15 Best Backyard Fire Pit Ideas

Nothing beats the crackle of a backyard fire pit with friends and family. Whether you’re toasting marshmallows or sharing a bottle of sauvignon blanc (or both!), fire pits are an impressive centerpiece for any backyard in Northern Nevada.

The landscaping pros at DRC Landscaping have been building and accessorizing fire pits all across Washoe County this summer. After collaborating with our clients, we recommend these 15 design choices to complement your backyard and boost your curb appeal.

Great Backyard Fire Pit Ideas in Reno, Nevada

1. Build a stone or brick path

Building a pathway up to your fire pit can help accentuate it as the centerpiece of your backyard. Bonus points if the pathway matches the color and style of your fire pit or seating!

2. Make your fire pit feel rustic

Fire pits are great for harnessing a rustic feel to your backyard. Adding some string lights, building a wooden trellis, or decorating with ivy and other leafy plants will help give your fire pit some attractive rustic charm.

3. Use unique tiling underneath

Traditional fire pits are built on top of stone or concrete, but one way to make it pop is with tiling! Maybe build the fire pit on top of brick tiles, or latticing 4×4 stone tiles with grass. Either way, give the fire pit a special place in the backyard using a different set of tiles.

4. Border with stone

You can boost the rustic charm of your fire pit by building it inside of a stone border. This can be as simple as circular bricks, or you can layer uneven stone pieces in a unique shape to play with border and space.

5. Match the outdoor seats

A fire pit whose color and design match the outdoor seats will always stand out. Complete the aesthetic of your backyard by matching the seats and cushions to the fire pit’s tone and texture.

6. Customize with fire pit fabrics

You might decide you want a fire pit with a less “natural” design. Fabrics are a great way to accomplish this: by draping fireproof designs along the fire pit’s borders, you can accessorize your backyard in whatever colors fit!

7. Play with shapes

Most backyard fire pits in Reno are either circular or rectangular. However, that doesn’t mean yours has to be! Making your fire pit a triangle, pentagon, or oval is just one way you can fit a unique fire pit into your property.

8. Surround with nature

Fire pits are a great way to accentuate the natural design of your backyard. Whether you build hedges around your fire pit or place it near a running stream, let your fireplace highlight the natural design elements of your yard.

9. Build into the ground

Fire pits don’t have to be raised. In fact, some fire pits actually look better when built into the ground! Layer your landscaping to include steps down into the fire pit, or simply dig a hole into the center and texture with tiling around it.

10. Build a themed fire pit

Let your inner child run loose with your fire pit design. We’ve seen fire pits in the shape of a sailboat, a cat, and a flower. There are even DIY fire pits you can build from just a shopping cart! If natural designs bore you, play with themes for your fire pit.

11. Play with pit materials

A fire pit doesn’t have to be like a traditional fireplace, especially if you’re going for a stone design. You can use flammable stones or other materials to fill the fire pit’s interior, making the pit materials part of the design itself.

12. Add fencing around the flame

On top of a stone or metal border, you might consider adding a metal fence around the flame’s perimeter. A metal fence can help give your fire pit a more rustic or Victorian design – and it helps keep your pets or children safe.

13. Make it multifunctional

If you’re working with a smaller backyard, consider making your fire pit multipurpose. You can build shelving into the wall around the fire pit, for example, or make the fire pit the center of an outdoor bar!

14. Build a poolside fire pit

Beautiful design occurs when water and fire meet. If you have a pool, hot tub, or jacuzzi area, building a fire pit on one side of the water can harness the heat and fun of summertime in Reno!

15. Make it an outdoor fireplace

If you build the stonework around a fire pit into a chimney, you effectively have an outdoor fireplace. This is a great way to build a courtyard with a rustic, magical element to it.

Improve Your Backyard Firepit Ideas with DRC Landscaping!

Want to see these fire pit ideas in action? DRC Landscaping wants to help! Contact Reno’s landscaping experts today, and let’s collaborate on building an outdoor fire pit to improve your backyard.