Thinking of building a fire pit in your yard? It's a great way to make your outdoor entertainment space more inviting and more useful for the entire year. But before you go out and start shopping for fire pits, take a look at this primer on some of the many choices you now have for backyard flames.

Round. Certainly, the most obvious and classic fire pit look is the basic round shape. This is an easy and inexpensive version of the fire pit, and it's best used for conversation groupings in the tradition of sitting around the campfire sharing stories. If you like to entertain a lot, this may be a good choice for you.

Square. If you're just looking to change up the look of your fire pit a little, switch out a round design for a square one. Square fire pits add a little bit of modernity or formality to an outdoor space, especially if detailed with high-quality exterior tiles or other trim. They can also help add a classy focal point to any yard.

Rectangle. If you have a larger space, you may want to opt for a fire trough or rectangular fire pit. This style allows you to pack more people around the fire when entertaining or to tie together a larger entertainment space. It also works very well when placed along an exterior edge of an outdoor room, patio, or fence line. 

Hearth. If you want to block views, create privacy, or add an even more inviting focal point, add a rear wall to your fire pit or trough and turn it into a fire hearth. A fire hearth, unlike a full fireplace, can be as simple as a fire trough with a wall backdrop and a low front veneer. Add decorative features like a mantel or screens for a finishing touch.

Raised. Small outdoor rooms may work best with a scaled-down fire pit rather than an overwhelming built-in feature. If you tend to use the fire pit alone or as a couple, or if you entertain smaller groups, opt for a beautiful copper fire bowl, a fun chiminea, or a small fire table (where the fire is built into a channel in the table's center). 

By considering how you plan to use your fire pit and what you enjoy most about the outdoor experience, you can find just the right way to enjoy backyard fires no matter what the season is. Contact a company like Davis Landscape for more ideas.