Wood hearth design for outdoors

[mass_burner]

I'm looking for design ideas for an outdoor hearth. I'm planning something more functional/comfortable than just standing around a round fire pit.

Requirements:

1. Must warm at least 4 people sitting in a semi/half circle.
2. Must be vented so no smoke in the face.
3. Modern style, blue stone, concrete, etc.

I'm not ruling out electric blowers as I am pretty close to an electric source.

 

[sean b]

I'm also thinking about building something similar to what you describe. I currently have a burn pit at the far end of the yard (the better part of 100 yards away) but it'd be nice to have an outdoor fireplace and small seating area closer to the house.

Here's the existing one.

 

[Poindexter]

It doesn't meet your bluestone/concrete requirement exactly, you might google up "pocket rocket stove" made out of a metal six gallon lidded bucket with some stove pipe on it. I also saw a "cinder block rocket stove" on youtube a few hours ago.

Next time I am at Home Depot I am going to get the one cinder block I don't have to put a cinder block rocket stove next to my splitter. I'll just feed it scraps while I am out there working.

To meet your design of keeping people warmish I think the main thing to do is going to be to elevate the hearth. Don't build a wall around the fire. Build a knee high platform and then put a flat hearth up top, with some kind of arches supporting a short chimney.

M2c anyway.