A deck is not always the answer Is a built in fire pit right for you?

Willow Creek Slatestone Bleu -Versa-Lok Standard Seat walls and Columns with inset Slatestone Accents

The recent Trend

In Patio design has been moving towards leaving spaces flexible. Once you install a built in stone fire pit or fire place, you are married to it through thick and thin. That is great if the primary function of the patio is strictly for Friday night bonfires but many of my clients are looking for more flexibility than that.

This has triggered a move away from built in fire features and towards providing a patio space that is suited to a portable fire feature at night so during the day it can be staged with a dining table or lounge furniture. This Paver patio in Apple Valley, MN is a great example of a segmented space designed to fit a large permanent dining table and a “flex space” that has built in seating around the patio, making it easier to transition between functions.

This project is a great example of using accents in the patio, seat walls, pillars and steps that provide contrast and continuity between spaces.

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