The Unexpected Materials Making Outdoor Fire Pits Feel More Design-Led

1. Look to Natural Stone

a wooden deck in a lush garden with a large stone fireplace in the center — Allow the material to make a fireplace fit more organically into your garden.

Materials matter when you’re looking to create a fire pit moment that stands the test of time. “The raw stone used for the fire pit was selected for its organic quality and the beauty of the material,” says Patricia Benner, principal of California’s Benner Reibel Landscape Architecture, about this scheme. “In this Japanese-inspired garden, this natural element, nestled in lush planting, contrasted nicely with the linear moves in the hardscape.”

2. Introduce New Texture With Tile

a tiled firepit in a garden surrounded by chairs — Tiles are a durable outdoor material that just so happen to look great for fire pits, too.

Tiled fireplaces are commonly seen indoors, but it’s a stylish material update that adds texture and color to a garden scheme, too, and the fire’s light reflecting off these zellige tiles makes for an atmospheric evening.

“We opted out of black anywhere in this renovation and instead focused on an earthier palette,” says Abbie Naber, founder of San Diego-based A Naber Design. “The burnt sugar-hued zellige tile blends with the surrounding exterior landscaping while offering an edgier, imperfect material. It leans a bit 1970s retro, and we loved that aesthetic for this home. We focused on a monolithic design and let the irregularity of the tiles come to the forefront.”

3. Blend Into Your Home’s Architecture

an outdoor fireplace built from brick in a verdant modern garden — The positioning of this fireplace helps to further connect it to the interior scheme.

A sunken seating area such as this one, excavated by London landscape and garden designer Georgia Lindsay, needs a fireplace to create cozy autumn evenings outside. “We used bricks reclaimed from the interior of the house to construct the entire fireplace, creating a strong connection between the architecture and the landscape design,” Georgia explains.

However, that’s not the only way this outdoor fireplace supports indoor-outdoor living. The fireplace was designed as a cantilevered feature with an open side to the right, allowing it to be enjoyed equally from inside and outside the house. “At the touch of a button, the fireplace can be ignited and appreciated from the comfort of the dining room as well as the adjoining terrace.”

4. Use Texture to Make Outdoor Materials Like Concrete Feel More Elevated

a minimalist outdoor firepit in a contemporary courtyard — This outdoor fire pit channels the home’s minimalist styling.

Part of a project by Chelsea Edmonston of Chelsea Corinne Studio, a Southern California-based landscape designer, and Mario Soto Design Group, this seating area features a custom concrete fire pit by Made Form Studio. “The piece’s fluted detail echoes the handcrafted stucco fireplace inside,” says Chelsea. “It creates a visual connection between indoors and out while serving as both a warm gathering place on cool evenings, as well as a coffee table — perfectly positioned to be enjoyed from every surrounding room.”

The introduction of the fluted texture gives this rustic material a more intentional, elevated look.

5. Layer Materials for Interest

an exterior fireplace under a wood porch — This fireplace creates a focal point on the front of the house for amazing curb appeal.

This outdoor fireplace shows the power of mixing materials, from the contemporary stone surround against the fieldstone exterior to the smaller-scale tiles inside the hearth itself.

And, should you wish to be more sheltered from the elements, a patio protected by a roof is the perfect place to install a fireplace for cozy evenings outdoors. “The fireplace is placed on the front porch of the house to promote an extroverted character,” says Ben Dimmitt, senior associate at Texas studio Chioco Design. “The placement provides a reason to gather in your front yard, see your neighbors as they walk by, and say hello.”