Hands up! Who loves an open fire on summer evenings? We do!
Having a fire pit, whether it’s built-in or otherwise allows you to enjoy long, drawn-out nights in front of the fire, cooking s’mores, and singing campfire songs.
Okay, so maybe singing campfire songs isn’t your thing, but you get what we mean.
However, the question of what to put around a fire pit is a problem many people come across when adding a fire pit to their garden.
Let us give you a few ideas to get you started, in terms of safety, seating, lighting, and where to put your drinks down!
When you’re choosing your location for your fire pit, then the first thing you need to do is consider how safe it is.
In fact, before that, the first thing to do is to check the law.
That is to see if there are any state guidelines you need to follow.
In some areas, for example, you need to place your fire pit a minimum of 20 feet away from any wall of a house.
Make sure you have plenty of space between your fire pit and the nearest wall.
If people have to squeeze through a small gap, then there could be a danger of them getting too close or knocking the fire pit over.
Make sure you have plenty of room for your planned seating area and tables, with plenty of space to walk past!
Then you need to make sure that the area directly around the fire pit is safe, meaning there is no chance of it catching fire.
If you have a coal or wood-burning fire pit, then it’s not safe to put it directly on top of grass or decking with no protection.
Make sure it is sitting on top of either cement or paving slabs, or surround the area with gravel or sand or use an ember mat.
Ember mats are fire-resistant mats that can be bolted down to the ground to protect your decking from embers, mess, and spills.
When it comes to things you can put around a fire pit, there are a few different options you can choose from when it comes to safety, seating, tables, and lighting.
The look of each will depend on your personal preference, but before picking items you like, you should consider how they will affect the whole area.
You could, of course, just drag your old folding lawn chairs up towards the fire.
But before you do, you should consider a chair that is a bit easier to get out of since folding chairs require quite a bit of a forward lean when standing up.
This potentially puts your head dangerously close to the fire pit, and the last thing you want is your guest’s hair catching fire.
Make sure the chairs you pick are easy to get out of, so your guests can sit close enough to roast their s’mores, safely.
Easier-to-get-out-of chairs are taller, but you can get swivel chairs that eliminate this problem.
If you like to cuddle up in front of the fire, then, consider an outdoor sofa set that includes a loveseat for excellent times under the stars.
Bench style seating is great to squeeze more people in, perfect if you have a big family or a lot of friends.
Whether you build it in or buy it, depending on the shape of your fire pit, you should look at curved bench options or corner sofas.
Another problem to overcome is, apart from the center table, where do we put our drinks, especially when we have a fire in the middle of us?
Some fire pits have built-in tables around them, which are handy for storing drinks for a moment or two.
If you leave them for too long, though, your beer will go very warm, very quickly!
You can build a table into your fire pit easily, too, by making the edges of the fire pit wider and smoother than you normally would.
Another option is to have a couple of small tables or corner tables in between your seating.
You may not be able to accommodate everyone, but as long as a few people have table access, they can pass drinks around as needed!
If you have a large seating area, then you may wish to consider some extra lighting so that people can see well enough to move around.
If the seating is further away from the fire, then it’s likely that you’ll need more lighting.
Choose soft or dim lighting as otherwise, you will destroy the ambiance created by the open fire.
Fairy lights would make a great choice to light the area around and behind the seating.
Solar-powered garden lights would also work well, and if they are brighter than expected, then you can just move them further away.
If you’re still unsure about the individual items to purchase, though, why not buy an all-in-one furniture set that comes complete with fire pit and matching furniture?
We took a quick look at a five-piece set from Kinger and a four-piece set from AKOYA.
Create a warm, comfortable, and inviting ambiance in your garden with this five-piece fire pit table patio set from Kinger.
This outdoor furniture set includes four large rattan chairs, a fire pit table, and a stainless steel propane burner.
The chairs offer supreme comfort as each has a deep, thick cushion to sit on and a pillow to lean against, which can be removed for winter storage.
The chairs also swivel, meaning you can quickly, and more importantly, safely get in and out of your chair without having to lean over into the fire!
The 42-inch fire pit table will conceal your gas tank inside, and the powerful burner offers 50,000 BTU multi-spark, propane operation.
You can create a warm and ambient area up to 20 feet in diameter with this table and chair set.
This furniture set is elegant and timeless and of fantastic quality when it comes to the materials used for construction.
With all-weather, hand-woven synthetic rattan and rust-resistant steel frames, fading, warping, and splintering are a thing of the past.
The set does require a small amount of assembly, but it’s easy to do yourself.
You’ll need to buy a AAA battery for the ignition switch, and also a small propane tank, and then you’re ready to enjoy!
The package also includes a fire pit table cover and some free glass beads for decoration, which is a nice touch.
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Create a stunning seating area in your garden with this modern and unique fire pit and outdoor furniture set.
This four-piece outdoor furniture set from AKOYA really does make a special feature in your garden with its uniquely round fire pit table design.
Cast from lightweight fiber concrete, it is tinted with a charcoal gray finish color and has excellent outdoor durability.
The fire pit table comes complete with 40 pounds of fire crystals (your choice of color!), a burner lid, and a protective cover for winter.
It also features a high glass guard around the fire area, while still leaving plenty of room for drinks around it.
This package also features a bonus glass top table so that you can utilize your chairs with a matching table, even when you’re not using your fire pit.
The wicker sofa seats that come with it are really comfortable, thanks to the removable dark orange cushions and wide armrests.
With two one-seaters and a loveseat, there are several options for arranging them to suit your garden shape or size.
The burner runs off propane and is certified for use with a 20-pound LP tank (not included).
The only problem is that you can’t store the tank inside the fire pit table, so you’d need to buy a separate tank holder.
A matching tank holder is available, though, and it also makes for an elegant side table for storing more drinks or food.
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When you’re deciding what to put around a fire pit, you should always put safety first.
Then, decide on how much seating you need, whether you want tables, chairs, or sets, and how much space you have to work with.
Lastly, you can consider what you’ll be doing when you’re gathered around the fire.
Good luck in setting up a great outdoor space for you, your family, and friends!
