Set the mood for a stylish outdoor party or a laid-back evening at home with a cozy fire feature and inviting seats close by. With so many fire pit and outdoor furniture options on the market in terms of shape, size, style and material, it can be difficult to judge what will work well together — without hauling the pieces home to take a look. Let us save you the trouble.
If you’re investing in a new outdoor fire pit and seating combination or sprucing up your current setup, take a look at these patio setups to inspire you.
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Contemporary elegance: Clean-lined furniture and a square-topped concrete fire pit.
If you’ve picked out a square or rectangular fire feature, consider choosing outdoor furniture with the same right angles and in a width similar to that of the fire pit. For example, check out this contemporary combination in Vancouver, Washington, featuring a square-top concrete fire pit and clean-lined furniture. The combination fits together both in style and proportion: The furniture follows the straight lines of the fire pit and fits snugly around all four sides of it.
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Modern curves: Curved concrete-and-wood bench and a round concrete fire bowl.
Conversely, go for all curves. For an equally contemporary look that feels a bit softer in the landscape, pair a roughly semicircular bench seat with a circular fire bowl. It’s tough to find premade outdoor furniture in curved shapes — if you love this look, it may be worth it to go for a custom-built bench.
If you do splurge for custom, consider a design that relates not only to your fire pit but also to other hardscape materials in the backyard. For example, the designer of this custom curved bench in San Luis Obispo, California, lined the inside curve with wood, warming up the look of the concrete and tying it in with the red-brown floor detail.
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Perfect for parties: Concrete benches, playful accessories and a movable metal fire pit.
Rather than locking in the site of your fire pit, choose a portable model that can be brought out and placed where you’d like it. For an outdoor party, placing the fire pit by built-in bench seating maximizes how many guests can cozy up next to the warmth or toast a marshmallow. Postparty, it may make more sense to move the fire pit between two outdoor chairs for your own use.
Consider purchasing an environmentally friendly portable model that burns natural gas, rather than logs, to help cut down on wood smoke pollution in your neighborhood.
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Desert drama: Red concrete bench with colorful pillows and a colored concrete fire pit.
Using vibrant colors for your fire pit and seating area ensures that the setup will stand out as a focal point in the landscape. This colorful lounge in Marana, Arizona, mimics the saturated red, orange and deep blues of a desert sunset. Both the bench and fire pit are made of concrete with a surface treatment of stucco mixed with integral color (fiery red for the bench and burnt umber for the base of the fire pit), forming a complementary pair.
Inspired to add more color to your current setup? Pile on colorful pillows and layer cozy throw blankets in vivid hues that work with your exterior design.
Related: Bold Throw Pillows That Complement Your Style
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Beach house: Cushy wicker chairs and a simple concrete and lava stone fire bowl.
Balance patterned seats (or seat cushions) with a simple fire pit — such as this elegant concrete bowl filled with black lava stone. While a more complicated design could look busy in the space, the clean lines of this fire feature work with the wicker chairs, the striped cushions and the home’s shingled exterior.
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Gathering circle: Wood chairs set in a semicircle and a round concrete fire pit.
Circular shapes, whether for a patio, fire pit or dining table, often feel more personal and inviting than boxy shapes. In this Northern California backyard, a low wall encloses the fire pit seating area in a circle, increasing the feeling of intimacy. The concrete wall mimics the circular shape of the gas-burning fire pit and doubles as extra seating if more than four come to enjoy the glow. Simple wood lounge chairs arranged in a semicircle reinforce the circular pattern play.
