A captivating patio design injects modern homes with a unique sense of serenity. It’s also a great way to make nature a major part of your home’s aesthetic.
The versatility of a patio allows you to choose from all kinds of materials, like pavers, tile, brick, concrete, or gravel. You can also play with shapes by altering the direction of bricks or pavers or by mixing materials.
To get a closer look at these glorious spaces, we have compiled a collection of impressive designs you can incorporate into your backyard.
10 Patio Ideas for a Beautiful Backyard
If you want to build a patio in your outdoor space, there are certain design considerations worth noting:
| Shapes | What shapes do you want your patio to focus on: ovals, squares, rectangles? |
| Space | How much space do you have? This will determine the size of your patio. |
| Grading | Grading refers to soil redistribution to achieve an even, flat patio base. |
| Privacy | Setting up enclosures and walls can turn your patio into a private outdoor room. |
| Levels | If your outdoor space has uneven levels or slopes, multi-dimensional surfaces can fit in just right. |
1. Dine Al Fresco
Eating outside is half the fun when entertaining guests during the summer. An outdoor kitchen definitely makes your work easier and more enjoyable.
Before you settle on a layout plan for your outdoor dining, think about convenience. Take the electricity and plumbing lines into consideration to enhance practicality.
Your outdoor dining area can also work as a bar if paired up with the right furniture. A prep counter and modern bar stools will do the trick.
Wine and dine in your patio area to take full advantage of the warm weather.
2. Light Up Your Patio
When it comes to patio design, visions of lighting are never far behind. It may seem cliche, but the way you choose to light up your patio can make all the difference. There are loads of fun and simple lighting options, from twinkle lights to mason jars.
Use your vertical garden to liven up the privacy fence with string lights. Arrange your lights to meet at a center fixture and create a beautiful focal point for your patio. Lights can also be added above a swing or hammock to create a picturesque backyard.
3. Stay Warm and Cozy by the Patio Fire Pit
Even glorious summer days can give way to chilly nights. If you want to entertain guests during cool evenings, add an outdoor fire pit to your backyard.
A fire pit transforms your backyard into a multi-season space and adds a focal point to your design.
Fire pits can fit in with almost every type of outdoor living area, no matter the size or aesthetic. This makes it a simple yet exciting choice for many people.
4. Introduce Twin Patios
If your home has enough space, why stop at just one patio? This large garden by Clements Design has enough space for multiple patio ideas.
You can have it all: an alfresco dining area, a sociable lounge, and a few decks on the sides. All these elements are connected by modern stepping stone slabs.
You can use various materials to demarcate the two patio areas such as gardening containers, garden urns, fountains, or spiral herb gardens.
After all, twinning is winning.
5. Inject a Bohemian Twist
A covered patio can feature many hanging accessories, from lights to plants.
The design in this photo features a whimsical hanging swing seat. The stunning flooring is a geometric tile in a blue colorway, providing a warm contrast to the orange cushions.
The black fence provides flair around the seating, while still managing not to draw attention away from the other elements. The outdoor furniture makes the patio look simultaneously traditional, modern, and eclectic.
If you have a small patio and a bohemian proclivity, this design is for you. This 17th-floor terrace in New York’s W hotel was designed by the Laurel & Wolf studio.
This design has mismatched scatter cushions and throw rugs that brighten neutral outdoor furniture. There are colorful pop art pieces with quirky lanterns to make the ensemble feel complete and cozy.
The key to bohemian decor is allowing a lot of different colors and textures to monopolize the space.
6. Add a Hot Tub or Corner Fountain
These features both make great patio additions as long as you have space. Combined, they create an extravagant look in your backyard. Luckily, they also function as statement pieces on their own.
This hot tub patio uses two exquisite tile patterns to pop against the blue concrete walls. The tile color also complements the blue wall and the light blue pillows on the chaise.
Fountains provide a relaxing ambiance and a charming aesthetic to any outdoor space. You can choose from a wide variety of materials, styles, and shapes for your fountain.
Whether you are on the hunt for something classical, custom, or contemporary, you can get the perfect fountain to suit your taste. If you have a small space, don’t worry; just opt for a tiny (read: adorable) fountain!
7. Include a Privacy Wall With Plants
Plants can be used to create a privacy screen. A raised patio that is used often, especially for dining, requires some privacy. A low wall can enclose the patio, giving the impression of an outdoor room.
A low wall creates a physical barrier that can also serve a few purposes. Pillows can be placed against the wall for extra seating space. Lanterns or candles can be added to create the perfect evening ambiance.
Plants in containers can be put on top of the low wall to create a barrier and keep out noise. Examples of plants that get the job done are morning glory, honeysuckle, or clematis. They can also be grown from the ground up or on a patio wall planter.
Plants help add color, beauty, and fragrance to your home. They can also blend well with your patio furniture.
8. Choose Minimalist Patio Furniture
Make your minimalist patio garden with a concrete or paver patio design that is pale in tone. You can add plants to mark the border of your patio.
To create the final touch, add low level or low key garden furniture. For the best patio design, ideas should focus on one central piece. In this case, the furniture aims to blend in with the landscape and not draw too much attention to itself.
This seamless blend of tones makes a minimalist patio visually appealing.
9. Dine Under a Pergola
Your outdoor patio can provide relief from sun rays and allow a cooling breeze to pass through. A lush pergola or trellis provides a great view of a gleaming skyline, sparkling pool, or blooming garden.
A pergola has the power to make a home feel more intimate while creating passageways. Landscape designer Louis Benech put this into practice by balancing the property with a variety of plants that bloom all year round. He incorporated summer roses and spring tulips to grow along the poles.
The grapevines at the top of the pergola provide shade to the purple Jackmanii Superba clematis and red Madame Isaac Pereire roses.
The plants are spaced well enough to provide just the right amount of light. The arch up ahead is covered with more Madame Isaac Pereire and Multijuga wisteria.
10. Plant an All-Inclusive Garden
A backyard patio design can be quite limiting to wheelchair users. If it’s not the stairs, it’s the gravel. Well, not anymore. Laramee Haynes’ design was featured at the L.A Garden Show and is brilliant on many different levels.
First, planters are placed on raised surfaces that are high enough for gardeners in wheelchairs to work on. The planter boxes are placed on a truck axle that rotates like a lazy susan.
The patio garden and planting beds are arranged in the paved round. Once the planters are placed on the truck axle, it is easy to wheel from one area to another.
This also gives the gardener a complete view of the other planting beds. This patio idea is inviting and allows everyone to engage and interact.
Want More Backyard Ideas?
If patios get you going, perhaps you’d like to explore other backyard topics. Gardening Channel has a vast range of articles on all things gardening and design. Become an expert and transform your green space into the haven of your dreams.
Check out our other articles including:
- 5 Stylish Backyard Gazebo Plans
- Backyard Landscaping for Beginners
- The 5 Best Tips to Raising Backyard Chickens
- 5 Plants You Absolutely Have to Include When Designing Captivating Backyard Ideas
Your backyard is a haven full of possibilities. All you need is sound advice to transform it to your liking.
Photo from: Unsplash by Randy Fath
Your example of an outdoor kitchen that has a place where people can dine al fresco really caught my attention. Family dinners are one of our biggest past-times, and we were looking for ways to add some variety to them this year. We’ve never tried dining outside yet since we don’t have a space fit for it, so if I can find a concrete contractor that can help me turn my yard into a patio kitchen I’ll definitely give it a shot.