FIRESIDE GATHERINGS MOVE TO THE BACKYARD

That's right. It's the latest trend in backyard landscaping: the outdoor fireplace. And we don't just mean a wood-burning pit in the ground. The Weintraubs of Bath, Ohio, recently spent $60,000 on a gas-burning outdoor fireplace that stands 16 feet tall and features a built-in stereo system.

Backyard fireplaces are springing up in the backyards of a growing number of homeowners who have the means to afford their rising price tags. Interestingly enough, the demand for backyard fireplaces seems strongest in the Northern and mid-Western states in which the winters are just too cold to even stay outside and enjoy the fire.

Theories vary as to why this trend has taken off: Jim Weidner of Weidner Group Landscaping thinks that with the real estate market slowing, home owners are deciding to stick around and invest in their homes. Others postulate that multiple electronic "entertainment options," such as iPods, TVs, TiVo, computers and video games, leave little room for quality family time. The fireplace provides a peaceful gathering place to reconnect.

Of course, there's always the idea that these tall-standing, high-priced fireplaces can serve as a conspicuous status symbol.

In any case, a lot of people just want to "enjoy a fire."

To read Christopher Maag's article in its entirety, go to Family Hearth Moves to the Backyard