Part of creating the perfect outdoor living space is enabling a variety of sensory experiences. Adding some of the natural elements to your landscape will create an immersion that enhances all outdoor experiences. When you’re planning out the next stages in your landscape design, make sure to tap all the senses: ideas for fire and water features in your Hamptons, Long Island, NY, landscape design.
Types of Fire Features
The most common fire features that homeowners install revolve around gathering at the fireside. These include the fire pit, the fire table, and the outdoor fireplace. While each one of these offers a different experience, there’s no reason you can’t have more than one in your landscape. Each one will create a feeling of warmth, a sight of beautiful firelight, and if you use wood, the authentic aroma and crackle of a wood fire.
The Fire Pit: Perhaps the most primitive and exciting feature you can add to your landscape, the fire pit is a masonry fire feature that evokes the feeling of camping. Fire pits can be fueled by wood, adding the cracking sounds of wood burning and the smell of smoke that comfort many people. However, today many homeowners are choosing gas-fueled fire pits for the cleanliness, safety, and lack of smoke. A fire pit can be a central patio feature or placed in an otherwise unused corner of the backyard.
The Fire Table: Fire tables are versatile fire features that combine the delights of dining with a fireside experience. They’re fueled by natural gas and provide a consistent heat. This allows a fire table to provide warmth in a small area or a large one. Placed next to an outdoor kitchen, it can do double duty as a dining space. Or, it can be the centerpiece of a chic seating area.
The Outdoor Fireplace: The most impressive fire feature is the outdoor fireplace, which commands an outdoor living space. It can either be fueled by wood or by natural gas and create an incredible amount of warmth. You can even add some cooking elements to an outdoor fireplace such as a wood-fired pizza oven so you can add plenty of tasty foods to the menu. Outdoor fireplaces also offer the most creative flexibility, as every detail can be customized to suit your style.
Types of Water Features
The most common landscape water features are waterfalls, fountains, and reflecting pools. These work to not only create some beautiful natural views, but also an immersive sound that washes over the landscape.
The Waterfall: Always stunning visitors with its beautiful splashing and rushing water, the waterfall can turn any bland landscape into an exciting one. This is especially due to the levels of white noise that a waterfall can create. Available to virtually any design scheme, a waterfall will quickly become one of the best features in a landscape.
The Fountain: Always emanating luxury, the fountain can truly transform the feeling of a landscape. A fountain can be as simple as a gently bubbling fountain from a Japanese zen garden or as grand as a jet fountain reminiscent of a Las Vegas casino. The possibilities are endless as you find the fountain that’s right for you.
The Reflecting Pool: One water feature doesn’t involve the movement of water but instead focuses on serenity. Consider adding a reflecting pool to your landscape to offer up mirror images of other beautiful features, completing a wonderful image. Reflecting pools can even harbor magnificent koi fish and other fascinating creatures.
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