Style Your Solo Stove

THEY’RE HOT, AND THEY’RE HERE TO STAY. HERE’S HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT BACKYARD SCENE WITH THIS SMOKELESS FIRE.

or a bonfire with benefits, look to the Solo Stove. This popular portable fire pit doesn’t produce smoke, which makes it great for a backyard gathering. Follow these tips to wow your guests and make your night a flame-crackling success.

FCHOOSE A SPOT

Put your fire by your garden for a romantic evening, or place it on the patio when hosting a party. Remember: It’s portable! Interior designer Stephanie Fitch suggests keeping the Solo Stove in your everyday flow; if the pit is on your patio, close to doors, or visible from a window, you’ll be more likely to use it.

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE

Be sure to check city codes to see how far away a wood-burning stove needs to be from your house. Avoid areas with low ceilings or overhead branches, and if you’re placing the pit on a deck or in the grass, use a Solo Stove stand.

The stove’s double walls, which help to manage smoke output, can become extremely hot, posing a potential risk to kids and pets. One option, suggested by landscape designer Joe Pendergast of LandWorks Landscape Services, is to install a traditional stone fire ring to keep small hands at bay. Solo Stove also sells Surround, a table and enclosure that is heat resistant and can hold your drinks.

DAZZLE WITH LIGHTING

Outdoor all-weather string lights are not only pretty but also save you from having to turn on floodlights and ruin the atmosphere of the fire. For safety’s sake, don’t hang them directly above the stove.

MAKE IT COZIER

Small offerings of hospitality, such as a waterproof bin filled with outdoor blankets or family games, turn a regular fire into a party. Landscape architect Chris Miracle of LandWorks suggests using a wheelbarrow filled with ice as an easy way to deliver drinks to your guests. Also consider using stackable trays for snacks and s’more accoutrements.

PULL UP A SEAT

Chairs that are comfy and surround the fire are also essential. Their orientation won’t matter, since smoke isn’t blowing in faces and disrupting conversation. However, Fitch says that using stumps or benches that can be pulled up for more seating is a must, especially if you want all guests to feel included—not just the ones who arrived early.

LIGHT YOUR FIRE

For starting a fire, Solo Stove recommends the “log cabin” method: Place small pieces of wood (about 8 x 1 in.) parallel to each other and 4 in. apart. Take two more pieces and stack them perpendicularly on top. Keep stacking until you have four to five layers and what appears to be a log cabin. Place a fire starter in the middle of the structure, and light it.

Once the fire has gone and there’s only embers left, put the lid on to help it cool down completely. If you need a faster solution, never use water to put out fire from a Solo Stove; instead, use sand.

s you drag out your patio chairs and examine the state of your lawn this spring, you may find yourself joined by a fourlegged friend ready for more time in the sun. With more than 80 million dogs living in U.S. households, many homeowners are eager to meet their pups’ needs for outdoor exercise and play—while managing behaviors such as digging, plant destruction and more. This is where petscaping comes in.

Veteran landscape designer Scott Cohen often works with clients to design harmonious spaces for both hound and human. His book Petscaping: Training and Landscaping with Your Pet in Mind, co-authored with animal trainer Carolyn Doherty, helps homeowners do the same. Here are Cohen’s top tips for getting started.

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TREAT YOUR PETS LIKE FAMILY

Petscaping allows you to dream up new ways for you and your pet to enjoy the outdoors together. Cohen worked with one client to design a side yard for their family bull mastiff, Broamy. The project, cheekily titled “A Homey for Broamy,” involved establishing a sand dog run outfitted with agility obstacles—and a dog bone–shaped bench for less-agile humans. If your dog prefers to lounge, consider a raised bed that keeps them off a hot deck or patio surface. Some options come with awnings. Other worthy upgrades include outdoor grooming stations, custom dog houses and even decorative fire hydrants. It’s a dog’s life, after all. “If there’s any truth to reincarnation,” Cohen says. “I’d like to come back as a dog.”

WORK WITH YOUR PETS, NOT AGAINST THEM

Certain behaviors are core to your dog’s identity: terriers dig, retrievers swim. “You don’t want to create an environment that counters what they naturally want to do,” Cohen says, as this can lead to even more behavioral problems. Instead, strike a balance between their needs and yours.

If your pooch loves to dig, for example, choose a shady spot you can easily monitor and set up a dig pit. This might be a sand-filled kiddie pool or a hardscape feature lined with landscaping fabric and bordered with pavers. The key is to provide a visual border that shows your dog the “dig here” zone. Next, hide treats or toys under the top layer of sand and encourage your dog to root them out. They’ll soon learn to contain their digging— and you won’t trip unexpectedly en route to the shed.

To address grass wear from constant fence line patrolling, consider a brick- or flagstone-lined path that will look more finished and be easier to maintain. (If you opt for a mulched path, avoid cocoa bean mulch, which is toxic to dogs.)

And for water-loving pups with pool access, Cohen says, “you have to make sure there’s an entry-exit point that allows the pet to get out of the water safely.” Particularly poor swimmers, such as pugs and bulldogs, may benefit from the added safety of a fully fenced-off pool area.