• You may be able to make a simple stone fire pit using materials in your yard.camping fire image by sumos from Fotolia.com
  
  While an outdoor fireplace may provide a certain degree of luxury and elegance, as its walls surround a burning fire on all sides, the open design of a stone fire pit allows people to gather around the flames more comfortably and more intimately. In addition, the perimeter of a fire pit is a prime location for roasting marshmallows, telling ghost stories and warming up on a cold evening.
  
  

Simplistic

• According to the fire pit resource website, the Firepit and Grilling Guru, you can build an inexpensive, utilitarian fire pit by simply digging a depression in a patch of gravel or dirt in your yard and surrounding it with large stones. Just position your pit away from flammable materials, such as dry grasses and dead leaves. While you could purchase the stones for your fire pit from a local quarry or mason, an even cheaper option is to dig up and gather together stones from your property.
  
  

Round

• If you want a more permanent, streamlined structure, consider building a rounded pit using stone blocks and mortar. As the home improvement website This Old House recommends, instead of using natural stone blocks, try using cast concrete blocks, which manufacturers mold to resemble the real thing. To ensure that these blocks join together securely while curving around the pit's perimeter, use blocks that have curved sides. An alternative idea for constructing a round fire pit is to use bricks or cinder blocks for the main structure and then covering the outside surfaces with a stone veneer. According to This Old House, the ideal size for a round fire pit's diameter is between 36 and 44 inches.
  
  

Linear

• The paving resource website Concrete Network recommends using linear stone fire pit designs for more structured and formal gardens and outdoor spaces. A square stone fire pit is one linear option that can help contribute to a classy outdoor decor. Keep in mind that square fire pits are not ideal for sitting around. Another idea is to set up a long, trough-like rectangular stone fire pit, which you could position across from a water feature or seating structure.
  
  

Metal Grates and Rings

• To transform your stone fire pit into an outdoor grill for barbecuing, lay a metal grilling grate across its top. To protect the ground underneath and to allow air to flow underneath the materials you are burning, consider laying down a metal ring at the bottom of the pit. According to This Old House, these rings can help protect the stone blocks comprising the pit from drying out and deteriorating.