Woodland Grandeur

from Landscape Solutions
See how one Georgia family uses their backyard fireplace as an aesthetic balance to the strong lines of their home as well as a gathering place.

“Forget about summer evenings on the patio here in the South,” says Debra Lewis of Marietta, Georgia. “The fall and the spring are the best times to enjoy the outdoors.” That’s when the night air is crisp and cool — and free of mosquitoes.

To enjoy the seasons more fully, Debra and her husband, Glyn, had a massive fieldstone fireplace and a bluestone patio installed just beyond their family room doors. Their custom-built house came with a little wooden deck in this area, but it didn’t fit the architecture’s gracious European styling.

“The house called for something with much more weight and substance,” explains Will Goodman, the landscape architect behind this project. An enthusiastic fan of outdoor fireplaces, Goodman has recommended them to clients ever since he installed one at his own home. “They create wonderful places to gather and talk with your family,” he says. “You’d be surprised how easily the conversation flows without distractions like a TV or Nintendo.”

Here, he started with a masonry kit that offers the look and longevity of a traditional brick fireplace — without the hassles. “Traditional masonry is an art, and it can be difficult to find someone who does it well,” Goodman says. As a result, he says, outdoor fireplaces can be a significant investment. “The kit cuts the overall cost by about 20 percent, and the assembly directions are almost foolproof,” he says.

To complete the fireplace, Goodman added stone veneer and incorporated several practical features. A gas starter eliminates the need for crumpled newspaper. Inside the firebox, two shallow ledges support grates for cooking. Finally, a built-in platform for firewood sits behind the chimney. “You don’t want to haul wood every time you build a fire,” Goodman says. Pressure-treated supports keep the woodpile off the ground to reduce rot, and a small shed roof keeps it dry.

The new fireplace has turned the yard into a year-round haven. On cool afternoons, Debra and Glyn often relax by the fire while their 5-year-old daughter plays on a nearby swing set. It’s also an ideal place to enjoy after-dinner drinks with guests or “to just watch the stars,” Debra says.