They Built an Outdoor Fireplace From Massive Granite Slabs Pulled From an Abandoned Quarry
Massive granite slabs weathered by years in an abandoned Connecticut quarry became the starting point for this double-sided outdoor fireplace. Some pieces stand taller than the people who installed them, while one broad slab spans the firebox and other oversized pieces form the sides, base, and top of the structure.
Instagram landscape designer @birchgrovect sourced the reclaimed granite from an abandoned section of a quarry and paired it with fieldstone selected piece by piece for the gaps between the slabs. The finished fireplace stands between two patio areas with an open firebox that allows the fire to be seen from either side.
Massive Granite Slabs Established the Fireplace Structure
An excavator lifts one of the tall granite slabs into position while another upright piece stands beside the house. Rather than cutting smaller masonry units into a conventional rectangular enclosure, the build uses the scale and irregular edges of the reclaimed stone as part of the structure.
Several of these pieces stand taller than the workers installing them, so their size remains visible even after smaller fieldstones fill the spaces between them. The large slabs also establish a gray outer frame that contrasts with the tan and brown stone used across the center.
Upright Stones Created the Outer Frame
With more pieces set in place, the fireplace starts to read as a freestanding structure rather than a stone wall added along the edge of the patio. Tall granite slabs mark both ends, while additional vertical stones begin defining the central firebox.
A long stone laid across the ground in front introduces another oversized element before the smaller fieldstone work begins. Keeping these large pieces intact preserves the quarry marks, rough edges, and changes in surface texture that would disappear if the granite were cut into uniform blocks.
Small Fieldstones Filled Gaps Between Massive Pieces
Smaller fieldstones filled the spaces between the large granite slabs, with thin stone fragments fitted into gaps where full pieces would not fit. The masons worked around the uneven slab edges rather than cutting the granite into straight lines.
Each fieldstone was hand-selected for its shape and size, including the small pieces used around the joints. This allowed the reclaimed granite slabs to remain intact as the masonry rose around them.
Giant Granite Piece Became the Fireplace Lintel
Two upright granite slabs form the sides of the firebox, with another massive piece spanning the opening. The masons set the stones in place without cutting away the uneven edges that came from the quarry.
Smaller fieldstones were then built around the three granite pieces, filling the wall while leaving the oversized firebox surround exposed.
Niches Were Built Into the Fieldstone Wall
One recessed opening holds a cylindrical object above a thin stone shelf, while another niche below accommodates a trailing plant. Flat stone pieces form the bases, with rounded fieldstone fitted around each opening.
These small recesses break up a broad section of masonry without adding another material. Plants bring foliage directly onto the fireplace wall, while the shelves remain part of the stonework rather than relying on attached wood or metal components.
Fieldstone Was Fitted Against Each Granite Edge
Close inspection shows how smaller rocks meet the irregular edges of the granite uprights. No straight seam separates the two stone types; rounded fieldstones, thin wedges, and small filler pieces occupy the changing space along the slab.
The builder selected pieces down to the small pebbles based on their shapes and sizes. That approach allowed the fieldstone sections to follow the granite instead of requiring the granite to conform to a predetermined masonry pattern.
Double-Sided Firebox Connects Two Patio Areas
Once the stonework and patio were in place, the fireplace became a divider between a dining area and another section of the outdoor space. The firebox remains open through the structure, so the flame can be viewed from either side rather than facing a single seating arrangement.
A large dining table occupies one side, with the fireplace standing beyond it as a freestanding feature instead of sitting against the house. The opening also preserves a sightline through the structure, preventing the thick stone wall from closing off one patio from the other.
Oversized Stone Extends Into the Patio
A broad granite slab projects from the base of the fireplace and creates a raised ledge beside the patio. At the corner, another large stone meets the planting bed and the steps leading to the upper section of the yard.
Large paving slabs were installed around the fireplace, leaving pockets of soil beside the stonework for plants. The oversized granite pieces continue past the firebox instead of ending at the face of the fireplace.
Fireplace Anchors a Larger Outdoor Gathering Area
From farther back, the fireplace occupies one end of a broad paved gathering space bordered by planting beds, mature trees, stone walls, and a hot tub. Adirondack chairs face the fire from this side, creating a separate seating area from the dining setup visible through the opening.
The freestanding position gives both faces of the fireplace a purpose and allows circulation around its ends. Instead of consuming an exterior wall of the house, the stone structure helps organize an open patio into distinct places for dining, sitting, and gathering around the fire.
Granite Surround Frames a View Through the Firebox
Viewed straight through the opening, the scale of the granite surround becomes clear. Two tall stone jambs support the broad irregular lintel, while the dining table and chairs remain visible on the opposite patio.
Brick lines the lower firebox and a metal grate holds the logs away from the stone floor. The fire sits within a heavy natural-stone enclosure, yet the open rear keeps both sides connected when the fireplace is not in use.
Reclaimed Granite Defines Both Faces
The opposite face repeats the large opening without turning the entire fireplace into a symmetrical block. Massive side slabs lean and taper according to their original shapes, while fieldstone adjusts around them and long granite pieces cap the wall.
A broad slab across the foreground forms the base in front of the firebox, extending the reclaimed stone beyond the vertical wall. The result keeps the largest pieces visible from top to bottom rather than hiding them beneath a uniform stone facing.
Finished Fireplace Keeps Every Stone Distinct
From the finished side, the fireplace stands between the house and garden with enough space around it for people to move from one patio area to the other. The broad granite base extends into the paving, while planted beds meet both ends of the structure.
The open firebox gives the dining area on the opposite side a direct view through the stone wall. Instead of placing the fireplace along the patio perimeter, the project uses it as a freestanding divider between two outdoor gathering spaces.
Would you use a double-sided fireplace to divide an outdoor space like this?
Image credits go to Instagram creator: @birchgrovect