Fire-pit design moves beyond the basic bowl
LARCHMONT, N.Y. — Our first fire pit was a simple metal bowl, like a giant wok, perched on a metal stand. We’ve enjoyed many pleasant evenings sitting around a crackling blaze, finding humor in the incongruity of a campfire in the middle of suburbia.
Marshmallows have been roasted, songs sung. The pit becomes evening entertainment, everyone intently watching the dancing flames.
But in the few years since fire pits hit the market, designers have really begun to, well, design them. Now you can have one built into your dining table. Add a grill and host a teppanyaki (Japanese barbecue) supper. Or you can coordinate the pit with the rest of your backyard decor.
Sleek, powder-coated models are more furniture than utility. And with a variety of flame sources to choose from, you can now place your fire pit just about anywhere, including small balconies and swimming pools.
Take, for example, the coffee-table fire pit designed by John Xochihua of Portland, Ore., with a laser-cut, powder-coat steel top that’s sleek and chic.
“Since fire is completely organic, I wanted to bring asymmetry and organic shapes into my design,” he says. “When you combine a fire element and a table, there are many more design considerations. The table becomes interactive, a focal point, a place to gather, much as fire has been for millennia.”
Rick Wittrip of Lebanon, Tenn., has designed the Third Rock fire pit, which has fire emanating from cutouts where the continents would be in a world globe. The piece was featured at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Wittrip says he incorporates his skills as a welder, builder and carpenter, but it’s the artist’s vision leading the way. “When I’m designing, I keep in mind that the fire pit is all about warmth and companionship,” he says.
Both Wittrip’s and Xochihua’s designs are at homeinfatuation.com.
At DancingFire.com, the Fire Dancer fire pit ticks a lot of boxes: Its portability and propane fuel source allow it to be placed anywhere in the yard. You can build it in with rock or brick, or keep it transportable. A 20-pound propane bottle keeps the fire going, and a quick turn of the dial shuts everything down.
If you’re installing a gas pit, consider using one with glass rocks; single or multicolored glass looks amazing lit by the flames, and since no carbon is produced by the gas flame, they stay looking sparkly. Check out firepitsglassrocks.com for options.
PureModern.com has several fire pits that would suit a contemporary backyard or balcony. German-made Commoto stainless steel fireplace, designed by Carsten Gollnick, is a sleek and functional apparatus. The Sienna outdoor fireplace includes decorative concrete logs and lava rock, but operates on gel fire. One canister lasts for two to three hours, and extras can be stored in the base.
The Outdoor Fire Bowl also uses Real Flame nontoxic fire gel, which is odorless, and produces no ash or soot — perfect for urban environments or areas where no-fire restrictions may be in place. Put the lid on these pits and you’re done. That’s the beauty of the gas fire pit, too. Turn off the gas and there’s no messy cleanup, no worrisome lingering embers.
Firepits.inc has the elegant, 10-inch Blue Rhino gel fire pit with a bronze finish; place several around a large outdoor area or pool. Dress them up with river rocks, also available from the retailer.
Some prefer the real wood-fire experience, and there are many choices available. A steel or copper basin with a decorative cutout provides some evening entertainment, as the flames silhouette the patterns crafted in the metal. MyFirepits.com offers the Starry Night domed pit, and bowls carved with lattice and leaf designs.
Experts offer several tips regarding wood- and gas-fire pits:
Ÿ Consider your lifestyle when choosing one. Are you prepared to stock wood and build a real fire? Are there any restrictions in your area? Do you have the space around the pit for safety and proper fire management?
Ÿ Put a fire pad under the pit if you’re placing it on a wood deck. A 4-foot surround of brick, stone or slate will provide a nonflammable barrier.
Ÿ Place the pit in a clean, clutter-free area with no foliage overhangs and lots of ventilation.
Ÿ Have a licensed professional install your natural-gas fire pit. Keep lines free of cobwebs and soot at all times.
Ÿ Have safety gloves, a screen and, ideally, a lid available; gloves are useful for handling hot metal parts, screens protect from flying sparks, and a lid will seal off the pit from oxygen when you’re done.
Ÿ Build small fires first, so you can see what’s happening with wind patterns, before building medium fires. Never build a large blaze in a residential area.
Ÿ Have a water source nearby to douse any escaping flame, but keep a bucket of sand or dirt handy to put the actual fire out. This protects the fire pit from a sudden temperature change that could damage it.
As Rick Wittrip notes, with today’s symbiotic relationship between indoor and outdoor living, “customers want pieces that can be both decorative and functional.”