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Serving the Naperville Community
 Your patio is the focus of your outdoor living area and so it should include features which keep you outside longer. One of these features is the fire pit, which has been bringing everyone together for thousands of years. Are you renovating your patio? Here are six reasons to include a fire pit in Naperville, IL.
Related: Take a Fresh Look at Your Patio Options With These 4 Landscaping Ideas in Wheaton, IL The Pride of a Gorgeous Masonry Feature Having a masonry feature standing proud in your backyard will make you feel like your landscape is more complete. Luckily, a fire pit is a permanent feature on your patio (or anywhere in your landscape) that quickly becomes an anchor point. For the most cohesive look, pair the blocks used in the construction of your fire pit with the surrounding patio as well as any masonry and color schemes present in your home and landscape. A Place to Warm Up Fire pits offer that nostalgic campfire feeling without the trouble of digging and building a pit in the wilderness. While they’re fairly rudimentary, fire pits have remained one of the most attractive places for people to get together and warm up. No matter if it’s a night in the heat of the summer after a barbecue with loved ones or a frigid night around the holidays where a small group of bundled-up close friends share mugs of hot cocoa surrounded by crunchy snow, the fire pit is where everyone will go to warm up. A Place to Cook While it might take some professional skill to cook some gourmet food around a fire pit, it’s still a great place to roast sausages or marshmallows to make some delicious s’mores. Some of the finest summer memories are made with skewers around the campfire, so it’s the natural next step to reinforce those memories in the comfort of your backyard. We recommend a wood-fired fire pit for cooking; and be sure to use fruitwoods that impart a delicious flavor to your food. A Place to Gather Even though it’s fun to stand around a fire pit and chat while enjoying the warmth and flickering light, it’s much cozier when you’ve got a comfortable place to sit. Once you’ve gotten the fire started and a few logs start to glow with embers, friends and family will start taking their seats around the pit. Since you’ve already gotten a permanent masonry feature installed on your patio, you could surround your fire pit with some high-backed seat walls which can help retain the heat in the area and shelter everyone from cold winds. High-backed seat walls can provide the opportunity for sturdy and comfortable relaxation around a fire pit and help make the fire area a prominent focal point. A Potential Return on Your Investment As fire pits are one of the most attractive features in any home landscape, it will quickly become one of the selling points should you ever choose to sell your home, especially if the fire pit is fueled by natural gas or propane. Potential buyers will appreciate the ambience that only a fire pit can add. But what about you? A fire pit could be the one feature that gets you to use your outdoor living space much later into the year - even in the heart of winter. And since you are already paying for the space, it’s nice to be able to use it comfortably! A fire pit is one of the best investments you can make in your landscape. Related: Warm Up Your Wheaton IL Brick Patio With a Traditional Fire Pit
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 Have you been wondering how to make your outdoor living space “the” place to spend your summer - and beyond? If so, a fire pit could be the answer. Here’s why a fire pit becomes the prime destination of the backyard patio in Hinsdale, IL - and why it’s one of the best investments you can make in outdoor living.
Related: Warm Up Your Wheaton IL Brick Patio With a Traditional Fire Pit Fire Brings Us Together Since the dawn of mankind, we have been gathering around the fire. The warmth and safety of a fire draws us in, and we linger, enjoying the mesmerizing dance of the flames as we share stories and laughter with family and friends. A round fire pit is more conducive to larger gatherings because everyone has equal access to the warmth of the fire. Installing a seat wall that partially encircles the fire pit will give plenty of people a chance to gather. A square fire pit can comfortably accommodate fewer people (in larger gatherings, the people sitting at the fire pit’s corners won’t be as close to the flames). Fire Belongs In Your Design A fire pit is a slightly more structured take on the primal campfire: using masonry or other materials such as large metal bowls, poured concrete bowls, or other materials give you unprecedented design flexibility. A fire pit can complement any architectural style and landscape aesthetic. You may prefer the classic round fire pit that brings back memories of fun times roasting marshmallows around a campfire. You may prefer the stark angular shape of a square fire pit that complements a linear landscape design. You may enjoy the gorgeous juxtaposition of a sleek concrete fire bowl with the textures of a gravel patio. You may wish to integrate a fire pit into the design scheme of your patio by using the same materials on all vertical elements including a fire pit, outdoor kitchen wall, and retaining wall. Fire Offers Cooking Alternatives Aside from your outdoor kitchen - which typically houses a grill and sometimes a wood-fired pizza oven - you can expand your cooking experience over a wood-burning fire pit. With the addition of a grate or some skewers, your fire pit can double as another grill - a bonus if you’re hosting a large party! Be sure to use fruit wood to give your food the best taste; and avoid cooking on natural gas- or propane-fueled fire pits, because dropped food can bake onto the decorative lava rock or fire glass, and be extremely difficult to remove. Fire Maximizes Your Use of the Space Have you ever thought about how little an outdoor space gets used after the warm days of summer have passed? In fall and winter, we rarely venture outside to sit and enjoy the fresh air - which is a shame, since we are still paying for the space. A fire pit eliminates virtually every excuse not to go outside. Its warmth will keep the patio cozy even on the most frigid days. The warming effect is more pronounced if you’re burning wood, but you will also be exposed to the elements since a wood-burning fire pit cannot be installed within a pergola or pavilion. However, a natural gas- or propane-fueled fire pit can safely be installed within an outdoor shelter. And with that solution, there are no excuses at all not to go outside, which means you actually get to enjoy the space you pay for year-round instead of just in the summer. Related: Take a Fresh Look at Your Patio Options With These 4 Landscaping Ideas in Wheaton, IL  Millions of people spent a lot more time in their outdoor living spaces than ever before during last year’s shelter-in-place orders. And many found that their patios didn’t quite live up to their potential. If you would like some inspiration, take a fresh look at your patio options with these 4 landscaping ideas in Wheaton, IL.
