AI Landscape Design

Outdoor Fireplace Ideas, Shown on a Photo of Your Own Patio

Upload a photo of your patio or deck below and describe the fireplace you are picturing. Our AI returns the same view with a stone, stucco or modern fireplace drawn in, so you can compare looks before you ask for a quote.

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An outdoor fireplace is a structure, not a fire bowl: it has a back wall and usually a chimney, so where it stands and what it is made of change the whole patio. Below: three before and after examples with our exact instructions, the main styles from the pages we read, the cost and permit notes they give, how to try it in Custom mode, and what the AI can and cannot tell you.

More renders come with a paid plan (see pricing).

Looking for a low, open fire pit instead? See our fire pit landscaping ideas page. This page is about fireplaces with a back wall or chimney.

Before and after examples

In each pair, the left image was generated by AI as a stand-in for an ordinary patio or deck, and the right image is that same picture edited by AI from a written instruction for a fireplace. The exact instructions are printed further down this page. None of them are photos of real customer homes. We made them with our own AI model using 4 processing steps, which may be more than the tool above uses, so a render in the tool may look rougher or different. Each pair is one run of our model, and we show that run.

AI-generated example: a plain grey concrete patio beside a lawn, with a pale brick house wall and a back door on the left and a tall wooden fence behind, and no furniture

Before

AI-edited version of the same image: a tall natural stone fireplace with a chimney and a lit fire stands against the wooden fence on the patio, with wooden armchairs beside it

After

A stone fireplace against a fence (first instruction below). The before image is an AI-drawn stand-in for an empty back patio, not a customer photo. Already in the before: the patio slab, the house wall and door, the lawn and the fence. What followed the instruction: a tall stone fireplace with a chimney and a lit fire now stands against the fence, with wooden chairs next to it. What did not: we asked for two chairs, but three seem to be drawn, with a small side table; the chimney stands in front of the fence boards instead of being part of a wall; and the stone mantel is hard to tell apart from the rest of the stonework. What it changed on its own: we did not spot other changes, but compare the two images yourself. Both images were made with our own AI model.
AI-generated example: a covered patio with a wooden slatted roof and grey paving, a plain white stucco wall at the far end, a lawn on the left and no furniture

Before

AI-edited version of the same image: a white stucco fireplace with a wooden mantel and a lit fire stands in the far wall, and a cushioned sofa sits along the right wall

After

A stucco fireplace on a covered patio (second instruction below). The before image is an AI-drawn stand-in for an empty covered patio, not a customer photo. Already in the before: the wooden roof, the posts, the paving, the stucco walls and the lawn. What followed the instruction: a white stucco fireplace with a wooden mantel and a lit fire now stands in the far wall, with a cushioned sofa. What did not: we asked for a chimney that rises through the roof, but the chimney is a hood shape that stops well below the roof; and the sofa sits along the side wall instead of facing the fireplace. What it changed on its own: we did not spot other changes, but compare the two images yourself. Both images were made with our own AI model.
AI-generated example: a large bare wooden deck behind a modern house with glass sliding doors, a lawn beyond it and a tall green hedge along the back, with no furniture

Before

AI-edited version of the same image: a wide, low modern fireplace of dark grey stone panels with a long horizontal opening and flames stands at the end of the deck, with a short chimney stub on its left

After

A modern gas-style fireplace on a deck (third instruction below). The before image is an AI-drawn stand-in for a bare deck, not a customer photo. Already in the before: the deck boards, the house wall and glass doors, the lawn and the hedge. What followed the instruction: a wide, low fireplace of dark grey stone with a long narrow horizontal opening and flames now stands at the end of the deck. What did not: we asked for a built-in bench in front of it, but no bench is drawn, the stone block itself is simply low and wide; and the chimney is a short stub at one end instead of a square chimney. What it changed on its own: we did not spot other changes, but compare the two images yourself. Both images were made with our own AI model.

Outdoor fireplace ideas, one by one

LawnStarter, Bob Vila and Fresh Patio each list outdoor fireplace ideas. These are the main ones, with what each page says about them.

  • Stone against a wall or fence: LawnStarter lists stone as a rustic look that pairs well with wooden patio furniture, and suggests matching the stone to your home's existing stonework or your paver colors. Fresh Patio shows a natural stone fireplace set against a wall to blend with a rustic fence. Our first example is a stone fireplace against a fence.
  • Stucco, brick or cobblestone: LawnStarter describes stucco as smooth with no visible lines of brick or stone, brick as available in one color, mixed colors or painted, and cobblestone as generally considered more elegant than brick. Fresh Patio says uniform bricks are easier to place than natural stone. Our second example is a white stucco fireplace.
  • A fireplace on a covered patio: Bob Vila says a roof shields the space from rain and summer sun, and that matching the stonework to your house ties the design together. Fresh Patio shows a roofed patio with a fireplace for use in most weather, and suggests built-in heaters to extend use in colder climates.
  • Modern and gas fireplaces: Bob Vila describes a modern fireplace with a stone, marble or tile facade and flames showing through a narrow horizontal opening. LawnStarter says gas ignites at the push of a button with no wood to manage, but needs a natural gas line. Fresh Patio says a propane-tank model is a cheaper option if there is no gas line. Our third example is a modern fireplace with a horizontal opening.
  • A fireplace wall with seating: Fresh Patio suggests small side tables instead of a large center table for a seating-focused layout, and an extended wooden mantel to keep firewood dry in rain. Bob Vila says to leave room for firewood storage next to a deck fireplace.
  • Keeping the view: Bob Vila suggests setting a back-patio fireplace at grade level so it does not block the view, in the same brick or stone as the patio. Fresh Patio shows one placed in front of existing vegetation, in smooth white stucco, so the focus stays on the scenery.
  • A fireplace in a corner: Fresh Patio says a corner placement saves space on small patios, and suggests planters and drought-tolerant plants for color.
  • Fireplace with an outdoor kitchen or pizza oven: LawnStarter suggests placing the fireplace near an outdoor kitchen, sometimes with a pizza oven built in. Fresh Patio says a 36-inch counter height is standard in its pizza oven example.

