One way to create a true backyard oasis is to build an outdoor patio with a fire pit area surrounded by gorgeous landscaping. If you’re keen to make this your next DIY project, let us help you with some great ideas, ranging from budget plans to more high-end luxury designs. In this article, you’ll find inspiration for all backyard styles, whether modern or traditional.We’ll cover a range of the cheapest and easiest ideas, as well as more expensive and elaborate layouts.
20 IDEAS
1. Build a Fire Pit Straight On Grass
This is the cheapest idea for a backyard! If you’d like an outdoor entertainment space but don’t have a lot of budget to burn, don’t worry. This simple design is extremely low-cost and can be constructed in less than a weekend. To start, designate the area you want to transform, and lay down some concrete stepping stones. These versatile paver slabs are available from most home improvement stores and work great as a makeshift patio. For your fire pit, you can DIY a simple square design made from bricks and cement straight onto your lawn. Just make sure it’s relatively tall so as not to shoot embers onto your grass. For the finishing touch, a bit of low-cost but imaginative landscaping is a cool idea that won’t cost an arm and a leg. Bright green foliage, attractive mulch, and some pops of color on your outdoor furniture are all you need to tie the whole design together.
2. Make an Outdoor Fire Pit You Can Cook On
Patios are great, but you don’t necessarily need one to have a fire pit, especially if the pit itself is the center of attention in your design.In fact, this idea is an excellent inspiration for creating an affordable outdoor fire pit you can cook on.Using cheap pavers in different shapes, you can build your pit right on top of your lawn. The convenient curves of crescent block pavers are perfect for round designs and are especially useful when it comes to landscaping edging. We love this overhanging teepee stand, but a grid or grate works just as well. If you decide to go with a grate, make sure to design your pit in such a way that it can accommodate the grate.
Not quite ready to commit to a permanent structure? That’s okay too.A mobile hanging steel fire pit perfectly complements this rustic landscape, especially in the company of wooden recliner chairs and chunky log “tables.”
3. Build On a Budget Patio with Gravel
Gravel has a special place in our esteem, primarily because it’s cheap and easy to work with while remaining incredibly versatile.For example, this simple but effective patio is demarcated by a neat brick edging and filled in with multicolored pea gravel, which you can obtain for cheap.A gorgeous, rustic fire pit built from boulders or rocks completes the look and is as easy as setting them down in the shape of your choice.Perfect for a small backyard, you don’t need an extensive landscape to make this work. A neat lawn or a few garden beds complement the design seamlessly and require minimal maintenance.
A different but just as affordable take on a gravel patio is this nifty idea of a rock/stone edging offset by mulch landscaping.The pinnacle of effortless design, you won’t need to fuss with keeping your lawn tidy but can simply rake over your mulch occasionally to keep it neat and fresh.For your fire pit, you can opt for a prefabricated design or build your own, depending on your preferred aesthetic.Personally, I love the walkway leading up to this entertaining area and the incorporation of rocks and stones into not just the edging but the garden beds as well.
If you have a bit more to spend and a relatively large area for your patio, you may want to consider using a little more of your budget to build a truly aesthetic fire pit as your centerpiece.Resting on a gravel patio, this fire pit is constructed from rocks and cement using masonry techniques and neatly finished off with brick capstones.Its large size means plenty of room for entertaining while enjoying the view of your landscape.
4. On Sloped Yard, You’ll Need a Retaining Wall
A sloped yard can be tricky to navigate, making a patio space feel impractical and difficult to build. However, this is not necessarily the case and can easily be solved with a retaining wall.In this design, boulders have been used to break the yard up into different levels. The lower level is perfect for a flagstone patio, complete with a walkway leading to the water. A raised, circular fire pit ties everything together to transform the patio into an entertainment area. Made from pavers, you’d be amazed at how affordable this type of design can be. There’s no need for elaborate landscaping to make this design work, either. Some small shrubs or bushes will suffice, just to add some greenery.Add your furniture, and you have an ideal space to enjoy your summer evenings.
