We made it through Winter!! But where is the warm weather? I look forward to Spring because the days begin warm up, I can open the doors in the morning to let in a fresh breeze without the chill factor and enjoy outside moments sitting in the cleansing sunlight.
BUT this year, Spring has been unusually wet, with days that take you straight back to Winter. I HAVE THE ANSWER….. create your own Spring weather by lighting a fire!
It’s invigorating to emerge yourself in nature but, let’s face it, we’re creatures of comfort. If you can gather around an outdoor fire, you’re much more likely to settle outside or stay out a little longer as the day cools down.
Do you already have an outdoor space where you like to sit? You’ll use it way more often if you add a heat source. Even as Summer gets closer and the warmer weather comes our way, you’ll still find that you sit beside the open flame instead of the chilly night air forcing you inside.
This fire pit in the photo below has been built to sit around for warmth and you can also rest a bbq plate over the flame to cook your dinner. The umbrella also creates an outdoor room which holds the heat around you and protects you from the damp night air settling on your shoulders.
An outdoor fire pit has come a long way since the old 44 gallon drum cut in half. Your local Bunnings has a bunch of them to choose from, ranging in price from $100 - $500+.
The most popular is a simple metal tub on legs to lift it slightly for added warmth. Clay or earthen chimineas are also a sought after option because they help to draw the smoke up and away from the area where you’re sitting.
Fire pits are best sitting on some rock or concrete pavers but if you’d like to use it on the grass, you could lay down a section of cement sheet first to avoid burning the area.
A central fire pit means everyone can join in the conversation set up in a circular pattern. Remember to gather some fallen sticks a few days before so they’re dry enough to use as kindling. An old newspaper and a box of matches will have your fire pit roaring in no time at all. If you don’t have someone nearby you collect some fallen logs, your local garden supplies or again, Bunnings will be able to help you out.
Many houses have wood fires inside these days, inspired by the welcoming living spaces created on tv renovation shows like The Block.
Wood burning fires, like Scandia advertised at Bunnings, are now much cheaper & readily available. Especially with cost of power these days, a wood burning heat source may be a good idea, at least to compliment a gas ducted heating or electrical split system.
Depending on the size of your home, you may be okay with a small fire box which heats around 200m2 indoors, so imagine a space that’s 10 metres wide and 20 metres long). If your living space has high ceilings, is more open plan or closer to 300m2, then have a look at the larger fire boxes which hold more wood so push out a fair bit more heat.
I find that once I have a heat source, it’s refreshing to open the doors to let the Spring day in, even if the air still has a chill to it. I can always sit near the fire for a quick warm up anytime throughout the day.
Lighting is one of the easiest ways to create atmosphere around your fire pit. A couple of lengths of fairy lights or outdoor bulbs look amazing sound through nearby trees or along the gutters of your home. If you have access to a power supply, plug in lighting will give you a brighter effect than solar. Solar lighting is a great idea if you don’t have access to a power point nearby though.
The last idea I have for you to create warmth in your Spring backyard is with a gas heater. Have a look at the models in your local store but they’re usually much taller than a fire pit, standing overhead so the gas heat is directed towards you from above; probably more suited to standing around rather than sitting. These units should probably also be moved undercover after each use. We’ve all seen these thrown out on hard waste when they’re not looked after well.
Now that you’ve sorted your Spring outdoor area, all that’s missing is a spa pool or hot tub. If you think about the layout of your backyard and how you’d like to move about the spaces, you should manage to set up your fire pit space nearby your new portable spa.
Tough choice; sitting around an open fire or relaxing in front of some massage jets!?!? Note that you have this information, sit down and sketch up a layout for your own backyard.
Just remember to leave room for the BBQ so you can stay outside in your backyard as long as you’d like and feed family and friends.
once you’ve worked out how much space you can allocate to a spa pool, call Sapphire to run through the models which fit into your lifestyle.
If you're going to have more than two adults use your spa then choose from our family range. Sized to fit your average back yard or deck, these spas has 5+ seats offering hydrotherapy jets from head to toe.
