With fall just around the corner, it is the perfect time to consider that outdoor fireplace project. From a pre-fabricated fireplace to a stand-alone, stacked stone fireplace with a working chimney, there is a nice spectrum of outdoor fireplace options to match anyone’s budget.
It is a good idea to prioritize your needs and uses before starting the design process. Here are some of the questions Hughes-Edwards uses to help clients evaluate their projects.
1.) How is the fireplace going to be used? Do you prefer small family gatherings or large scale entertaining? The answer to these questions will help you determine where you want to place the structure in relation to your home and back yard. If you want the option of making s’mores or hotdogs, it is also a good idea to have a hearth so young children can’t get too close. That also provides extra seating for a cold night. Check out Bon Appetit’s “10 Crazy S’mores Recipes” for your own inspiration.
2.) What is your project budget? Determine a range and then meet with your contractor to determine actual design and cost.
3.) What type of materials do you prefer? Manufactured stone, real stone or brick are the basic exterior veneer choices for the mid-Tennessee area and wear well through cold winters.
4.) Can you have a stone fireplace if your home is brick? If your colors blend and compliment one another, then you can easily mix brick and stone. Builder Bryan Edwards uses the clever design trick of matching as closely as possible the home’s mortar color to the colors of the material being installed on the outdoor fireplace to achieve continuity.
5.) Gas or wood burning? This is a personal preference. A great modern convenience is to add a gas starter and eliminate those pesky starter products.
Edwards says the ultimate outdoor fireplace has the addition of a pizza oven! Whatever your preference, contact Hughes-Edwards here for a free estimate and bring on the s’mores!
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