October Outdoor Living

Gather Around an Outdoor Fireplace

Warm Up Your Fall Evenings
Few outdoor features create a focal point quite like a fireplace. An outdoor fireplace adds warmth while giving family and friends a natural place to gather on cool fall evenings.

A fireplace can also become an important architectural feature within a larger patio design. Depending on the style of the home and landscape, it can be incorporated into a rustic natural-stone setting, a traditional paver patio or a more contemporary outdoor living space.

Add comfortable chairs or built-in seating nearby, and the outdoor fireplace area can become an outdoor room for relaxing, entertaining or simply enjoying a quiet autumn evening.

Create a Cozy Conversation Area with a Fire Pit

Gather Around the Fire
Fire pits offer another way to bring warmth and atmosphere to a backyard or patio. Because seating can be arranged around the fire, they work especially well for casual gatherings and conversation areas.

Fire pits are available in a variety of styles, shapes and materials, making them adaptable to many different landscape designs. They can serve as the centerpiece of a dedicated seating area or be incorporated into a larger patio that includes dining, cooking and entertaining spaces.

For homeowners planning a new patio, considering the fire pit during the initial design stage can also help create better traffic flow and allow plenty of room for comfortable seating.

Bring Fall Cooking Outdoors with an Outdoor Kitchen

Fall Cooking Starts Outside
Summer may be known as grilling season, but outdoor cooking doesn't have to end after Labor Day.

October is a great time to prepare meals outside. Comfortable daytime temperatures and cool evenings make outdoor kitchens especially enjoyable during the fall months.

An outdoor kitchen can be as simple or elaborate as the space allows. Grills, countertops, storage, sinks, refrigerators and other appliances can be incorporated to create a cooking area designed around the way you entertain.

Combine Features to Create an Outdoor Room

Combine several features
The most inviting outdoor spaces often combine several elements rather than relying on one feature.

An outdoor kitchen can anchor the cooking area. A fireplace or fire pit can define a separate conversation area. Outdoor heaters can provide additional warmth around dining tables, while landscape and hardscape lighting can make pathways and gathering areas more comfortable after sunset.

Think of the patio as an extension of the home, with different areas serving different purposes.

Just as an indoor floor plan may include a kitchen, dining room and family room, an outdoor living space can include dedicated areas for cooking, dining, relaxing and entertaining.

Take the Chill Off with Outdoor Heaters

Extend Patio Season
Outdoor heaters provide extra warmth for dining and seating areas during cool fall evenings.

Outdoor heaters can make patios, dining areas and seating spaces more comfortable as temperatures begin to fall. They are particularly useful in areas where an outdoor fireplace or fire pit may not be practical.

Heaters can also complement other outdoor living features. For example, an outdoor kitchen or dining area may benefit from supplemental heat even when a fireplace or fire pit is located elsewhere on the patio.