8 Fall Firepit Ideas to Heat up Autumn

Having friends and family gather around a fire is about as natural as it gets. People have been doing this since the dawn of time. It’s relaxing; it’s a great way to build community; it provides the basic necessity of warmth when you want to spend time outdoors. 

If you’ve been considering this addition to your outdoor space, we have a few firepit ideas that’ll set your nights to blazing and invite family and friends to stay just a little while longer. 

Whether you want to roast marshmallows, retell stories of old, or simply burn the midnight oil, we’re sure one of these fire pit ideas below will tickle your fancy. 

1. Fire Pit & Pool

We’ve all seen luxurious pools with an attached hot tub or sauna. But, how about mixing a little fire and water? This is, without question, one of our favorite fire pit ideas.

In lieu of the hot tub (or in addition to it), you can frame out a fire pit and nestle it into one of the corners of the pool. Or, you can position it beside the hot tub. Makes sense, right? 

Few things in life are more relaxing than lounging on a float or looking into a fire at night. Combining the two is a surefire way to light up your nights and make everyone feel at home. 

2. In-Ground Fire Pit

This one you have to be careful with, especially if you have a lot of kiddos running around. But, just like your swimming pool, you can actually go above ground or below with a fire pit. 

If you’ve installed some magnificent tile flooring in your outdoor space, you might want to maintain those lines. In which case, you can install a fire pit below ground and gather your outdoor sofas or benches around.  

3. Perimeter Fire Pit

If you like the idea of a gas fire pit, this may be a great option for you. You can create a perimeter, or a divide, to your seating area. One consideration is creating a small perimeter wall between the seating area and your pool. 

With one flick of a switch, you can set the flames to dancing as some guests lounge in your seating area and others take a dip in the water. Either way, everyone gets to enjoy the show. 

4. Sunk-In Seating Area with Firepit

The fire doesn’t have to be the only thing in the pit. What if you were to create a circular three-foot wall, line the interior with Adirondack chairs, and build a stone fire pit in the center? 

Now, you’ve created a dedicated space. You can hang blankets on the back of the chairs, set out small side tables, and even position footrests for each chair. Perhaps you’ll build some speakers or a sound system into the wall and let the beat go on. 

5. Fire Table

This one you’ve probably seen. It’s practically a staple. Instead of a coffee table in the middle of a designated seating area, people are opting for a fire pit that blends seamlessly into the environment. 

With fire tables, there can still plenty of room along the perimeter of the fire to set down appetizer plates and glasses, but there’s no mistaking what’s at the heart of it all.

Fire tables come in all shapes and sizes. They can be made of stone pavers, wood, metal, and even glass. They can be circular, square, or rectangular. If you can dream it up, it can be built and showcased.

6. Fire Bowl

This is just as it seems and utterly fantastic. Like any other option, fire bowls come in all shapes and sizes. They’re circular, made of a multitude of materials, and nestle neatly into any open space.

These, too, can continue in the same vein as the pavers on your patio. Or, they can be constructed out of stacked stone, flat stone, limestone, or any other natural stone that matches your overall motif. 

7. Reflective Fire Pit

Speaking of endless building materials, let’s discuss one of the best ways to amplify your fire. With the right glass or tile, you can create a reflection of your fire, doubling the size and effect of your flames.

If you create a circular pit and layer the top of it with black tile, you’re going to enjoy a magnificent reflection in the evening hours. This will enable to flames to dance at the center of your party in a most show-stopping way. 

8. Concrete Fire Pit

Concrete is, in our opinion, one of the most underappreciated materials. It’s not just for roadside crews to pour out on a sidewalk. 

Concrete can be stained, scored, and polished to create modern, clean lines. Whether you want a circular pit or a square pit, concrete can be dressed up to create an impervious, neat, and tidy arrangement that’ll last a lifetime. 

Firepit Ideas to Light Up Your Fall Nights

What do you say? Will it be a firepit nestled beside your pool? A perimeter pit? Or a sunken seating area that makes it all about the fire? Whatever your desire, now’s the time to set yourself up for all those fall evenings under the stars. 

Here at State of the Art Landscape, we can bring all your dreams to life. We offer top-quality pool building, landscaping, turf, and landscape maintenance. 

