Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces - Transform Your Outdoor Living Space

Nothing creates in your outdoor living space the warmth - figurative and literal - that an outdoor fireplace can. Many Tulsa residents are putting in outdoor fireplaces to their outdoor living areas as they see the increased flexibility and value they offer their space.

Outdoor fireplaces also permit you to extend your time outdoors both earlier in the spring and later in the fall. This accounts for why fireplaces are one of the most popular outdoor living additions. When the nights start getting colder, outdoor fireplaces create the perfect place for warm conversation in a relaxed atmosphere. Or to have an elegant dinner party for clients or a cozy night by the fire with family and friends. Extending your outdoor living season with a fireplace allows you to extend your time in your outdoor kitchen as well. An outdoor fireplace is the perfect counterpart to your outdoor kitchen, pool, or spa.

An outdoor fireplace can instantly transform any backyard into an upscale outdoor living space. A plain patio can transform into a sophisticated lounge area with the romantic ambiance of a stone fireplace. They can become the dramatic focal point of any outdoor area and really anchor the outdoor environment. Outdoor fireplaces turn regular outdoor living spaces into a kind of luxury resort retreat. By adding a sense of style and luxury to your outdoor space, this outdoor element can thus expressively increase the value of your home and property.

Outdoor fireplaces can be made using a variety of hardscape materials like concrete, stone, and brick and be custom-designed in a variety of styles to match the architecture of your home. From Mediterranean, Old World style, or with a Spanish theme, outdoor fireplaces can be as basic or ornate as you would like. Adjacent seating can be installed for pleasant  conversation or dining by the fire.

A stone, brick, or concrete wall can be added to the fireplace to create a “dividing” effect to different areas of your outdoor space. A pergola, roof, or other outdoor structure is can built to encapsulate the fireplace to provide protection from the weather. Thus, you can comfortably sit by the fire and watch snow cover the rest of your landscape.

These visual design elements offer a wide variety of uses in a wide variety of entertainment settings. Providing warmth, light, and sometimes cooking, depending on the design and fuel sources, outdoor fireplaces offer great flexibility.
Offering a distinctive ambiance and luxurious style, outdoor fireplaces were among the ‘most wanted additions’ in the 2013 Outdoor Living Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects.

The Tulsa outdoor fireplace designers at Oklahoma Landscape would be glad to design and build a custom fireplace for your outdoor space. We can coordinate it to perfectly match your home, lifestyle, and entertaining needs. Our custom outdoor fireplaces are built with quality design features and materials so that your family can enjoy them for many years to come. Check out our Outdoor Living Gallery for outdoor fireplace and fire pit design ideas.

Tulsa Outdoor Environments - The Top Outdoor Living Trends of 2014

A great outdoor living space perfect for entertaining is in high demand in the 2014 landscape design world. Like many Tulsa homeowners, people across the nation still want “attractively designed” outdoor environments to create more space for entertaining and relaxation.

The American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) recently published its 2014 Residential Landscape Architecture Trends Survey, which reports on the latest demands in landscape design. In rating the expected popularity of various outdoor design elements, residential landscape architects from across the country ranked the category of gardens and landscaped spaces as most popular with a 94.2 percent rating, closely followed by outdoor living spaces like kitchens and entertainment spaces with a 92 percent rating.

“Homeowners know that designed landscapes add value to their lives as well as their property values,” ASLA executive vice president and CEO Nancy Somerville said. “They’re interested in livable, open spaces that are both stylish and earth-friendly.”

According to the ASLA, having a landscape architect skillfully design your outdoor elements and landscaping is one the best investments for your home and can add as much as 15 percent to its value over comparable homes. And, the ASLA noted, the home value literally grows over time while you enjoy your outdoor living space.

What is in popular demand for 2014 among outdoor living features? Outdoor lighting was rated first by 98.3 percent of respondents, followed by seating and dining areas with 97.7 percent, fire pits and fireplaces with 95.4 percent, grills with 94.3 percent and installed seating with 89.6 percent.

What do these results tell us about Tulsa outdoor environment trends for 2014? Outdoor living spaces that are ideal for entertaining are in high demand. Many homeowners would like to spend even more time entertaining or relaxing in their outdoor environment in Tulsa, and they can with the right outdoor lighting design.

Sustainability and low maintenance landscapes were again also in high demand as popular landscape and garden elements for 2014. Native plants were high on the list of eco-friendly design elements along with fountains and ornamental water features as popular landscaping and garden elements. Many are also favoring food and vegetable gardens including orchards and vineyards.

“Decorative water elements – including waterfalls, ornamental pools, and splash pools – were predicted to be in demand for home landscapes (86.1 percent). Spas (76.4 percent) and swimming pools (73.8 percent) are also expected to be popular,” ASLA reported.

Patios, terraces, and decks are high on the list for outdoor structures as are fencing and pergolas. These additions can really become an extension of your home and living space. More and more functionality and customization are being added to these outdoor environments in Tulsa.

Elegant and practical outdoor living spaces will continue to be popular home additions. For more landscape design and outdoor living space ideas, contact the Tulsa landscape architects at Oklahoma Landscape.

Fire Pits in Tulsa - Creating Relaxing Outdoor Entertaining Areas

A fire pit is just what Tulsa homeowners need to create an inviting and cozy spot for entertaining in your outdoor environment.

Tulsa fire pits can become a charming focal point for an outdoor area – bringing the whole area to life, so to speak, with their warm glow. You will need to check with your neighborhood and city officials for any codes or rules regarding building a fire pit or outdoor fireplace in your backyard.

These hardscapes can be custom-made using a wide selection of materials to add a distinctive character to the outdoor space while complementing the architecture and finish of the home and surrounding landscape.

