Adding a fire pit to your space provides an eye-catching focal point while increasing the value of your home.
Nothing says "welcome" like a fire pit. They provide both an optimal location for hosting guests, and a relaxing sanctuary for a romantic night in or a quiet evening with the family. The beautiful dancing flames draw you in, making the rest of the world disappear, even for just a moment or two. Fire is also a wonderful way to add a glow to your space without having to install harsh lighting. It adds a certain elegance while also proving a warm atmosphere to unwind in.Highly customizable from their size, to type, to function, there are endless possibilities when choosing the right fire pit to fit your lifestyle. There are portable pits for those who want to have the option of moving their gathering space around. Customizable built-in pits leave room to create a cohesive look and flow within the space. Fire pits come in all shapes and sizes that allow you to choose exactly what size will work for your needs and space. Wood-burning and natural gas fire pits both have their added benefits and harbor different uses, so thinking about the type of experience you want is important.Wood burning fire pits provide guests with a nostalgic and traditional experience. Humans have been making fires this way since the beginning of time so why shouldn't you? There's something about the smell and warmth of a wood burning fire that allows us to relax and reminisce. This type of fire pit needs to be built and placed safely to ensure the flames and sparks won't travel outside the pit. Raised pits and the use of gravel or rock around the area can provide a safer environment to light fires.Natural gas fire pits provide all the benefits of having a fire, without the smell or mess. There is no soot or ash to clean up, no smell left on your clothes, and they cast less emissions when burning. Natural gas pits work by running a gas line to a metal fire pit ring. This ring is placed on top of river rock to provide drainage, then topped with lava rock which absorbs some of the heat. Glass rock can then be added on top to finish the look and give your space that "wow" factor. Natural gas fires do not have sparks that fly out from the flames, making this option the safer of the two.Now that the bulk of the summer heat is over, the best place to enjoy the expansive, Texas starry-night sky is next to a fire. Give yourself, and guests, the ultimate space to enjoy a drink or toast marshmallows as we head into our cooler season!
All too often designers need to be reminded not to focus on form over function. However, in order to truly have complete functionality within a space one must think creatively otherwise it would be impossible to achieve.When we were given this project back in February we knew it was going to be a challenge. Before, the entire space was virtually unusable for entertaining, and the homeowners would rarely go outside. The stairs needed support beams to be sturdy, but other than that no thought was put into the function of the space under the stairs, especially since it was in such a small yard. After we got our hands on it, however, that all changed. By simply using techniques and design elements we were already comfortable with, we were able to utilize every inch of space. The stairwell's height actually turned out to be one of its greatest assets when we installed this vertical herb garden along the side. Stairs are a perfect place to put a garden like this, because if you put a planter box at every other stair you'll know they'll be evenly spaced and look great! Because there was equipment under the stairs, we also created a gate out of the same material used for the vertical garden creating a seamless finish, as well as adding mesh along the side to allow vines to grow up. Not mentioned above, we also created this fire pit/planter box combo allowing for even more utility despite our lack of dimensions. We finished the entire design with our signature cement pavers and gorgeous yellow pots and now this backyard is fit for any home!