Crystal Valley Blog

A fire pit is a great way to heat things up on your Crystal Valley patio, and a great way to enjoy Colorado’s chilly outdoors at night. And while you can buy ready-made steel and ceramic fire pits from Target, Walmart and Lowe’s, for example, you can also make your own — from a kit like this one from Home Depot — or “from scratch.”

Fire pits don’t need a lot of space, just enough room to be functional and allow for seating. These handy heat generators come in almost unlimited shapes and sizes, and the only real restrictions governing their use in Castle Rock are that they be supervised by adults with flames under four feet.

To Go Fire Pits

Bob Vila’s slide show of nine fire pits anyone can afford, includes the portable Flame Genie powered by wood pellets and weighing only 12 pounds and the Fire Sense Bon Fire with wheels.

And for a double duty freestanding fire pit, check out this Double Flame. You can use this wood-burning pit to grill burgers and hot dogs, too!

Do-It-Yourself Fire Pits

The DIY Network offers 66 fire pit and fireplace ideas for inspiration ranging in cost, time required, space allotted and the flow of your patio.

If you’d like to see a step-by-step video to gauge just how much effort goes into, say a circular pit made of fire brick, natural stone and landscape pavers, watch this.

Urban Gardens blogger Robin Horton covers the basics for building your own fire pit, including planning and picking a location; a spot at least 10 feet from the nearest structure.

For the DIYer there are two ways to go – above ground and below ground – and each has pros and cons. For example, the above-ground style while creating a nice barrier between you and the fire, if it’s placed in a grassy area will require a string trimmer to edge the grass. And the in-ground style, while it has a nice edge and great look, creates a potentially nasty pitfall.

If you like the smell of fired-up wood, a wood-burning pit might be the choice for you. But if you’re looking for something easier to use and clean, you might consider a gas-fueled fire pit. Of course, those require a gas line and more money and effort up front if you have to install one.

Green and Upscale Fire Pits

Build.com has a $1,500 weather-resistant rectangular fire pit with river rock or colored glass options, and uses liquid propane or comes with a natural gas conversion kit. Natural gas is one-third the cost of propane, and the opportunity to convert is an enticing one. But since there’s more to it than replacing a fitting, consider using a licensed professional to do the conversion.

There are always biofuel cartridges that produce no smoke, no smell and no ashes. Check out this fire pit by Arik Levy that uses patented Glassfire Technology® and runs on a special ethanol-based biofuel called Fanola® – a renewable and green energy source.

If you keep it simple, a fire pit won’t break the bank. And cozying up to one on a cool Colorado evening with friends and family makes your Crystal Valley patio indoor-outdoor space around-the-clock!

Crystal Valley Aesthetics

The outdoor architecture of the new homes in the master-planned community of Crystal Valley are as inviting as the indoor designs. Stop by the sales office of Richmond American Homes and view the gorgeous floor plans. You’ll find new homes in Crystal Valley in both ranch or two-story models, priced from the $300s.