Related: The Benefits of Making Sure Your Landscape Design Includes Both a Patio and Fire Pit in Naperville, IL Create Zones Have you ever tried enjoying a quiet afternoon reading a book outdoors yet felt that you were in the center of all the action? Creating separate zones will allow everyone to enjoy the space the way they want. In many cases this could simply mean expanding the patio to make one larger space; but you can also create a series of smaller interconnected patios that create a sense of intimacy in each one (while still being part of a whole), and allow for creative use of various materials. If your backyard is sloped, take advantage of the topography to create elevation changes based on activity: for example, a main patio next to the house, where the outdoor kitchen and dining area are located. Outward from this high-activity zone, there could be a step (or several) up or down to more private, quieter areas such as a lounge area or a fire pit space. Add a Fire Feature Nothing brings people together like a fire pit or outdoor fireplace, and it could well be the best investment in a landscaping element because it will make your patio cozy and comfortable virtually any time of the year. Without fire, your outdoor space will go unused for far too many months, so we recommend making space for wood-fired or a natural gas/propane fire feature: it will be a huge draw for family and friends, and a great reason to go outside and relax or entertain. Fire provides a timeless and primal experience that has remained relatively unchanged by technology. Gorgeous stone masonry fire features can adorn your landscape in the form of a fire pit, fire table, or outdoor fireplace. A fire feature is an opportunity for creative expression, too: a focal point that can become a centerpiece of your backyard. Add Soothing Water Features Installing a fountain or a waterfall in your outdoor living space can create a variety of moods, from energized to tranquil. A traditional Roman fountain or a rugged waterfall will have dramatic effects on the landscape, dazzling your friends and family with the sight of rushing and splashing water. A sleek modern water wall can add a soothing experience with water trickling down clear glass or metal down to a catch basin of polished stone that can be arranged as you like to vary the soundscape. Add Permeable Pavers Replacing your patio surface with beautiful pavers will bring your landscape a fresh new look that is far superior in looks, upkeep, and durability to poured concrete patios or wood decks; and they offer a huge variety of color, texture, shape, and laying pattern options that let you express your creative side. Consider switching to permeable pavers that allow water to seep into the ground, not only reducing slipping hazards but also creating a more attractive and functional driveway (especially if paired with a driveway heating system) and achieving a more harmonious balance with nature by helping return rainwater and snowmelt to the aquifer. Related: 6 Inspirational Landscape Design Ideas to Elevate Your Landscaping in Wheaton, IL  As winter bears down on the Midwest, spending time outdoors can be pretty unbearable; and yet, it’s nice to get outside for some fresh air on milder days. During even the coldest days, a fire pit can be your ticket to keeping your outdoor living space alive. These wonderful structures built from long-lasting brick allow for one of the most primal of human experiences: gathering around a fire and sharing conversation with loved ones. Brick structures will be around for generations as is intended, so it’s time to warm up your Wheaton, IL brick patio with a traditional fire pit.
Related: Rethinking the Traditional Brick Patio in Wheaton and Naperville IL Areas Finding the Warmth The location of your fire pit should be in the least windy part of your patio. In the unfortunate case of a patio that is consistently battered by wind, a privacy wall will do the trick of blocking frosty breezes. You also want to consider how large to make your fire pit space, as best defined by how many people with whom you want to gather. Placing a fire pit directly in the center of a patio might hinder how people move about the space, so slightly off-center in a low-traffic area would be the best bet. Once a location is determined, it’s time to plan the size and the style. Sinking Into Comfort Stay out of the cold wind and create a cozy haven by setting the fire pit a few feet lower than the grade of the rest of the patio. This is especially advantageous if the patio sits on a flat area with a downward slope on one side, where you can create a cozy little area that allows gatherings to feel even more warm and intimate. The Right Presence Even the most minuscule fire pits can become a focal point of your brick patio. Matching its style to the aesthetic of your home is important and can be achieved by choosing either a round fire pit or a square one. Round fire pits provide a relaxed “campfire” atmosphere, while square fire pits offer a touch of more refined elegance. Sturdy Design Another great addition to your brick patio and the fire pit is the high-backed seat wall. It’s an excellent source of seating and storage. This sturdy masonry feature provides a physical barrier between the fire and the wind. However, it’s important to remain a little versatile in planning permanent seats. Some guests may prefer to stand instead of sit, so it’s a good idea to leave an opening, for example, a half- or quarter-circle around the fire pit, where folks can stand or sit as they wish. Then, it’s important to plan the seats to cover the direction of the wind in order to keep the most amount of warmth in the fire pit as possible. Additional Features Your fire pit is simplistic in nature but it can be adorned with various other features to your heart’s desire. Adding built-in landscape lighting to the fire pit itself, or to any permanent seating, can be a wonderful strategy to add ambiance. Hanging string lights around the fire area encourages a more festive atmosphere. A small cocktail bar may be built into the brick structure next to the high-backed seat walls, eliminating the need to go back and forth and keep the drinks coming. The more you customize, the more personal and cherished your fire pit will become. Related: 2 Outdoor Design Ideas for a Cozy Brick Patio in Naperville and Hinsdale IL Areas  It’s the perfect time to warm up your evenings outside with an outdoor fireplace! Outdoor fireplaces are a great alternative to a fire pit, since the smoke is directed up and away through the chimney at the top! This allows you and your guests to enjoy the heat and ambiance of a fire, without dealing with the pesky smoke! We can design a custom fireplace to perfectly suit your style, needs and budget! Give us a call and schedule your free consultation today!
Montano’s Landscaping (630)271-9709 www.montanoslandscaping.net Related: Best Summer Landscape Design Tips for Your Lisle Backyard |
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