Taking the Chill Off

Courtney Mueller -- Casual Living, 1/1/2006 12:00:00 AM

Extending the outdoor season is easier with a variety of products to keep everyone warm, even as the weather cools. Fireplaces, firepits and firebowls offer the natural beauty of fire and create an intimate setting outdoors to keep family and friends close in any season.

In place of a traditional log set, FireShapes add a touch of creativity. FireShapes are a line of ceramic shapes and stones that present a mix-and-match appeal to fire. • Rasmussen Iron Works, 800-782-1365

The Patio Embers outdoor fireplace adds a new dimension to outdoor living with a marble top, formulated ceramic logs and decorative lava rocks.The propane-fueled fireplace ignites with the touch of a button. • Agio, 757-468-4782

The 42-inch round firepit hearth in hammered copper shines a new light on options for outdoor heating, fueled by either propane or natural gas. • O.W. Lee, 800-776-9533

Bring the warmth and beauty of a campfire to the back yard with the Cal Flame firepit. Available as natural gas or propane. • Suggested retail $1,699, Cal Spas, 800-225-7727

Country Originals iron firepits present a rustic style for the outdoors with shimsical cut-out designs in the siding. • Suggested retail $170 to $260, Country Originals, 800-249-4229

Protected from the elements with all-steel construction and a porcelain finish, the Trentino Outdoor Fireplace has removable mesh screens to provide easy access for tending the fire as well as a view from all sides. • Suggested retail $129, Char-Broil, 800-241-7544