If you want to get the most out of your landscape, your outdoor living space needs to feel safe and permanent while also attracting friends and family. Masonry features can vastly improve any outdoor living space, adding both beauty and function to your outdoor lifestyle; and in fact, the right fire feature could be the best investment you make in outdoor living because no other feature can ensure you’ll want to go outside even in the dead of winter. Here are five ways expert masonry can create a warm and welcoming feel in a Bedford and Peterborough, NH outdoor living area.
Physical Warmth
Staying comfortable outside is how you and your loved ones will create some amazing memories throughout the year. Expert masonry can contribute many features to your landscape, but few are as attractive and useful as a fire feature. The typical fire feature is divided into three categories: a fire pit, a fire table, and an outdoor fireplace.
The fire pit is a simple structure that can either have a commanding presence at the center of an outdoor living area or it can be in a secluded corner of your landscape. Fire pits typically use wood as their fuel to evoke a campfire fuel, though some are designed to use natural gas. Fire pits will mostly be squares or circles for efficient burning and dispersion of heat. With such a simple, yet effective structure, everyone can gather ‘round and benefit from the warmth.
The fire table is perfect for an entertainment space at the center of your outdoor living area, though they can also be set off to the side. Fire tables use natural gas as fuel, which enables them to be easily controllable and consistent. It also completely eliminates the production of smoke and ash. Fire tables can be built to nearly any design specification, whether it’s at the center of a dining room table or in a standing area at the side of the patio meant for sharing cocktails.
The outdoor fireplace is the largest fire feature and it will quickly become the anchor of your outdoor lifestyle along with a pool or an outdoor kitchen. Outdoor fireplaces are grand masonry structures that can use either wood or natural gas as fuel. They can be built in virtually any design style. Best of all, they can be combined with many other features, including a wood-fired pizza oven that provides a handy (and attractive) way to make delicious pizzas, breads, braised meats, and much much more!
Related: HOW TO VISUALIZE THE BEST MASONRY CHOICES FOR A NEW LANDSCAPE DESIGN IN MILFORD AND AMHERST, NH
Visual Warmth
Aside from the comfort of fire features, a warm and welcoming feeling can be produced by the ground surface and the essential landscape lighting system.
The warm and earthy colors used in the patio pavers, bricks, or natural paving stones will have a great impact on the feeling of welcome in your outdoor living area. Create an easygoing vibe with distressed pavers that offer a lived-in, timeworn appeal. A rustic patio could benefit from natural stone or pavers that draw their inspiration from natural stone - and texture is important for completing the look. A chic sophisticated space would use primarily smooth, large-format pavers for a clean look - but a look that can be made friendlier with the use of warm tones.
Landscape lighting that is integrated into masonry can make a stunning and effective impression on the nightscape. Today, fixtures that feature LEDs (light-emitting diodes) reduce outdoor lighting costs as they are extremely energy-efficient and last much longer than other types of bulbs; and best of all, their small size allows for very creative placement to achieve just the right warm and inviting outdoor ambience.
Related: ILLUMINATE YOUR LANDSCAPING WITH THESE OUTDOOR LIGHTING IDEAS IN PETERBOROUGH AND MILFORD, NH
