LARCHMONT, N.Y. – Our first fire pit was a simple metal bowl, like a giant wok, perched on a metal stand. We’ve enjoyed many pleasant evenings sitting around a crackling blaze, finding humor in the incongruity of a campfire in the middle of suburbia.

Marshmallows have been roasted, songs sung. The pit becomes evening entertainment, everyone intently watching the dancing flames.

But in the few years since fire pits hit the market, designers have really begun to, well, design them.

Now you can have one built into your dining table. Add a grill and host a teppanyaki (Japanese barbecue) supper. Or you can coordinate the pit with the rest of your backyard decor.

Sleek, powder-coated models are more furniture than utility. And with a variety of flame sources to choose from, you can now place your fire pit just about anywhere, including on small balconies and by swimming pools.

Take, for example, the coffee-table fire pit designed by John Xochihua of Portland, Ore., with a laser-cut, powder-coat steel top that’s sleek and chic.

“Since fire is completely organic, I wanted to bring asymmetry and organic shapes into my design,” he says. “When you combine a fire element and a table, there are many more design considerations. The table becomes interactive, a focal point, a place to gather, much as fire has been for millennia.”

Rick Wittrip of Lebanon, Tenn., has designed the Third Rock fire pit, which has fire emanating from cutouts where the continents would be in a world globe. The piece was featured at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Wittrip says he incorporates his skills as a welder, builder and carpenter but that it’s the artist’s vision leading the way.

“When I’m designing, I keep in mind that the fire pit is all about warmth and companionship,” he says.

Both Wittrip’s and Xochihua’s designs are available at www.homeinfatuation.com.

At www.dancingfire.com, the Fire Dancer fire pit ticks a lot of boxes: Its portability and propane fuel source allow it to be placed anywhere in the yard. You can build it in with rock or brick or keep it transportable. A 20-pound propane bottle keeps the fire going, and a quick turn of the dial shuts everything down.

If you’re installing a gas pit, consider using one with glass rocks; single or multicolored glass looks amazing lit by the flames, and since no carbon is produced by the gas flame, the rocks stay sparkly. Check out www.firepitsglassrocks.com for options.

At www.puremodern.com, there are several fire pits that would suit a contemporary backyard or balcony. German-made Commoto stainless steel fireplace, designed by Carsten Gollnick, is a sleek and functional apparatus.

The Sienna outdoor fireplace includes decorative concrete logs and lava rock but operates on gel fire. One canister lasts for two to three hours.

The Outdoor Fire Bowl also uses Real Flame non-toxic fire gel, which is odorless, and produces no ash or soot – perfect for urban environments or areas where no-fire restrictions may be in place. Put the lid on these pits and you’re done.

That’s the beauty of the gas fire pit, too. Turn off the gas and there’s no messy cleanup, no worrisome lingering embers.

Atwww.firepitsinc.com, you’ll find the elegant, 10-inch Blue Rhino gel fire pit with a bronze finish; place several around a large outdoor area or pool. Dress them up with river rocks, also available from the retailer.

Some prefer the real wood-fire experience, and there are many choices available. A steel or copper basin with a decorative cutout provides some evening entertainment, as the flames silhouette the patterns crafted in the metal. Browse www.myfirepits.com for the Starry Night domed pit, and bowls carved with lattice and leaf designs.