Come take a look at our portfolio to browse our gardens, masonory projects, swimming pools, decks, outdoor kitchens, and more.

Which feature do you dream about bringing to life? Allow us to pair it with the perfect pit to set your autumn nights aflame.

And we won’t leave you high and dry once we’ve created the backyard of your dreams. We’re also here for year-round maintenance and snow removal. 

As you enjoy your hot tub and fire pit, we’ll keep your land clear and safe throughout all the winter months.

If you live in Northern Virginia, feel free to schedule a no-obligation on-site appointment today. We’ll be delighted to come by and continue to make your backyard an extension of your home.

What is Hardscaping?

When you see the yard of your dreams, what elements do you see? Likely, there are beautiful natural elements, such as carefully arranged flowers, vegetables and decorative plants. But there are other elements that contribute to a well-designed landscape: the hard materials, also known as hardscaping

The Low-Down on HardscapingNorthern Virginia Luxury Landscaping 

It’s highly possible that, while you have enjoyed your own and your friends’ backyards, that you haven’t realized that the blend of hardscaping and softscaping is what creates the ultimate outdoor experience. 

Landscaping provides the ability for a customer to have a greater appreciation for being outside and being comfortable in their own living space. With hardscaping and softscaping, you can personalize your landscape, the extension of a perennial garden, a habitat of your own creation and for your enjoyment and leisurely appreciation. 

Many individuals value their outdoor spaces as a place to entertain and experience outdoor comfort.

Hardscaping for Privacy 

For many homeowners, buying a home means buying a set of neighbours and a piece of a neighbourhood, whether you would choose it or not. One of the best reasons to consider a carefully designed landscaping project that incorporates hardscaping features is to control the privacy and amount of noise that you can hear from your outdoor living space. 

For example, water features are able to gently mask the more unpleasant noises of both auto and foot traffic outside of your property. Then, when it comes to privacy, your landscaper will be able to work with you to use retaining walls, gazebo and many other features to give you more privacy from your neighbours in a creative and aesthetically pleasing way. 

To paint a picture of other ways to promote privacy in your backyard with hardscaping elements include: 

  •     Woven Screen (using materials like wood or metal)
  •     Solid Panels (translucent or opaque)
  •     Wood Pergola
  •     Ceiling-like Panels (slotted for extra light)
  •     Lattices

Many homeowners prioritize the ability to enjoy their outdoor space without interruption from unwanted noise or prying eyes. But privacy isn’t the only benefit to incorporating hardscaping features alongside your natural features such as floral and edible elements.

Endless Benefits to Hardscaping

Custom Landscaping NOVA

Other benefits of hardscaping features include: 

  •     Guarding your garden against unwanted pests
  •     Extension of your living and entertaining space
  •     Increased property value
  •     Versatility and design expression
  •     Physical boundaries
  •     An added dimension to your natural space
  •     Increased comfort
  •     Ability to enjoy summer nights comfortable seating and ample lighting
  •     Effective yet visually appealing storage for your toys and tools

We embrace creativity throughout the whole process. One of the leading trends in landscape design is mixing textures and materials. We embrace the ability to use a variety of different materials, such as natural stone, polished and shaped stone, and even metals and synthetic materials to create the perfect design. Many homeowners use landscaping as a way to express the design and appearances that they love and already have throughout their home. 

A quality landscaping company will work with you to harness the interaction between hardscaping and softscaping. Since many expert landscape designers believe that hardscaping provides the foundation for the softscaping elements, many will highly recommend that you include complementary elements to your dream garden and backyard.

Common Examples of Hardscaping 

When designing your yard, here are some common hardscaping elements that you could consider adding to your design:

Custom Northern Virginia Pools Hardscaping

  •     Paver Patio
  •     Stone Wall
  •     Gazebo
  •     Garden Walls
  •     Planting Beds
  •     Large Boulders
  •     Stone Edging
  •     Accent Stones
  •     Light Fixtures
  •     Pillars Or Columns
  •     Seat Walls
  •     Stepping Stones
  •     Waterfalls
  •     Swimming Pools
  •     Fountains
  •     Ponds
  •     Stream bed
  •     Fire Features Such As Fireplaces Or Fire Pits
  •     Even a pizza oven feature has become increasingly popular!