5. Use Black Rock for Landscaping
I’m a big fan of contrast in a landscape, and this design is exactly why. When it comes to ideas for a backyard fire pit with an edgy look, black rock is a great material for creating a showstopper patio. And it’s so easy. You can build it yourself with no need for fancy tools or expert advice.
Set against a mountain backdrop, this patio comprises a boulder border in purposely light colors. It is then filled in with stark black rock gravel, which perfectly suits the bicolored furniture surrounding the fire pit.The pit itself is delightfully rustic – steel resting on a small base made from flat stone pavers.Using a rock border is a great way to outline where your patio begins and ends and separates it from your existing landscape so there can be no confusion about where the relaxation is.
6. Save Time and Labor – Get a Fire Pit with a Seating Kit
I can be a little impatient, and when I get an idea in my head, I often want to execute it immediately.For this purpose,a prefabricated seating and fire pit kit from ak47design (shown above) is the perfect solution and can be infinitely aesthetic, too. Requiring almost no time and effort, this design plan showcases an attractive metal pit with circular seating that doubles up as a storage space for extra firewood.Using pea gravel as the base for the patio saves money as well.
7. Make a Fire Pit Area the Centerpiece of Your Designer Patio
We’ve looked at a few different backyard with fire pit landscaping ideas so far, but what happens when we combine them to create a stunning centerpiece?Good things happen. Trust me.For a designer touch, you can transform a basic gravel patio by including your fire pit as the central focus.A circular paver kit is relatively affordable and simple to DIY. And you can finish off the patio with a rock border wall for the perfect edging.Homemade benches are inviting and conversational, as well as spacious and practical. There’s no question that this type of space adds value to the home.
8. Use Colorful Flagstones to Create a Backyard Oasis
If you’re wondering how to make a fire pit area in your backyard without breaking the bank, but you’re not entirely keen on gravel, flagstones are a great alternative.And while they can be heavy to transport, part of their benefit is their weight because they only need to be laid down rather than embedded in your lawn.Here, we see a beautiful keyhole patio design, where the flagstones are surrounded by a rustic metal edge.The designer completes the look by grouting the flagstones with pea gravel and resting a mobile steel fire pit in the center.
With a DIY plan like this, you can add finishing touches like solar lights and flowerpots to create an inviting ambiance.With a gorgeous view, you’ll want to spend as much time as possible outdoors, enjoying the warmth of the fire and the serene atmosphere of your surroundings.
9. Add a Recessed Fire Pit Area to Your Modern Backyard
A recessed fire pit with built-in seating in the perfect backyard oasis. While this type of design is a bit more costly, it’s an investment in a contemporary style that you definitely won’t regret.I have a very modern house, so this type of design is perfect for me. The poured concrete retaining walls demarcate the area while allowing for comfortable built-in benches, lights, and planters.Wooden decking lends an organic feel, offset by the sleek texture of the tiled or marble fire pit.Form follows function, so I fully agree with the hard angles of the square pit that tie in with the overall aesthetic of the rest of the structure.Once built, this recessed patio is low-maintenance, only requiring upkeep of the lawn and the occasional cleaning.
10. Use Pavers and Metal Pit For the Easiest Set-Up
Modern patios are achievable on a budget, and this outdoor fire pit area is living proof.Indeed, for the most effortless setup imaginable, you only need a bunch of pavers and a prefabricated metal fire pit.Choose a space somewhere in the corner of your backyard and lay down your pavers in a neat square or rectangular pattern.Then, build a simple ring shape from your remaining pavers to rest your pit on.You can build additional structures for a seating area or to store your coals for cooking. Or alternatively, opt for wooden seating.Either way, you can set up your entertainment area in less than three days and enjoy it for years to come.
