Incorporating Fire into Your Landscape Design

Outdoor Patio with Water Feature, Fire Pit, and Reclining Chairs

Most will remember the story of Prometheus, the rebellious god who delivered the fire of Olympus to mortals, jumpstarting their industry and progression. Thanks to his generosity, mankind was able to cook their food, heat their homes, and power their burgeoning technology. As punishment for his progressivism, Zeus condemned Prometheus to an eternity of arrested development﹘chaining him forever to a rock to be pecked by birds. While the story of Prometheus is simply a myth, it illustrates the importance that fire (and all that it symbolizes) plays in the development of our civilization.

Today, we benefit from centuries of innovation to become masters of fire, using it for our own purposes. Whereas our forefathers used to put coals and ashes into a horn so as to keep fire nearby and stay warm, today we have the luxury of incorporating fire as a focal point of our landscape design. Not only does fire make for a beautiful feature that will draw the eye but it is a natural meeting place for friends and family to gather and enjoy each other’s company.

Fire Features

Just as Cottonwood Landscapes can build pools, carve streams, and install fountains in order to incorporate water into your yard design, there are ways to include fire as a contributing element in the success of your landscaping. This is done by using one or a combination of these three fire features: designing an outdoor fireplace, installing a fire pit, and using open-flame lighting sources. By working with a professional landscaping company, with in-house architects and master builders, you will be like Prometheus himself, showing all who will visit how you control the flame.

Numerous Benefits

The beauty of working with Cottonwood Landscapes is being able to use your yard design to set the terms of your own luxury. Why must fireplaces be only found indoors? Recent studies have shown that over half of all homeowners are engaging landscape architects to build them an outdoor living area, and that fire features such as outdoor fireplaces and fire pits are the number one requested amenity. Installing a fireplace out on the patio or under an awning or pergola has numerous benefits:

  • It Extends Your Living Space: When you live in a state as beautiful as Utah, no one wants to stay cooped up inside, especially when entertaining guests. Having a sitting area outside, complete with a fireplace and comfortable furniture, gives you another place in your home where you can realistically spend a lot of time. 
  • It Increases the Value of Your Home: Polls show that well over 70% of people between the ages of 35-75 want to invest in an outdoor living space. With that sort of demand, and the fact that money spent on landscaping is routinely doubled or tripled in the value of the home, installing an outdoor fireplace doesn’t just become a beautiful amenity but a smart investment.
  • It Increases Joy: The mental and emotional benefits of an outdoor fire feature shouldn’t be overlooked. Not only will one feel an incredible amount of satisfaction in seeing their yard design come together, but spending time near a fire has been proven to induce deep relaxation and contentment. This relaxation can lead to a decrease in blood pressure and stress and can increase one’s mental capacity to problem solve and reason. In short, people who spend time around a roaring fire are happier all the way around.
  • It’s Aesthetically Pleasing: Imagine a line of rustic-looking lanterns lighting the way along a newly landscaped footpath, giving travelers a chance to appreciate the beautifully manicured garden and idyllic yard design. Cottonwood Landscapes can help you think outside the box to increase the aesthetic value of your fire feature. Once finished, you won’t want to leave the backyard.

Landscaping is an art, and lately, fire has skyrocketed in popularity as one of the most requested features to include in one’s yard design. The good news is that if you can dream it, Cottonwood Landscapes can help make it a reality. No matter the style of the fire feature, whether it be gas- or wood-burning, the power to control the fire is yours.

Cottonwood Landscapes is your source for premier landscaping in Utah.

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