Choose a fire pit to amp up your outdoor space

These days, hosting friends for dinner or drinks indoors is off the table for many, amid concerns about transmission of COVID-19. Instead, the backyard fire pit has become a focal point for

gathering. Topping many home improvement wish lists, fire pits can run the gamut from elaborately hardscaped to simple, portable and inexpensive. And stay-at-home orders and limitations

around socializing have sparked an overwhelming yearning for these cozy backyard spaces designed for entertaining. "As people have been isolating in their homes and social distancing,

they naturally have gone outside … and looked for places that they can connect with other people,” says Joe Raboine, director of residential hardscapes at Belgard in Atlanta. “Our

contractors and dealers are just seeing an absolute explosion in interest in fire pits." EXPANDED OUTDOOR LIVING Debbie Silverman, 61, of Salem, New Hampshire, envisions year-round use

of the patio with built-in fire pit she's currently having constructed at her lake house. She's anticipating creating s'mores this summer, and warming her toes by the fire

with friends in cooler weather. Silverman began construction of the fire pit in the midst of the pandemic and sees value in the expanded outdoor living space. She has plans to do a lot more

al fresco entertaining and “hang out and enjoy it in the evening,” she says. Similar to the hearth in a living room, a fire pit serves as a cheerful congregation spot with crackling flames

that create ambiance. The options range from easy-to-assemble metal bowls to intricate designs of stone, concrete or brick requiring professional installation. It is not just the craving for

connection during quarantine that has led to unprecedented demand for fire pits. At Weckesser Brick in Rochester, New York, sales of DIY fire pits have quadrupled over last summer and the

manufacturer is racing to keep up, says owner Tim Weckesser. "People are home and … have money that they were going to spend on a vacation [to invest in] a patio and fire pit,” he says.

Tetra Images / Alamy Stock Photo PORTABLE OR PERMANENT Investments in fire pits may be increasing due to COVID-19, but Weckesser predicts that the enjoyment will far outlast the global

pandemic. "People are being more cautious about going out … but I do feel like this is a trend that will continue,” he says. “Fire pits allow for family to get together, and it's a

good reason to just gather around and have a good time." Nancy Lubarsky, 63, wanted a small, portable fire pit for her beach house in Long Branch, New Jersey, where she is spending

time until it's safe to travel again. "We just wanted to make it as ‘vacation-y’ as possible and have a place where we could sit around the campfire,” she says.