Extend Your Home Outdoors

Fireside Outside

The Big Idea: Add a fireplace to a porch or patio to create an outdoor living room. An open fire creates a cozy space and allows you to live outside year-round. If you don't have a good spot for a built-in fireplace, try a simple freestanding fire pit to replicate the idea on a smaller scale.

Notice the Details: The fireplace shown here was put at the corner of the covered porch so it wouldn't interrupt views into the garden and backyard. Exposed corrugated metal, used on the roof, adds a modern touch and keeps the porch dry.