11 Fire Features for Fun Summer Nights

From DIY fire pit decks to custom stone work, your options are wide open if you're thinking of buying or installing a fire feature.

And why wouldn't you want a fire feature? There's nothing quite like relaxing by an outdoor fire on a cool summer or autumn night. From the firewood crackling to the smell of wood burning, it's a treat that warms both body and soul.

Do you like to cook? Some fire features can double as barbecue grills, or even as wood fired pizza ovens. You can have a great time experimenting with grilled foods if you have an outdoor fire feature that accommodates cooking.

Pictured first is an old fashioned chiminea. Do not overlook the chiminea as an option for an outdoor fire feature. They're portable, frequently inexpensive, and come in a variety of colors and styles. Yes, chimineas have a bit of a Southwestern vibe, but some of them are modern enough looking to fit into a contemporary design scheme. Modfire makes some really neat high end modern chimineas.

Keep it simple with a prefabricated portable fire pit. There are so many styles of portable fire pit to choose from. Plus, you can move it into the garage to store for the winter.

Here's a custom concrete fire pit. Unless you have super skills, you'll need a concrete contractor to pour and install one of these for you. It looks pretty awesome, so the investment could be worth it for your home or business.

Here is a DIY version of the concrete fire pit. It's smaller and cheaper to make than the previous one, but it offers a similar effect.

And here is another DIY fire pit. This one is made out of a metal drum surrounded by patio pavers. It was built by Angela Lerew of Unexpected Elegance, a blogger and DIY remodeler in Indianapolis.

Now we're starting to get into the fancy stuff: Custom stone fire pits.

This flagstone and boulder fire pit/patio combo is understated and classic.

You could always spring for an outdoor fireplace. Admit it: They're pretty awesome.

I can't even.

And now we step away from the natural style to have a look at this custom steel gas fireplace. Do you like it? I like it. While it looks inhospitable for roasting marshmallows, it is certainly an attractive way to include a fire pit on a small urban patio.