A fire feature is one of the most transformative additions to an outdoor living area — it extends the usability of the space into cool Oklahoma evenings and creates the natural gathering point that every outdoor kitchen benefits from. At VistaScapes Design & Build, we integrate fire features into outdoor kitchen builds throughout Broken Arrow and Tulsa. Here’s how to think about which type of fire feature is right for your space.
Fire Pits — The Most Versatile Choice
A built-in fire pit is the most popular fire feature we integrate into outdoor kitchen designs. A well-designed fire pit is the center of an outdoor gathering area — it provides heat, visual focal point, and the social draw that makes people linger outdoors past dark. In Oklahoma, where evenings cool down significantly in fall and spring, a fire pit extends the functional outdoor season by weeks on either end of the calendar.
Fire pit options range from simple round gas fire pits to custom-built rectangular fire pits with seating walls on multiple sides. For outdoor kitchen integration, we typically design fire pits in a dedicated zone separate from the cooking area — positioned at the perimeter of the outdoor living space where it becomes the evening gathering point after dinner. Common configurations include a square or rectangular fire pit surrounded by a seating wall on two or three sides, with movable chairs filling in the remaining sides.
Gas vs Wood Fire Pits in Oklahoma
Both gas and wood fire pits work in Oklahoma’s climate, but they serve different experiences. Gas fire pits (natural gas or propane) light with a button, produce consistent, controllable flames, and can be extinguished immediately. They’re convenient for weeknight use when you don’t want the full production of building and maintaining a wood fire. Wood fire pits produce more heat, more atmosphere, and the authentic fire experience — crackling, smoke, the ritual of building a fire — that many Oklahoma homeowners want. They require more management but many people consider the experience worth it.
For outdoor kitchens, we often install gas fire pits for convenience but design the structure to accommodate the wood-burning experience for homeowners who want both. Note that Oklahoma has restrictions on open burning in high-fire-risk periods — gas fire pits typically comply with burn ban requirements while wood fires don’t.
Outdoor Fireplaces — Architectural Statement Pieces
An outdoor fireplace is a more substantial architectural commitment than a fire pit. Built into a masonry wall or as a freestanding masonry structure, an outdoor fireplace defines the end of an outdoor living area and creates a dramatic focal point. Outdoor fireplaces provide directional heat (heating the area directly in front of the firebox) rather than 360-degree heat like a fire pit.
For outdoor kitchens in larger backyards, a fireplace at the far end of the outdoor living area creates a beautiful anchor — you cook at the kitchen, dine in the middle zone, and gather at the fireplace. The visual and functional layering of these three zones is what makes a premium outdoor living area feel complete.
Fire Tables — Design-Forward Option
Gas fire tables — a dining or coffee table with a fire feature built into the center — have become popular for homeowners who want fire ambiance without a dedicated fire pit structure. They’re typically freestanding, movable (larger ones are very heavy), and can be positioned anywhere in the outdoor living area. For outdoor kitchens where space is limited or where a dedicated fire pit area doesn’t fit the layout, a fire table provides the fire feature experience with more flexibility.
Integrating Fire Features With Your Outdoor Kitchen
The key to successful fire feature integration is designing it as part of the overall outdoor kitchen and living area plan — not as an afterthought. We design the outdoor kitchen, dining zone, fire feature, and cover structure as a unified system. The fire feature should have its own dedicated zone that complements the kitchen without competing with it spatially or functionally.
Call VistaScapes Design & Build at (918) 779-1317 to design a complete outdoor living area including your outdoor kitchen and fire feature. We serve Broken Arrow, Tulsa, and all of northeast Oklahoma.