11. Achieve a Rustic Backyard Patio Look with Flagstones and Boulders
Flagstones and boulders are the perfect materials for a backyard patio that feels like an existing part of your landscape.This looks especially rustic if you allow your lawn to crop up among the stones as if they’ve always been there.Big boulders in a circular pattern are perfectly suitable for a fire pit and hardly cost a thing.If I had a foresty, brilliantly green landscape like this, I definitely wouldn’t want to overshadow it with harsh lines and edges, which is why this super organic, natural patio works so well.Painting the outdoor furniture in dark, bold green is a nice finishing touch, although, that said, brown, unfinished wood would look gorgeous too.
12. Create the Simplest Design with a Fire Pit Ring and Boulders
Like the design above, this flagstone patio is nicely complemented by a simple fire pit made from rocks.Rather than just parking a metal ring on the patio with no context, it has been built in with an equally high circle of boulders, which both secures it and gives it a rustic aesthetic.Honestly, what could be easier?All that’s left to do is arrange your outdoor furniture around your pit and enjoy this functional space.
13. Build a Square Raised Patio for a Modern Outdoor Appeal
Let’s take a look at some more modern backyard patio with fire pit ideas, like this beautiful, raised patio.It looks like a million bucks, but in actual fact shouldn’t cost more than a few hundred.Made from rectangular concrete pavers, the trick to achieving a modern feel is to let your patio be slightly raised. This may require a bit of masonry and cement work, but it’s still very easy to DIY.In keeping with the overall look and feel, opt for a square fire pit and angular furniture to keep it neat and contemporary.A raised patio looks especially lovely when bordered by garden beds filled with uniform rows of small shrubs or bushes.
14. For Safety Use an Ethanol Fire Pit Under Pergola
We all know that fire and roofing structures aren’t a great combination, so what do you do if your patio is covered but you really want a fire pit? Well, you’re in luck. In today’s market, there are plenty of options for ethanol or bio-fuel fire pits (which are smokeless) that are perfectly safe and just as enjoyable as traditional pits. Take this modern pergola patio, for example. The fire pit is very much the centerpiece, creating a cozy atmosphere, and is entirely run on ethanol.
A concrete patio like this, just off the living room, is a wonderful space for entertaining, and I especially love the ambient string lights and comfortable couches.Unfortunately, this may be pretty costly to construct, but given its permanent nature, it can almost be considered another room of the house, adding increased value to your investment.
Roof extensions are a fantastic way to maximize your space and create an outdoor entertainment area.You can amplify this type of setup with a concrete fire pit that runs on biofuel.It’s safe, modern, and infinitely enjoyable for the whole family.And if your roof extension and patio are already part of your existing architecture, the fire pit won’t be nearly as expensive as you may think, considering it’s prefabricated and only requires setting up.
Many homes have verandas or patios built in advance, but not necessarily with fire pits. Here, we see a gorgeous, rectangular concrete coal pit that is lovely for enjoying on a cold, crisp evening.Because of the overhanging roof, you’d need to use ethanol to contain your flames. However, the ambiance is the same as natural fire, and the pit itself can be DIYed with a solid plan and some keen measuring skills.The sky’s the limit in terms of design, and you can opt to build your pit in a size that suits your space.
15. Small Backyard Patio Ideas
Okay, okay. We don’t all have huge sweeping yards to work with. But small spaces can be just as modern and practical if utilized well.This simple tiled patio, with amazing, comfortable-looking furniture, is made extra special by incorporating a concrete fire pit resting on gravel.Its minimalist nature means you don’t need to go to town on the rest of your landscape, either. A neatly manicured lawn does the trick, enclosed by a simple metal fence.Low-maintenance and sleek – count me in.
Here we see a more affordable option for a small backyard oasis that you can easily build yourself.Tucked away at the garden’s edge, all you need to do is lay down some cheap pavers (in a shape you like – I enjoy this curved design) and top it off with a simple paver fire pit.Then, to amplify the aesthetic, consider adding some unique landscaping features, like a trellis lined with conifers or a small but beautiful water feature. And, of course, never underestimate the value of colorful flower bushes.
