Extending the Dining Al Fresco Season

One of the best parts of the summer season is the long, warm days during which you can enjoy your beautiful outdoor living spaces. It seems only a decade or so ago we emerged only for barbecues and special occasions, we now find ourselves outside for common meals with or without company. We have fallen in love with a light summer meal 'al fresco' style. 

You’ve spent time and money to cultivate your outdoor living space to discover that you truly love relaxing and dining there. As the summer season begins to wind down each year as the days get a little shorter and the evenings a little cooler, sadly the end of the 'al fresco' season draws closer. Don’t cheat yourself of the opportunity to take full advantage of your time there by retreating inside before you need to. Instead, consider adding a warm, comfortable outdoor fire pit or fireplace and enjoy more of your time in the place you’d rather be.

An inexpensive and simple option to keep you comfortable, cozy and warm as is to purchase a portable metal fire pit, available at most home improvement stores for around $200. If your outdoor area is on the smaller side, this is a great option as you can remove it when needed to create more room for daytime entertaining.

Slightly more involved, the in-ground fire pit is another option. Whether you choose a basic DIY project or hire a contractor to design and build something more intricate, an in-ground fire pit can be as big or small as your budget and ambition allow.

Above-ground fireplaces, often integrated as part of larger outdoor living spaces, provide great evening warmth and comfort but also allow for a traditional chimney to vent the smoke away from everyone there to enjoy the outdoors. As with in-ground fire pits, above-ground fireplaces can become as detailed and expensive as you choose, ranging from simple, folksy designs to elaborate stone work of significant height. Some outdoor fireplaces integrate pizza, or bread ovens into the construction, adding a new dynamic to entertaining guests.

The sky is the limit. Whether keeping it as simple as a portable fire pit or going bigger by adding something more elaborate to your 'al fresco' spaces will integrate some warmth into the cool evenings that will be upon you before you’re ready.