Designing Your Outdoor Living Space 

Your landscaping wish list can (and should) be a mile long when you’re working with your landscaping design company. That way, you can rest assured that your landscape project incorporates elements that you’ve considered and value the most. 

State of the Art Landscape embraces creativity and challenges, all with the goal to create a dream outdoor living space for you and your family. We professionally design and execute your outdoor living space, with comprehensive services that let you dream big or dream big on a budget. No project is too big or too small for us! We love working with a variety of customers, ideas, and yard sizes to create the perfect space for you. 

Let us bring our passion for quality and our years of landscaping experience to create your dream outdoor living space. Request an on-site appointment with one of our passionate landscape designers today. Let’s get started!

Hardscaping North Virginia 

Benefits of a Pool in Your Own Backyard

There’s just something about the summer that seems to make people happy. Maybe it’s the kids being off school, maybe it’s the memories we have stored away from our own childhoods and that sense of freedom that comes along with it.

Summer is even better when it’s spent poolside surrounded by friends and family. But when you don’t have your own pool and have to watch your neighbors enjoy theirs through the fence it can put a damper on your mood.

Here are the benefits of having a pool in your backyard and why it’s an essential item to have when the hot weather is upon you. A cold popsicle just doesn’t do the job anymore.

Cool Off Anytime Anywhere

We all love the beach but it’s such a hassle do get there. You have to drive out of your way to get to those sandy shores, pay for parking, and pack everything you need for the day but somehow still manage to forget stuff. Don’t even try the public pool – that place is always way too crowded.

Cool off anytime at your convenience with a pool in your backyard! You won’t have to deal with crowds, parking, or any other of the small things that can make any trip to a body of water a hassle. Simply walk out your door and jump in when the heat gets too much – it’s that easy.

It’s Great For Entertaining

Most people love the summer cookouts. Just the thought of grilling some steaks, kabobs, burgers, and vegetables gets our mouths watering and your hands busy texting our friends planning the next one. But if you’re hosting, a pool makes your job a lot easier.

A backyard pool at the cookout gives your guests something to do and hang around until the food’s ready. It keeps the party fun and lively while providing hours of excellent entertainment for kids. Since you’re supplying the pool, hopefully, someone else is supplying the pasta salad.

It Makes Your Green Space Look Gorgeous

Adding any kind of water element is a great way to break up the grass and greenery out back with a focal piece that’s stylish and soothing. But adding a pool makes the element functional for you and your life as well.

Gone are the days when pools had to be your standard rectangle and blue plastic combination. Now, pools can be built into custom shapes that complement your backyard and look as stylish as they are fun to splash in. It’s a win, win!

Pools Are Ideal For Exercise

Don’t bother buying a gym membership when you have a pool in your backyard because swimming is one of the best exercises for you. It’s a full-body workout that also conditions your heart and lungs.

Swimming is great for you because it’s low impact movement that won’t disturb those suffering from joint pain or mobility issues, water resistance is higher than air resistance so you’ll get your heart rate up while you’re swimming, and it’s an aerobic exercise so you’ll be burning lots of calories while you do it.

The best part about having a backyard pool is that it’s a private way to get your exercise in without nosy people looking at you at the gym. We’ve all felt exposed and self-conscious when we lock eyes with that one random person who’s watching you on the treadmill. Avoid that whole situation and workout somewhere that’s private.

Your Kids Will Love It

Any kid with a pool basically lives in it all summer. They’re out there from 9am to 9pm playing with their friends, tanning, listening to music, and swimming laps happily. The pool is basically the summer camp that’s way easier to get to and they can choose when snack time is.

Your kids won’t be able to thank you enough for installing a pool – everyone will want to hang out and party with them at the pool and have a great summer. Plus, you’ll always know that your kids are safe and not getting into trouble since they’ll be at home and you can check on them when you please.

Have yourself a wonderful summer by signing up to install a backyard pool today. The benefits of having a pool are just way too good to ignore. Plus, when you’re drenched in sweat in the middle of a heatwave and desperately trying to cool down with one measly icepack in your basement, a pool is all you’re going to be dreaming about.