We’ve been using this fire pit hangout for months, and it finally made it onto the blog. This space is a great example of how a simple fence can transform an overlooked corner into a defined outdoor room. Once the fence was in place, we added four Adirondack chairs and a fire pit, and the area instantly became a favorite spot for our family.
We gather here often and make “fancy” s’mores at least once a week, sometimes more. It’s been a welcome addition during a season when everyone is spending so much time at home. The fire pit has even become part of our holiday routine—s’mores for Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve are now family traditions.
Here’s the area before we painted the fence. The chairs and fire pit were all it took to make the space usable right away; we couldn’t wait to start spending time out here.
We’ve experimented with lots of s’mores variations—cookies in place of graham crackers, peanut butter cups atop the chocolate, and our favorite: Andes mints instead of a standard chocolate bar. It sounds odd, but it’s delicious.
At night, with the fence painted, the space becomes even cozier. The string lights are on a smart outdoor plug and come on automatically at dusk, which always pulls us outside.
From our bedroom, the view is dramatically improved—what used to look out onto the street is now a private little patio. We imagined this as a spot for adult evenings once the kids were in bed, but with the fire pit it’s become a place the whole family uses together.
Before the fence went up this corner was mostly pine needles and open yard—our house sits on a corner lot so the street bordered two sides. We’d always planned to fence it, inspired by a neighbor whose similar setup made their outdoor area feel more like a room.
Now the fence is installed and painted in Halcyon Green by Sherwin Williams. The color shifts throughout the day—appearing greener or bluer depending on light and cloud cover—so some photos show different tones. We were aiming for a calming hue that blends with the surrounding greenery without being too loud, and we’re happy with the result.
The finish in the photos below is likely the truest representation: a blue-green that layers nicely into the landscape. The color feels calm and cohesive next to the plants and other exterior details.
The fire pit we chose is a substantial, 30″ wide unit with a clean concrete-like bowl. It was hard to find something this size and style at a reasonable price, but this one has performed well for us so far. In the photo you can see the pit sitting on a large square concrete paver. The manufacturer recommends placing the fire pit on a concrete base rather than directly on a wood deck, so we followed that guidance for safety.
The white outer bowl of the pit doesn’t heat up much, though the metal insert that holds the logs does get hot. We placed a concrete paver under the pit to protect the surface beneath and to follow the safety recommendations—avoid placing it on dry leaves, pine needles, or wood.
The Adirondack chairs are low-maintenance, fade-resistant, and made from recycled plastic blends, which appealed to us for durability and eco-conscious design. They’re very comfortable—truly the kind of chairs you sink into and don’t want to leave. Excellent reviews helped us decide, and they’ve proven to be worth it.
This little project shows how a fence and a few thoughtfully chosen pieces can expand your living area outdoors. Moving to a place with less indoor space and a warmer climate motivated us to make the most of outdoor zones, and the payoff has been huge: more room to relax and a constant invitation to spend time outside.
Access to the fire pit area is convenient—there are glass doors from our bedroom that open onto the patio, and a gate near the front door that swings open beside our rain chain so visitors can enter from the front.
Walking in through the gate, I like the arrangement of a decorative garden ball next to a large white planter. The colors of the ball and our patina rain chain echo the fence tone and help tie the area together for a layered, calming palette.
To help orient you, we also added a hanging tent for the kids on the covered side porch, which contributes to the overall family-friendly vibe of this side of the house.
We also made a short video walk-through of the fire pit area to give a better sense of the space and flow.
Now that this spot is documented on the blog, we can finally say it’s official—although when we’re sitting in the Adirondack chairs we’ll probably delay getting up for a few more hours because they’re just that comfy.
P.S. You can find a running list of every update we’ve made to this house over the last nine months on the site where we post project updates and room reveals.
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