Fire pits and barbecues: add spice to your garden

Thinking of gardens we naturally picture lawns, shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. Next come images of terraces, pergolas, stone pavements, planters, lights, irrigation systems, outdoor furniture and entertainment facilities such as swimming pools. In Marbella, many luxurious villas and apartment complexes also feature tennis and paddle courts within their grounds, as well as poolside cabana bars with showers, toilets, changing rooms and also covered dining areas featuring bars and even outdoor kitchens.

The sky is the limit really for an area that has gained greatly in attention and stature over the past decade or two, as terraces and gardens have become the outdoor lifestyle areas of note – especially in areas such as the Costa del Sol, where the climate makes it possible to spend so much of the year outdoors relaxing, entertaining and also dining in the open air. Seating and dining arrangements have therefore blossomed into comfortable, stylish chill-out zones with their own bars, barbecue areas and that great new addition, the fire pit.

 

 

Fire pits

Like barbecues, fire pits come in many different shapes, forms and sizes, but the general idea is to provide a warm, cosy space around which to gather in the evenings and extend the use of your outdoor areas further throughout the year. Even in summer the evenings can sometimes be a bit cool, especially if you live near the sea. But fire pits are not only warm and practical; they’re also an attractive focal point around which to gather, socialise, dine or simply roast marshmallows in the time-honoured tradition.

There are many different options when it comes to materials, sizes, functionality and budget, using more traditional stone or cast iron, or indeed very modern oil drum designs or sleek gas-fired versions not unlike modern fireplaces. The colour tone can range from black or earthy shades to light or green marble; the shapes from round or square to angular, and they can be raised or even sunken, working on wood, gas, kerosene, chippings or any of a variety of other options. The key thing is that a fire pit adds to the elegance and cosiness of your garden.

Outdoor cooking

The barbecue is perhaps more familiar to most, but it too varies greatly in size, shape and cost. They can come in the form of steel, aluminium – in which case they’re often mobile or fitted into modern outdoor kitchens – or are built out of bricks, complete with a functional chimney. The latter kind is usually wood-burning, though coal briquettes are sometimes also used in these and the more high-tech versions. The latter, however, tend to be attached to a gas bottle, and today the range of functionalities available makes these amazing machines outdoor gastronomic marvels.

Indeed, get a good barbecue along with a cosy fire pit and al fresco lounge and dining area, and you may not see much of your kitchen throughout the long Marbella summer.

 

 

Contact us for lots of expert advice and creative ideas on how to incorporate these and many more fantastic ideas into making your garden the ultimate Marbella lifestyle space.