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You may remember that we were originally planning to include a wood-burning fireplace our custom home. We love the ambience a real fire creates and the fun-factor is high. Over time, however, the logistics (and mess) overcame our sensibilities and we gave in to the gas fireplace craze.

But we found a perfect solution: we decided to install an outdoor fire pit instead!

By replacing the indoor, wood-burning fireplace with a fire pit, we have removed the negatives of the mess while maintaining the fun and atmosphere that real fires create.

We'll be building our fire pit in the backyard, between the patio and the future pool. It will be a central feature of the yard, yet still out of the way of the sports area. Not only aesthetics, but safety are concerns. And remember, you need a convenient and attractive place to store the wood and other supplies close at hand.

Fire pits come in all shapes and sizes and are very affordable. When choosing yours, consider the location, number of people, and style of your yard area. The range of available products allows you to suit any style. They come in beautiful, bronzed patina (which can even be personalized with your family name of a special phrase), iron, or stone. You can get them from small to extra large. You can even get raised fire pit tables, which give the look of a fancy restaurant or seaside resort!

Also consider building a permanent fire pit in your backyard. Stone or brick can be used to create a beautiful area to enjoy your backyard fire.

An alternative for a fire pit is an actual outdoor fireplace. Like the fire pits, these can either be purchased and placed on site or built in and come in a variety of beautiful styles.

When creating your backyard landscaping, consider including a fire pit or fireplace. Either will add the useful and attractive space and function to your backyard.

Alison Moore Smith is a 61-year-old entrepreneur who graduated from BYU in 1987. She has been (very happily) married to Samuel M. Smith for 40 years. They are parents of six incredible children and grandparents to two astounding grandsons. She is the author of The 7 Success Habits of Homeschoolers.