09/04/2026
This outdoor fireplace is not the smart part of this patio.
The two stone ledges on either side of it are.
Guests don't sit still outside. They get up for another drink, a plate, a phone, somebody's jacket. On most patios there's nowhere to set any of it down, so it ends up on the ground, on a chair arm, or balanced somewhere, until it inevitably gets knocked over.
Here there's a convenient waist-high surface, within easy reach. The seating wraps to create a cozy gathering space around the fire, and the whole patio is one level, which matters more than you'd think it does... the walk from the chair to the grill often happens in the dark, usually by someone carrying something (such as a drink).
Nobody will ever compliment those ledges. That's the point. Most good outdoor design is the stuff guests never notice, because it never annoyed them.
This is at a property we manage in Basye, Virginia within walking distance of Bryce Resort. Real fire, real evening, no filter on the photo.
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