One of the most fun areas of the home to design is the patio. While a kitchen still needs to function as a kitchen, and a living room still needs a couch and a tv, a patio is an open space that you can really let your design flair run wild on. There are no set rules and you can do whatever you want to make it an incredibly attractive part of the house. Here we offer some ideas to get you started.
Red Brick
Red brick is beautiful wherever it is used. If you ever enter a cafe and see some red brick in the wall you know you are about to have a nice brunch. While your house may not be made of red brick, there is no reason why you can’t use it in your patio setting. Bricks are highly durable so really suited to the outdoor setting of a patio. You could use bricks to form a pattern, a surrounding of the patio, or build a permanent barbeque feature. The options are endless (maybe not endless but you can definitely think of a few more).
Stone
Stone always looks great in a patio as it has a natural aesthetic to it that never fails to impress. The worst part about using stones is the price. This may put off a lot of people from using them but instead of ruling them out completely, you could use them in a small area instead.
Levels
If you have a number of ideas for your patio you may feel that is will look a bit strange. Having a seating area, beside the table, beside the barbeque can look too packed. A great way to avoid this is to introduce levels to your patio. You could build a deck on one half that has a table and chairs for eating at while on the lower stone level you could have some large lounge chairs for relaxing on. You could even build a small third section with a barbeque for cooking on.
Art
It doesn’t have to be as simple as choosing what brick surface you want. You could really use an artistic edge to give your patio a unique look. Instead of stone, you could use mosaic tiles to represent your favorite artwork. You could incorporate some pieces of furniture or ornaments that embody the places you have been and the life that you have lived.
Plants
Plants are an incredibly useful design tool. While we all want plants in our patio or garden because they are beautiful they are also very practical. A large plant can come at a small cost but act as a natural divide between two parts of your outside. Imagine if you wanted a gazebo in your home but the price made it impossible. You could create a natural surround to perform a similar role using some plants and trees. You could build a wooden archway that leads to your patio and surround it with roses. Things like this are particularly great because they only get better with time.
The key to designing a great patio is to take inspiration from the beautiful patios that you see in movies, magazines, and in other homes. Yet try not to copy them exactly. Old designs get tired quickly and by adding your own unique elements it will ensure that the patio remains a testament to you and your home for years to come. First, decide what kind of space you want the patio to be. Is it somewhere to relax and unwind, somewhere to eat, somewhere to read, or all of the above. Once you know this, the rest will slowly fall into place.