Warm and comfy over the winter months

It's not often in the Far North that you think about outdoor fires.
I could pretend that it's too warm to bother but, the truth is, it's often bucketing down and, even if you have a covered outdoor area, the intensity of the rain is such that you're going to get splattered wherever you sit, so being outside isn't all that appealing.
But I was seriously tempted the other day when I came across a very large, very solid, very old-fashioned pot belly in a Kaitaia demolition yard.
I thought it would look fabulous as a focal point in our courtyard, even if we never lit it and the $160 asking price wasn't nearly as scary as just about every other outdoor fire I have ever seen.
I didn't buy it because we are still in the throes of the kitchen renovation, so now I'll have to save up for my next favourite option, which is a completely moveable, stainless steel model which you can wheel all over the property, depending on where you want to sit.
Being able to say to guests: "Hey, it's too windy out here, let's take the fire round to the other deck," strikes a real chord with me, although the price tag is a little more than the demolition yard pot belly.
Then again, it's easy to assemble, easy to disassemble, easy to move (caster wheels and brakes), and comes with a stainless steel flue, and a guarantee that it won't set your deck on fire.
If you live somewhere that has proper winters, you have the perfect excuse for a proper, built-in, permanent outdoor fire.
You can hire someone to build you something from scratch, which means you can have some input into the aesthetics while taking advantage of someone else's expertise when it comes to the technical elements of the design.
This means there'll be somewhere for you, your friends, your dog and your cat to sit, it'll face the way you want it to face, it'll warm as many or as few people you're likely to be entertaining at once, and the smoke will go up the chimney and not into the faces of your guests.
Speedier is the pre-cast option - simply rock on down to the masonry experts and choose from a range of styles and sizes, already tried and true. There's a choice of colours and finishes, and installation is quick and (they say), easy. Built-in options, whether made-to-measure or pre-cast, may, however, require building consent, so be prepared for the additional cost and time of that.
A really nice alternative is a fire pit table - essentially a fair-sized table with a fire pit inset into it.
It works with a dining table or a coffee table, and has the advantage of allowing everyone to sit the same distance from the flames. These pits, which are generally set into a concrete top, can be wood or gas fired, and they're real works of art.
Chimeneas are also functional art pieces that look almost as appealing when they're not in use as when they're blazing. Historically, they are handcrafted from clay and now cast iron is also used.
At the other end of the spectrum are the super-modern, flueless gas fires which are as slick and stylish as your indoor fire. Instant ambience and heat, and no chopping logs, hunting for matches or cleaning up.
Check out the internet - if it's awhile since you looked at outdoor fireplace options, you'll be surprised at what you can have - and how quickly.