These fabulous outdoor living spaces may just light your fire!
Story by Ann Butenas
Do you need a little more living area at your home? Consider taking the fun outside! You can add ambiance and warmth to your outdoor room with a fireplace or fire pit. Even in cooler temperatures, you can relax and enjoy the great outdoors virtually year-round. With a custom made outdoor fire pit or fireplace, you can uplift the outdoor environment and offer a touch of warmth to your backyard. No matter your style or tastes, there is a backyard fire pit/fireplace out there calling your name. The unique designs featured on these pages may just set your heart on fire and inspire you to take it outside and warm up this season.
When this Lenexa homeowner wanted something not only aesthetically appealing but also functional, they turned to MW Lawn and Landscape, Inc. to bring new life to their backyard living area. From the porcelain tile paver to the tumbled limestone of the wood-burning fireplace with tower, this welcoming oasis is the perfect place to relax and unwind, and when hunger strikes, there’s a kitchen at the ready, complete with ice maker, refrigerator, sink, grill, side burner and storage drawers.
MW Lawn and Landscape
Photo courtesy of MW Lawn and Landscape
After they saw a spectacular outdoor fire place at a neighbor’s home, this family knew they had to have Land Design Group (LDG) design and install one in their Overland Park backyard. “The homeowners love to crackle the fire and wanted a wood burning fireplace and dining area, along with a pergola,” noted Chris Feldkamp, owner of LDG, whose team went to work on constructing this fully custom-made rugged yet stylish design that encourages lots of family time for nearly year-round usage.
Land Design Group
Photo by Matt Kocourek
Not quite the traditional outdoor fireplace, this contemporary and warm design has the confidence to simply be itself. After the three fire sculptures draw you in with their mesmerizing silhouette effect, you then become aware of all the beauty that surrounds this space, from the natural stone to the evergreen landscaping. Created by Maverick Landscaping and Outdoor Living, owner and designer Maverick Pickering brought together a palette of colors and textures to appeal to the client’s contemporary tastes. The accompanying patio provides an intimate stage for this welcoming retreat nestled in the heart of Deer Creek in Overland Park.
Maverick Landscaping | Sturgis Materials | Fireplace & BBQ Center
Photo by Matt Kocourek
With all this Leawood backyard has to offer, the owners might as well just include the outdoor square footage into the indoor count, as this veritable garden spot is like a dream come true. Designed and installed by Banks Pools and Spas, the owners wanted to have a virtually all-seasons accessible oasis, which includes the fire pit, the hot tub, veranda and pool. The end result? A family getaway is just feet away from the backdoor!
Banks Blue Valley Pools and Spa
Photo courtesy of Banks Blue Valley Pools and Spa
Giving the homeowner a backyard gathering spot that would architecturally complement the home yet still remain functional for this Leawood family resulted in this comfy backyard gathering spot designed and installed by Stonebridge Outdoor. The circular patio and curved hearth with sitting wall seem to embrace you and invite you to sit down and relax for a while as the wood burning fireplace and contrasting dark charcoaled mortar and lighter colored fieldstone mimic somewhat of a fairytale setting that makes you feel as if you are nestled in the woods on a cozy autumn day.
Stonebridge Outdoor
Photos courtesy of Stonebridge Outdoor
For a family that spends an appreciable amount of time at the lake camping out and enjoying the great outdoors, it was time to recreate that feeling right at home. Curtis Stroud, an owner of Rosehill Gardens, gave his Overland Park backyard that same feeling with this lake house-like fire pit so he and his family can keep the lake tradition alive at home. Intentionally created with a feeling of seclusion, it sits away from the house and the neighbors, surrounded by appreciable plant materials and trees that definitely provide the feeling of “We’re camping!”
Rosehill Gardens
Photos courtesy of Rosehill Gardens
Passionate about the outdoor life, the residents of this Cedar Creek home in Olathe knew they wanted a backyard that catered to that desire. Partnering with B.L. Rieke Custom Homes and Rosehill Gardens landscape professionals, the owners had a pool house built, complete with a wood burning fireplace, all architecturally designed to mimic the style of the home. In addition to the fireplace structure, Rosehill Gardens also installed all of the landscaping to truly make this the perfect place to feel as if you are surrounded by nature while you relax at the end of the day with a refreshing beverage.
