THE 6 HOTTEST TRENDS IN OUTDOOR FIREPLACES

Sleek lines, more color, remote starts keep them modern and inviting

Outdoor fireplaces long have brought the heat and light needed to make a deck or patio a warm, inviting place for family and friends to gather.

In recent years, design aesthetics have moved away from the traditional brick or stone facade to a sleeker, more modern look.

This trend has been prompted by the increasing popularity of natural gas as the fuel of choice, making possible options such as linear burner designs, colored lighting and remote controls.

Here’s a look at how the outdoor fireplace has evolved with six of the hottest trends.

Natural gas: The majority of outdoor fireplaces are still wood-burning, but natural gas is quickly gaining in popularity for several reasons. These include environmental concerns, single-button ignition and their cleanliness, as there’s no ash to haul away with natural gas.

While propane tanks may be sufficient to fuel smaller fireplaces, you’ll probably want to have a gas line installed if you’re planning on a larger one.

Linear design: Popular for years in resorts and spas, gasburning linear fireplaces have those clean, sharp edges that give them a sleek, modern look, especially when installed flush to the wall and without a mantle. Linear models can provide a ribbon of flames running up to 10 feet long to warm even the largest backyard space.

LED lighting: Colored lights can change the atmosphere of your patio or yard at the touch of a button. Installed inside the firebox of a gas fireplace, a strip of LED lights can be programmed to shine multiple colors onto the flames to fit the mood — green and red at Christmas, for example, or sparkly

white on New Year’s Eve.

Even in summer when you don’t need a fire, you can still program the lights to provide a warm, ambient glow.

Control from a distance:

Remote control units can be used to turn natural gas fireplaces on and off, and to control flame height. Smartphone apps can also be used to program the fireplace, and controls can be integrated into most smart home systems.

Indoor/outdoor designs:

See-through fireplaces, both wood-burning and natural gas, allow their warmth and glow to be enjoyed both inside and outside. For summer use, fan kits can be installed to vent heat to the outdoors, and woodburning fireplaces also can be fitted with a fold-down grill for barbecuing.

Stand-alone fireplaces: Unlike open, wood-burning fire pits, stand-alones have a functional chimney that directs smoke and heat up and away from the seating area. Their relatively small size also means they can be placed in more locations and moved more easily.

Acucraft Fireplace Systems The linear fireplace was built in a home overlooking the Hollywood Hills in California by Acucraft Fireplace Systems. It’s $10,000 for the firebox unit.

American Fyre Designs A linear, two-tone Manhattan fireplace by American Fyre Designs, americanfyredesigns.com, brings a contemporary feel to an outdoor space. It’s $5,869 for everything in the photo.

HPC Fire Inspired Linear fireplaces, like this one from HPC Fire Inspired, hpcfire.com, have clean, edges for a sleek look, especially when installed flush to the wall and without a mantle. This one costs $1,000 for the burner and logs.