Patio Designs | Patio Ideas

Patio designs involve many different elements to think about. You want one that really stands out as something special, right?!

There are lots of topics here to help you create a patio that you love. Many ideas have been used on projects I designed so I had the opportunity to see how they turned out and are recommending them to you.

Patio Designs and Ideas

Here is an example of a nicely designed patio where the entrance to the house was above the grade.

Patio designs can be different shapes, sizes and paving materials.

Patio designs can be different shapes, sizes and paving materials.

Notice the landing. Or, perhaps you didn't, since it blends in nicely with the design. Beautiful stone is used along with planters instead of a railing.

For more professional tips and help consider my ebook Patio Plans For Inspiration where I provide my actual designs (many in 3D) and much valuable information.

Backyard Patio Designs Shapes and Sizes

Pictures of patio designs made of pavers.

A patio can be curved, straight or a combination of both. Many people love curves! Decide what type of furniture you would like and how many pieces...even the sizes...before you decide on your patio size.

A patio a little bit larger will not make that much different in the cost. It is the different paving costs that will.

A patio should be a minimum of 15 feet wide to accommodate a dining table. The space needed for lounges is 10 feet. These are minimums. You can always go larger.

More Resources
Patio Ideas
Patio Pictures
Raised Patios
Landscape Steps

Outdoor Patio Designs and Seat Walls

An interesting feature to add is a seat wall. Seat walls are both functional and artistic, adding an architectural element to patio designs. What are the pros of seat walls? More seating, beautiful elements, and great chatting areas are just a few. To find out more, see my page on seat walls.

Please visit my page on stone garden walls also for more information on using stone for seat walls.

As you can see, planters were placed on top of the wall which adds extra height, texture and color.

The stone used for this wall compliments the smooth texture and simple color of the bluestone patio. If a paving material such as concrete pavers in a blend color were used, it's possible that the design would have looked too busy...but here it just looks great.

Patio Shade

1. You might consider using outdoor awnings, which will create instant shade and protect you from the rain. How does 20 degrees cooler sound?!

2. Include an outdoor pergola. A garden pergola can add a beautiful architectural feature and focal point to your landscape design. It can also create a shady, outdoor room. (See photo below).

3. Use large shade trees. If you buy them very large, you will have some shade and the cost will still be less than a pergola or awning. Complete shade will come in time, but sooner than you think.

Patio Walls

Raised terraces help provide a gradual transition to ground level when there is a significant change A 3D design of a raised patio.

in elevation from the house to existing grade. These elevated patios have patio walls and usually steps.

The height of the raised patio brings me to the concern for safety. If it's too high, it could be dangerous.

Railings are an option, but they form a visual barrier and take away from that open feeling.

Design landscape steps off the patio to be at least 4' wide. The wider they are, the more dramatic!

Patio Materials

There are so many paving materials to choose from. The main choices for patio designs are concrete, stamped concrete, concrete pavers, brick, travertine (yes!), bluestone and other natural stones. They all have advantages, but I do like some more than others.

Ok, if you really want to know which is my favorite...it would be a bluestone patio!

Concrete is the least expensive paving material for a patio and it has a bad name. This is too bad, because there are outstanding projects (some quite high end!) done with this hardscape choice.

This concrete patio has been colored and scored.

Instead of just letting the mason pour a plain old gray colored patio, you can do the following to make it very eye-catching.

Note: There is the possibility of concrete cracking, particularly if you live in a cold climate. I live in NJ and have seen plenty of problems with concrete.

Let's assume you have selected a natural design that looks like stone. Concrete needs construction joints to help prevent cracking. These construction joints are long lines that run through the concrete.

I don't like the straight lines running through a natural stone look. (However, if you choose a geometric pattern, there is less chance of the design being compromised.)

Take a look at my page on stamped concrete driveways to see some attractive designs.

Concrete pavers are a man made product, produced from concrete. There are many colors and patterns available today for exciting ideas. Tumbled pavers are very popular and give a stone-like appearance.

Paver Patios - pictures, comments and ideas
Patio Paver Extras - see what you can do for that WOW factor
Pavers - paver colors, patterns, shapes, etc.
Contractors - how to hire a contractor!
Paver Suppliers - recommended companies and specific pavers
Building a Patio - learn how to install pavers (with a helpful picture)

Travertine Pavers

What an absolutely gorgeous material to use for patio designs! Although I love bluestone, travertine has to be a close runner up. It is a bit more foraml looking and therefore not quite as versatile as bluestone. But if it fits in your landscape, wow, what a look!

Travertine pavers are a natural stone material. These stone pavers are cut to specific sizes. They come in many different beautiful colors and patterns.

The wonderful thing about travertine pavers is that they are cool to the touch and therefore they are a great choice for pool paving. They are dry laid which makes for an easy installation. They resist freeze-thaw conditions too. This is such a wonderful paving material.

Also, visit my page, with pictures,on Other Natural Stone you can use such as Idaho Quartz, Crab Orchard stone and Arizona flagstone.

I am partial to bluestone patios! Bluestone is a natural material and will always have character. There are various shapes that you can use along with different color ranges, such as full range (mixed shades of blues) or all blue (all the same blue color).

Bluestone Patios - photos of different blue stone patios (designs, straight, natural, dry laid, wet laid)
Bluestone - some must know information
Bluestone Steps - see some projects I designed using different types of bluestone steps...get ideas.

Landscaping Brick

I appreciate landscaping brick for the fact that it is a natural material like travertine and bluestone. It is made from clay and then fired in a kiln. (Tumbled pavers are made from concrete.)

Depending on the specific clay used, different colored brick will be produced. When looking at brick, you may also notice that there are different finishes also. Some brick pavers are very smooth, while others have a more textured appearance.

Brick manufacturers have numerous ways of producing these various effects. In addition, you can even buy old brick. Today there are bricks available that are extremely strong and will have great longevity.

One style I have used and like is Pine Hall Brick - Rumbled Free Range. It has an old look and pretty color ranges.

Landscaping brick for patio designs can be either dry laid or wet laid. I have written more about specific brick patterns and also shown some brick patio photos for ideas.

Patio designs in brick look nice with a herringbone pattern.

Patio designs in brick look nice with a herringbone pattern.

Brick Patio Designs and Walkway

The above photograph shows a brick walkway design in a herringbone pattern leading to a small patio landing.

I also let you know what is exactly included...how and why I did it...such as steps, seat walls, pergolas, etc.

There are wonderful features that can be added to patio designs to make them interesting.

For some great information on backyard landscaping, please visit Backyard Landscaping Ideas.

**Scroll down to see other visitors' questions and answers!

Questions About Patio Design or Materials?

Do you have a question about your patio design or a situation that you would like some help with? Whether it be confusion on pavers, bluestone, concrete, other materials or if you just need general guidance, just ask me! I only ask that questions be design related...thanks!

I decided to create this section due to the many questions people have regarding patio designs and materials.

The idea is - Ask one, or Answer one!

You may ask a question yourself, comment on or answer questions of others, and rate comments too. All helpful comments will be greatly appreciated!

Patio Designs - Tips For Creative Patios