Outdoor living spaces add square footage to your home, allowing you to enjoy time spent with family and friends outside as well as inside your house. Installing an outdoor fireplace is a wonderful way to diversity your patio or pool area, while also boosting the long-term value of your property. If you’re considering adding this feature to your Palm Beach outdoor living space, keep reading for a few tips that will help you choose the best outdoor fireplace design for your home.

Purpose Outdoor Fireplace

One of the most important factors in outdoor fireplace design is the intended purpose of the fireplace. Thus, it’s important to consider how you want to use your fireplace during the design process. Outdoor fireplaces can serve a similar purpose as indoor fireplaces, creating a central space around which to socialize or relax. Alternatively, you can use an outdoor fireplace to heat your outdoor living spaces to maintain their usability, even in cooler weather. Ultimately, the purpose you want your fireplace to serve will guide you in its design, allowing you to tailor this feature to your needs and your preferences.

Fuel

Outdoor fireplaces typically burn either wood or gas as fuel. The type of fuel a fireplace consumes will affect both its design and its ideal placement. If your home already uses natural gas or your outdoor kitchen includes a natural gas grill, it may be easy to extend this line to provide fuel for your fireplace. However, the placement of a natural gas fireplace may be limited by the range of your gas line or your preferred placement for the line. Natural gas does offer benefits, however—you’ll never need to worry about purchasing wood or adding fuel to the fire during use. Wood-burning fireplaces are less limited in terms of placement and are less costly if your home doesn’t currently include a natural gas line. A wood-burning fireplace will require constant fuel replenishment, meaning you’ll need to make sure you have a supply of wood and kindling on hand when you want to use this feature.