Great advice about spacing—I learned that the hard way, too. A client of mine wanted a cozy, intimate seating arrangement around their fire pit, but after the first night they realized it felt more like sitting next to an oven! We ended up rearranging things and added a bit more distance. It made all the difference.
Another tip I'd throw in: think about wind direction. If you can position your seating so smoke doesn't blow directly into everyone's faces, it'll make evenings around the fire way more enjoyable. I usually recommend clients spend a few evenings outside first, noticing how the wind typically moves through their space before finalizing furniture placement.
Sounds like you've already got a great handle on things though—your paver choice was spot-on for safety and comfort. Enjoy your new space...nothing beats relaxing by a well-designed fire pit.
Totally agree about the wind thing—wish I'd thought of that before we set ours up. First few nights, everyone was playing musical chairs trying to dodge smoke, lol. Also learned the hard way about spacing...we started too close, thinking it'd be cozy, but ended up roasting ourselves. Rearranged with a bit more breathing room and it's way better now. Good call on the pavers too; we went budget-friendly gravel, works fine but pavers would've been nicer underfoot for sure.
Gravel's actually a solid choice environmentally—better drainage, less runoff issues. Pavers look nice, sure, but they're resource-heavy and can trap heat. I'd stick with gravel and maybe toss down a few stepping stones if comfort's an issue.
Gravel definitely has its perks, but I've seen sparks jump onto gravel and linger a bit longer than I'd like. Ever thought about mixing in some sand or crushed stone around the pit itself to boost safety without losing drainage?
Yeah, mixing in sand or crushed stone is a solid idea. I built a pit last summer and noticed gravel alone can trap embers longer than you'd expect... added a ring of crushed stone around it, and sparks fizzled out way quicker. Worth the extra step for peace of mind.
