5 ways to use outdoor fire bowls
As you’ve been planning your dream backyard and browsing Pinterest for ideas, you may have started to notice a new trend in outdoor spaces. Fire bowls are gas-burning fire pits, just on a smaller scale. They add a chic ambience to any outdoor space, and can be turned on and off with a simple push of a button.
Here are five places you can add fire bowls to your backyard, patio, pool or outdoor space.
1. Along seating
Use a fire bowl to light up your outdoor seating areas. You can do this in several ways. Place fire bowls on pillars at the edges of your seating areas to create a completed look. Place them behind seating to surround guests with a warm glow. Or be a little bold by building them straight into the seating at strategic points. Here they will create natural dividers every few seats, and your guests will feel like they have their own personal fire pits.
2. Around a pool or water feature
Installing small fire bowls around a pool creates a magical atmosphere. Flames reflect off the water and you’ll enjoy natural, warm light during your late night swims. Additionally, fountains or water features can be a great place to sneak in a small fire bowl. Water and fire always offset each other beautifully and make a perfect pair. Hint: if you’re going this route, try pairing your fire bowl with some blue fire glass to complement the color of the water.
Image: Malleeq Decor
3. As a stand-alone accent
A fire bowl can be the center of attention on your back patio. Incorporate a fire bowl into a key point in your landscape design, and it’s an instant centerpiece. A little bit of thought and design can make your fire bowl the conversation piece of your entire outdoor space. Place one on top of a pillar or in the center of an intriguing swirl paving design to achieve this effect.
A fire bowl can be the center of attention on your back patio.
4. On an outdoor dining table
What better way to light and enjoy your outdoor dining experience than with a fire bowl? A small round bowl is perfect in the center of a round outdoor dining table, and the propane tank is easily hidden underneath the center of the table. Enjoy the ambience of a meal by firelight without lighting any candles.
Image: Ebay
5. For atmospheric lighting
You don’t need to place fire bowls anywhere in particular for them to provide a great night atmosphere. Why not use them to light your whole backyard, and connect them all so they’re as easy to turn on as the lights in your house. Imagine a patio lit completely by firelight – you’ll never want to come back inside.
Whatever type of fire bowl or small fire pit you’re considering, and wherever you plan to place it, you’ll then need to decide what type of material to fill it with. We recommend lava rocks for a cost-effective option, or upgrade to fire glass to add even more sparkle to your outdoor environment. Fire glass is available in a variety of sizes, cuts and colors.
For fire bowls, we recommend using a smaller size of fire glass, like fire beads, fire glass dots, or the¼” crushed fire glass we stock at Fire Pit Essentials. Using smaller pieces of fire glass will help keep the flame smaller, in proportion to the size of your fire bowl.
Do you have any other ideas for where to use fire bowls? Let us know in the comments!