Patio Ideas For A Beautiful Outdoor Area

Having a beautiful patio that you can enjoy in the warm weather is a great way to extend the living space of your home. But a patio should be much more than just a slab of concrete - here are some great patio ideas that might help you create a wonderful outdoor living space which might have you finding yourself spending more time outdoors than in!

Patio Style

When you are designing your patio, you should keep your overall house style in mind. You want the patio to be in keeping with the era and design of the home. If you have an older home, a more formal style might be a good idea. If you have a modern home, then reflect that modern sleek style in your patio design and accessories. The patio is really an extension of your house so stick to the style that you have indoors.

Patio Accessories

There are many different types of patios from just an eating area with tables and chairs to a full outdoor kitchen with a bar, fireplace and seating area. Which of these patio ideas is right for you? You’ll have to keep space and budget in mind for this one. Some things to think about including in your patio are a fire pit, seating, cooking area, hot tub, fountain, lighting and an outdoor bar.

Patio Furniture

The style of your patio will dictate the type of furniture you buy but you can go for anything from white plastic to stained redwood. Remember that you do get what you pay for and spending a little more on better quality furniture can pay off in the long run. Be sure to get cushions that are weather proof and pieces that are easy to clean as outdoor furniture does get dirty fairly quickly.

Plants

An outdoor area needs lots of lush plants and the patio is just the place to have them. Of course, you can plant flowers, grasses and trees right in the ground, but you can also have great potted plants in containers that you can decorate your patio with. Don’t be afraid to get larger planters in different heights and group them together for a full effect. When grouping containers, always group odd numbers together - this will be more aesthetically pleasing so use sets of 3 or 5 as opposed to 4.

Patio Surface

Of course, the most important aspect of your patio is the surface and this is something you should choose before anything else. Again, you want to keep it in a matching style to your home so if you have a more formal or brick face home then brick might be a good choice. A Mediterranean style home might look great with a concrete patio. You can also use different style pavers, flagstone, sandstone or even marble. When choosing a material for your patio consider the durability and easy of cleaning as well as installation.

Coming up with great patio ideas is as easy as going down to your local home improvement store and looking at the selection of patio blocks, pavers, furniture and accessories. Then you can put together your own unique style of patio for years of outdoor enjoyment.