DESIGNING WITH FIRE OUTDOORS There’s more to designing your outdoor space with a fire feature than dropping firewood into a terra cotta bowl in the backyard. Being properly primal takes some planning! See how several designers artfully incorporate fire into landscapes to create relaxing outdoor retreats. By David K. Gibson 86 “Fire is more than keeping people warm,” says exterior designer Scott Shrader. “It’s about getting people out and keeping them out.” Shrader is addressing a dilemma common to garden lovers: After spending time and money creating a livable masterpiece, a cold north wind can ruin a garden party or a solo contemplative evening. The solution, fortunately, is as old as society itself. Fire—flickering from a garden’s outdoor fireplace, fire pit, or a flame-filled bowl, table, or trough—is one of humanity’s primal attractions. Once we are ensnared, it exploits our love for warmth, conversation, and canapés. A fire is an ancestral meeting place, a source of comfort, a mesmerizing play of light. Fire is the star of any room indoors, and when placed outside, it creates a room around itself. But there’s a lot more to designing a welcoming space than dropping firewood into a terra cotta bowl in the backyard. Being properly primal takes some planning. Read more at the link below https://www.gardendesign.com/outdoor-living/fire.html