25 stylish fire pits for spring living

Backyard campfire

A built-in fire pit is the hub of gatherings in this garden. Sandstone cobbles edge the 5-foot-diameter, lava-rock-topped pit, which blazes with gas-fed flames. A sandstone wall, scattered with cushions for comfort, serves as seating. Thyme and other herbs grow around the fire pit and between the stones of the seat wall.

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Contemporary outdoor haven

This patio of bluestone pavers, crushed rock and low ground-cover plants, edged with a sinuous concrete seat wall, adds a touch of cozy with a contained fire burning in a custom fire pit of Corten steel.

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Modern art

"Elfin" thyme turns this patio into a giant checkerboard. Growing in 4-inch-wide strips dividing poured-in-place concrete squares, it's irrigated by a subsurface drip system and needs only the occasional light pruning. Sea thrift keeps the grid from looking too controlled. Punctuating the grid is a blue "gravel" fire pit made of recycled glass.

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Asian-style elegance

A fire pit underscores a moon window framing a view of giant timber bamboo.

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Tiled fire pit

The chairs' square shapes and large scale contrast with the garden's fine foliage. So do the tile-covered fire pit and its oversized lava rocks, which serve as log equivalents.

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Amphitheater style

Landscape architect Steve Martino used rugged rebar and concrete in the fire pit to make it pop against the colorful amphitheater seating.

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Curvy fire pit

This fire pit's wavy shape pays homage to the adjacent burbling fountain and adds a touch of the unexpected to this stylish side yard.

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Sunken fire pit

A sunken concrete fire pit acts as a focal point on this deck that more than doubles the living space with ample space for sunbathing, conversation and entertaining.

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Geometric play

Rugged and natural-looking, this sunken fire pit is hard-edged and geometric on the patio side but gently curving on the beach part, where natural granite boulders pack its sides. Feathery grasses blend with the shoreline habitat beyond. A boulder seat is just right for extra guests.

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Touch of warmth

This simple fire pit adds a spark of warmth to a lush yard in the rainy Pacific Northwest.

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Fire pit circle sitting area

For before-dinner drinks or after-dinner s'mores, this outdoor space offers two connected but distinct sitting areas. This lower one is centered on a fire pit built of paving stones. Indoor-outdoor cushions soften the built-in curved benches, made of decking that was heat-molded on-site into the right shape.

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Bowl of fire

Clean lines and artful illusion transform a compact backyard. A "floating" bench and a fire bowl, which landscape architect Russ Cletta created from a colored concrete planter, make up the new living space.

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Homegrown campfire

A gas-fueled flagstone fire pit warms homeowners in their Northern California backyard.

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Multiuse fire pit

A concrete water trough doubles as a reflecting pool and an ice bucket for chilling drinks during parties. Gas jets in its back rim feed flames.

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Low-key warmth

Warmth encourages a family to use a patio year-round. Because of this fire pit's low profile — set into the seat wall and with only a discreet flame — it doesn't overwhelm the garden's peaceful mood.

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Convertible fire pit

A raised concrete trough filled with recycled glass keeps the dining deck warm on cool nights. When not in use, the gas fire pit can be covered with a slab of ipe wood, which converts it into a coffee table.

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Sunset's own fire pit

One of the crowning glories of our Menlo Park, Calif., campus is our outdoor kitchen — and this concrete fire pit is its jewel. Lined with crushed glass and warmed by a gas flame, the fire pit encourages year-round gatherings.

"It's a fun, cozy place to try new s'mores recipes," test-kitchen manager Stephanie Spencer says.

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Circular fire pit

A conversation circle around a gas fire pit serves as a cozy retreat on cool evenings. The low wall ringing the fire pit is painted yellow to match the dining patio's wall.

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Coastal campfire

You don't have to face the ocean to create a coastal vibe. This backyard is proof: Even though the deck doesn't share the bay and dune views that the front of the house has, the fire pit in the corner, reminiscent of beach campfires, echoes the seaside boardwalk ambience, as does the billowy landscaping that evokes grass-covered sand dunes.

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Al fresco entertaining

This small outdoor space doubles as an open-air living room and an al fresco dining room, thanks to furniture made of poured concrete and TimberTech decking, portable pieces from L.A.'s Plain Air (plainair.com. A built-in fire pit created a natural gathering place.

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Space to unwind

A small lawn between a house and garage serves as a transitional area, a "decompression chamber" that's the ideal spot to relax after work. A fire pit in warm brown tones adds coziness to the space.

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Triangular fire pit

This unusually shaped fire pit is the perfect fit in a small corner of a backyard.

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Backyard beach

Create a beach scene in your backyard. Driftwood, geraniums and grasses dot the "dunes" around a sunken fire pit. This miniature beach can be put together over a weekend for less than $200.

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Al fresco fireplace

This friendly-looking fireplace sits on a gravel patio, accompanying a traditional arrangement of furniture. The structure was built from concrete blocks and covered with a manmade, though convincing, river-rock veneer.

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