16. In Luxury Designs, Use the Same Material for Seating and Fire Pit
Who doesn’t love a luxurious look? And what better way to achieve one than by being intentional in your design? These examples all look at backyard with fire pit ideas that seamlessly blend their seating with their pit structures for a coherent, contemporary feel. To start, you can use bricks in the same color, complete with capstones, to create corner unit seating and a matching square fire pit. For the patio itself, there are plenty of different paver ideas at your disposal, ranging from contrasting colors and textures to plainer ones. Finish it all off with some shading trees or bushes and decorative touches in the form of cushions or log crates.
Retaining walls have many great benefits, including doubling up as additional seating or table space.In both designs above, the designers have cleverly used the same materials to make their walls and firepits feel like part of the same architecture, and it’s super effective.Depending on the material you use, you can go for something quite modern or a design that is slightly more rustic.Slate and raw marble are very in vogue and work well as building materials. But a little rock masonry with concrete capstone pavers looks equally gorgeous and is also slightly more affordable.
When in doubt, go concrete.This poured cement patio is a perfect option for an extended space that you can make functional with a simple fire pit.To amplify the space even more, as this designer did, you can incorporate matching elements from your home (brickwork) into your firepit. And it will look like it’s been there all along.
17. Add Railing for a Secluded Feel
What is it about railings that make a space feel so beautifully serene and secluded?This tucked-away patio, made from wooden decking, is finished with a simple wooden rail. In the center, we find an affordable metal fire pit that is highly effective as a centerpiece for entertaining.Aside from some manual labor, nothing too complicated goes into building a structure like this yourself.Indeed, it’s the perfect addition to a foliage-dense garden or yard nestled away in the existing landscape.Having it slightly raised above the ground will also minimize the maintenance of keeping it clean and tidy.
Railings surrounding larger wooden decks are also an excellent means of ensuring privacy.This modern space allows one to enjoy the view without becoming the view yourselves.Comfortable seating around a tall, prefabricated steel fire pit creates a secluded and exclusive entertainment area.You can keep it minimalist or add pops of color with bold cushions or planters.
18. Set Up a Dedicated Fire Pit Area with a Raised Patio
If you’re a fan of depth and texture like I am, this type of yard is perfect for you. It has so many enjoyable elements, like a pea gravel garden bed, slate stone pavers, a brick deck for sun tanning, and a raised patio with a fire pit.What more could you ask for?The dedicated fire pit area is particularly alluring. It’s a simple and cheap addition – just a few layers of bricks resting on top of gravel – but it’s highly functional.The circular pit is also easy to build and won’t take more than a few hours.To emphasize your fire area, you can surround the pit with unique seating or even explore cool lighting ideas.Either way, demarcating your yard into specific areas for different activities is always a fun way to maximize your space.
19. Use Colors to Add a Decorative Touch to Otherwise Simple Designs
I like to experiment with my designs from time to time, just to give them a fresh look and feel. And in my experience, one of the best ways to do this is to make an otherwise simple architectural structure pop with color.Colorful furniture, in particular, is a cheap and easy alternative to trying to rebuild or add things. You can upcycle your existing furniture with a lick of paint.Goodbye, plain patio. Hello, vibrant entertainment space.
This relatively plain patio has two modern touches that make it feel fresh.One is a bright yellow seating, and the other is a Solo smokeless fire pit, which allows your guests to get cozy without being inundated with smoke, which can be super annoying for your eyes.The pit also has a pretty patined edge which ties in nicely with the yellow.
20. Save Money by Building DIY Outdoor Benches and Chairs
Sometimes your furniture ends up being more expensive than your patio and fire pit put together. To avoid this, you can build your own outdoor furniture from recycled or pallet wood, both of which are way more affordable than buying your chairs or seating new.This fire pit, made from slate stones and cement, is built straight onto the lawn. Big, upcycled wooden chairs make for the perfect cozy accompaniment. Having a vineyard for landscaping is a bonus.
Here’s another cool example of upcycled furniture that you can build yourself. These simple benches are easy to construct and look great surrounding a simple paver fire pit. Imagine the satisfaction of building not only your pit but also your furniture.
