Saturday, February 25, 2012

Outdoor Fireplace Concept

Fireplace Season is in and we are doing some really neat concept drawings right now.

A little history of fireplaces for you:

Ancient fire pits were sometimes built in the ground, within caves, or in the center of a hut or dwelling. Evidence of prehistoric, man-made fires exists on all five continents. Chimneys, invented much later, partially fixed this problem, venting smoke outside.
In 1678 Prince Rupert, nephew of Charles I, raised the grate of the fireplace, improving the airflow and venting system. The 18th century saw two important developments in the history of fireplaces. Ben Franklin developed a convection chamber for the fireplace that greatly improved the efficiency of fireplaces and wood stoves. He also improved the airflow by pulling air from a basement and venting out a longer area at the top. In the later 18th century, Count Rumford designed a fireplace with a tall, shallow firebox that was better at drawing the smoke up and out of the building. The shallow design also improved greatly the amount of radiant heat projected into the room. Rumford's design is the foundation for modern fireplaces.

Fireplaces can range in size and shape, but can really add to your backyard for a variety of reasons.

This is a concept that I think really pops!

Full View

Side Angle

Friday, February 10, 2012

Come see us and THIS at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show!

We are gearing up here at Family Leisure!  We try and bring our customers only the best in Outdoor Living and here is a sneak peak at what we are unveiling at the Indiana Flower and Patio Show which runs March 10-17 at the Indiana State Fair grounds.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Infrared vs Charcoal?

Well we searched high and low and found a new grill technology that offers the kind of customer service you want as a consumer as well as the kind of product.  New to the market, but I think an immediate competitor is the Saber Grill Line.

You can view all of their products in depth here http://www.familyleisure.com/Grills/Saber-Grills

and as of right now you can purchase it either at the store or online here www.familyleisure.com

I have personally checked it out and I must say its a totally different way to grill out, but I like it!  The flavor grids get hot FAST and it all based upon indirect heat so there are absolutely no flare ups. 

Food critic Bobby Flay explains it well here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfeNj1KDfpQ

You can do them in either cart for or built in for your outdoor kitchen. 

Coming to a backyard near you!