
The best layout options will depend largely on the size of your outdoor area. In very large, open spaces, you can incorporate a U shaped outdoor kitchen with a separate area with low seating and a fireplace for a relaxed atmosphere. In medium sized spaces, an L shaped layout will leave an open area adjacent to your kitchen for seating and a fireplace. While smaller spaces are usually best served by a small L shape or a straight run, you will need to carefully consider your layout and inclusion of amenities, as you may not have much extra room. If your outdoor kitchen is in your backyard or a large open area, you can always include an entirely separate area for your outdoor seating and fireplace. Overall, it depends on the size and goals for your backyard living space, as well as the outdoor kitchen layout that will work the best.
Why Choose Danver for Your Outdoor Kitchen?
When you incorporate features and amenities in your outdoor space, customization is important. The seemingly endless layout options for your Danver outdoor cabinets makes it easy to design a functional outdoor kitchen layout to incorporate an outdoor fireplace in your space. With a functional kitchen layout, you will have the design freedom to include many other amenities, like a seating or dining area next to your outdoor fireplace. Your team of expert architects, designers, and installers can also help you feel secure that the placement of your outdoor fireplace will be safe and functional.
If your outdoor fireplace is made of stainless steel, then durability and style are likely your priorities. Danver’s stainless steel cabinets are a great option to complement your stainless steel fireplace design. Our range of UV resistant powder coat finishes for your outdoor kitchen cabinets will also minimize maintenance and add to the beauty of your outdoor area. Consider colors that will enhance your material selection for your fireplace design. For example, choosing a black, grey, or other neutral powder coat color for your outdoor kitchen – alongside a concrete or stone fireplace – will provide a beautiful modern feel. Earthy tones with a brick fireplace will create a cozy and inviting backyard living space.
An outdoor fireplace is a great addition to your outdoor living area. When considerations are made for proper placement of your outdoor fireplace, it is an enjoyable amenity on any day of the year. If you are looking to create a cozy ambience for your space, look no further than an outdoor stone fireplace, which can be designed and customized to incorporate a variety of styles.
Design the perfect outdoor living space with an outdoor kitchen, outdoor seating, and an outdoor fireplace. Contact us to get started with your outdoor kitchen project today!
This article is based on industry knowledge and research by outdoor kitchen design professionals, including our in-house experts and engineers with decades of experience.Our goal at Danver is to provide factual information on relevant topics to help readers make informed decisions about their outdoor living spaces.
This article uses trusted sources with references hyperlinked to the source material.