Outdoor fireplace cost, permits and safety

LawnStarter gives these figures, which we quote as its figures and cannot verify for your area: a prefabricated freestanding fireplace about $1,200 to $8,335; an unfinished contractor kit about $1,250 to $3,750, not including veneer; an average installation of about $3,000, typically $1,200 to $21,000; and a custom build about $6,000 to $21,000 or more. Prices change, so get local quotes.

LawnStarter says to check local building codes and wood-burning regulations before planning, and that various permits are likely required. It gives no clearance distances from buildings, so ask your local authority or a professional. Bob Vila says to build the firebox from steel or fire-rated brick and use a fire-rated flue pipe. The AI image does not know any of this, so a fireplace you see drawn may sit closer to a fence, a roof or a wall than is safe or allowed.

This page is about fireplaces with a back wall and a chimney. If you want a low, open fire pit, see our fire pit landscaping ideas page.

How to try outdoor fireplace ideas on your own photo

The tool above is already in Custom mode. The Yard Redesign styles have no text box, so you cannot name a fireplace, its material or where it goes there. Custom lets you name what to add, where it goes, and what must stay the same.

  1. Take the photo in daylight of the patio, deck or wall where the fireplace would go, with the house wall and the edge of the space in frame.
  2. Describe the change in the Custom Design Requirements box: the fireplace material and style (for example stone with a chimney, or a wide low modern one), where it goes, what furniture goes with it, and what must stay the same, such as the house and the camera angle.
  3. Upload your photo under Upload Your Garden Image and click Generate Custom Design. You sign in with an email code or Google when you generate.
  4. Compare the result with your photo, change one thing at a time, such as the material or the position, and run it again.

What the AI can and cannot do

The AI shows a look: roughly how a stone, stucco or modern fireplace would sit on your own patio photo. That helps you compare styles and explain what you want to a mason or contractor.

It does not know your clearances, flue, gas line, local fire rules or budget, and it does not always follow the instruction, as the missing bench, the short chimney and the extra chair in the examples above show. Treat the result as a picture of an idea, and get quotes and permit advice from a local licensed contractor.

Outdoor fireplace instructions to paste into Custom mode

These are the exact instructions we used for the three examples above, in the same order. In the tool above, Custom is already selected: paste one into the Custom Design Requirements box, then upload your photo. Swap in your own materials and what must stay.

  • Change ONLY the patio: build a tall natural stone outdoor fireplace with a chimney against the wooden fence on the patio, a flat stone mantel, a lit fire in the firebox, and two wooden armchairs facing it. Keep the house, the camera angle, the lighting and everything else exactly the same.
  • Change ONLY the far stucco wall: add a smooth white stucco fireplace with a chimney that rises through the roof, a simple wooden mantel and a lit fire, and a small outdoor sofa with cushions facing it. Keep the house, the camera angle, the lighting and everything else exactly the same.
  • Change ONLY the end of the deck: add a modern outdoor fireplace made of dark grey stone panels, wide and low with a long narrow horizontal opening showing flames, a short square chimney, and a built-in bench in front of it. Keep the house, the camera angle, the lighting and everything else exactly the same.
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Frequently asked questions

What are some good outdoor fireplace ideas?

LawnStarter, Bob Vila and Fresh Patio show stone, stucco, brick and cobblestone fireplaces, fireplaces on covered patios, modern and gas fireplaces with a horizontal opening, corner placements and fireplaces next to an outdoor kitchen. The three examples on this page show a stone fireplace, a stucco fireplace under a roof and a modern one on a deck.

How much does an outdoor fireplace cost?

LawnStarter gives about $1,200 to $8,335 for a prefabricated freestanding fireplace, about $1,250 to $3,750 for an unfinished contractor kit without veneer, and about $6,000 to $21,000 or more for a custom build. Those are its figures; get local quotes.

Do I need a permit for an outdoor fireplace?

LawnStarter says to check local building codes and wood-burning regulations, and that various permits are likely required. It gives no clearance distances, so ask your local authority or a professional.

Is an outdoor fireplace the same as a fire pit?

No. In this page's sense a fireplace has a back wall or chimney and is built as a structure, while a fire pit is a low, open fire. Our fire pit landscaping ideas page covers fire pits.

Should I choose a wood-burning or a gas outdoor fireplace?

LawnStarter says wood gives a real fire and the scent of wood but takes more work to start and maintain, while gas ignites at the push of a button but needs a natural gas line. Fresh Patio says a propane-tank model is a cheaper option if there is no gas line.

Can the AI tell me if a fireplace will fit or be safe on my patio?

No. It draws the look you describe. It does not measure your patio or check clearances, flue, gas supply or fire rules, and it does not always follow the instruction exactly, as the captions above show. Ask a local licensed contractor.

Do I need an account, and is it free?

Create a free account with an email code or Google to generate. You get 1 free render, and free renders carry a watermark. More renders and no watermark come with a paid plan.

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