What material you use, may be contingent on a variety of factors such as if you want a permanent or mobile fire pit, or if you want to use it for outdoor cooking. If you want a permanent fire pit for your Tulsa home, you’ll need to use a more durable material like stone, brick, or concrete.

Often, you can use a variety of materials to add more personality and create a more vibrant fire pit. Some types of fire pits, such as some gas ones, HGTVGardens noted, are not designated for cooking or will not support a grill. Sometimes an attached table or extra space that can be used as a table can be built with the fire pit allowing a place for easy dining. Many brick, stone, or cinder block fire pits, HGTVGardens said, are great for using with grills or rotisseries.

While the customary round fire pit design may come to mind, really fire pits can be formed into a variety of shapes like rectangular, square, and even L-shaped. Often built-in seating around the fire pit or a lounge area with chic outdoor sofas near the fire pit offers a peaceful place for friends to talk. Other times, homeowners may want a simpler look like Adirondack chairs to complement their classic fire pit look.

Fire pits built near the pool or spa area really enhance the feel of the outdoor environment and make the space great for entertaining any time of the year.

Spring is a great time to enjoy the warm glow of a fire pit amid the cool night air. Oklahoma Landscape’s hardscape experts can design and build the perfect fire pit for your Tulsa home.

Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces and Fire Pits - Practical Outdoor Living Design Elements

Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces in Tulsa allow us to enjoy our outdoor environment well into winter and can be an aesthetically engaging design piece for our outdoor space. These are quickly becoming one of the most popular outdoor living features for homeowners. They were among the most wanted additions in the 2013 Outdoor Living Trends survey conducted by the American Society of Landscape Architects. What are the major design and practical differences between fireplaces and fire pits?

Both outdoor fireplaces and fire pits in Tulsa provide warmth, light, a source for cooking (depending on design and fuel sources) and entertaining, as well as a relaxed atmosphere and cozy ambiance for your outdoor environment. They both can use mostly the same fuel sources – wood, natural gas, and propane – and can be built with a variety of aesthetic materials such as stone, brick, concrete, stainless steel, tile, and copper. These can be coordinated to match the style of your home and your outdoor environment.

Deciding on whether an outdoor fireplace or fire pit would be better may depend on a few preferences such as your entertaining style. Like a campfire, fire pits allow for people to gather all around them, which encourages storytelling and laughter and is often better for a larger group.

Although fire pits are often circular, they can be constructed into a variety of shapes such as linear, square, or custom-shaped and can have a wider rim or table feature to allow for easier dining. Outdoor fireplaces provide a more intimate ambiance with cozy seating next to the fireplace that may allow for a more romantic setting.

An outdoor fireplace often becomes the focal point or anchor of your outdoor environment. An entire wall can be attached to the fireplace, helping to “divide” the outdoor living space. An outdoor structure or roof can be built around the fireplace allowing for shade and protection from the elements as well as other decorative features that add a coziness to your outdoor space. The size and height of a fireplace can also add protection from wind, and with a chimney or ventilation system, guests can enjoy the glow of the fire without bothersome smoke. Thus, outdoor fireplaces provide a distinctive ambiance to an outdoor living space that cannot be ignored.

Fire pits create another mood or environment that can be equally charming based on your entertaining style and landscape needs. While these can become a centerpiece for your outdoor living space, they also offer a more subdued design style that doesn’t overwhelm the other elements of your outdoor space or the property itself.  With open seating, guests can fully enjoy the scenery that surrounds them an converge at a central spot that allows for everyone to join in the fun.

Both of these outdoor living features offer great value to your outdoor environment and home itself. They can increase your property value and provide a lasting investment. Oklahoma Landscape’s design specialists can help you determine which landscape feature may coordinate best with your outdoor space and home, or whether both may be captivating entertainment spot for guests all year round.

For more information, visit http://www.oklahomalandscape.com.

 

  

Additional sources:

http://www.concretenetwork.com/outdoor-living-rooms/firepit-vs-fireplace.html

http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/fire-pits/

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Outdoor Fireplaces in Tulsa - Camping with All the Comforts of Home (and no Mess)

Although it’s still hot out, today is the day we traditionally say goodbye to summer. It’s a bitter-sweet goodbye, having enjoyed swimming and other outdoor sports we cherish so much here in Oklahoma. But with fall and winter come another exciting time and another hobby – cozy outdoor fireplaces!

Outdoor Fireplaces have become one of the trendiest new additions to Tulsa homes, providing a practical place to entertain while adding value to your home itself. Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces become a focal point for your outdoor environment. They add depth and character and an entire additional season to enjoy your outdoor living space.

What better way is there to entertain guests during fall and winter than with a cozy outdoor fireplace? Everyone loves smores. So, an outdoor fireplace becomes a campfire without the messy camping problems and work. After you enjoy your fireplace, you can go right inside and snuggle up in your own bed. Thus, outdoor fireplaces offer the best of both worlds – the outdoors with all the comforts of home.

Outdoor Fireplaces in Tulsa can be built with a variety of hardscape materials including various stones, concrete, and brick. Thus there’s an endless array of designs and colors available to perfectly match your home and outdoor environment style. You will need to have a layer of flame-retardant firebrick around the flames before you add any decorative outer materials.

These focal points extend the boundaries of your home, creating an inviting warmth and glow for your backyard. Fireplaces add dimension to your outdoor environment, defining the outdoor living room, so to speak, especially with a pergola or other outdoor structure.

And what if you decide to sell your home? Having an outdoor fireplace adds great value to your entire home and landscape. This added property value can’t be duplicated with just a store-bought fire pit or chiminea.

These elegant and functional additions to your outdoor living space are more than just a place to get warm. They represent countless evenings spent this fall and winter making unforgettable memories with family and friends. Learn more about Tulsa Outdoor Fireplaces.