Your patio is an extension of your home, providing a fabulous outdoor living area for you and your family to enjoy. But with such a bewildering range of styles, how can you choose a patio design to suit your taste and budget? Here are eleven suggestions to whet your appetite.
The beauty of cobblestones
Cobblestones might seem at first glance to be a traditional choice, but there are plenty of ways to bring this lovely option bang up to date. Utilising the wonderful range of natural colours allows you to create gorgeous swirling spirals, combining pastel shades and varying texture for a superb finish. Or perhaps try geometric squares surrounded by gravel and dotted with ceramic planters for added interest.
Sizzling mosaics
With echoes of eastern architectural design, the striking symmetry of a tiled courtyard makes a stunning statement. Intricate weaving patterns are surrounded by a quieter tiled border, set with colourful swirls in the patio tables. Large potted trees hint at shade and coolness, and a Byzantine-style fountain makes an eye-catching centrepiece to this amazing design.
Natural stone
Natural stone is hard to beat for its coolness and smooth lines. Tessellated flagstones interlock to create a beautiful but neutral base, allowing attention to be drawn to curving walls. Sweeping raised beds and tastefully outlined planting areas are home to evergreen shrubs for a stylish look that is easy to maintain, and a fire pit gives warmth on chilly evenings.. Natural stepping stones make an innovative touch, and the patio can be sectioned into different areas for versatility.
Japanese-inspired simplicity
Japanese garden design is justly famed the world over, and a patio incorporating the best features of this classic genre is hard to beat. Fusing the traditional elements of paving and water, this clean minimalist design gives you plenty of space for entertaining or relaxing on the deck, set in the context of gently running water. Slab stepping stones overhanging the water courses allow you to explore the area, whilst water lilies and gliding koi carp create an atmosphere of tranquillity at every turn. Simple patio furniture provides the finishing touch.
Nordic timber
Nothing evokes the spirit of the mountains and fjords better than the natural appeal of timber. Innovative use of decking, and making the most of unspoilt colours, a wooden patio design can make your outdoors look amazing. Use different colours to create a superb focal point by incorporating a mandala-style motif, and ring the changes with different levels to make specific areas for eating or relaxing, linked by shallow wooden steps and surrounded by simple fencing. Mirror the beauty of the planking by using wooden furniture with the occasional planter for maximum impact.
Unspoilt natural wood
If you prefer a less formal appearance to your patio, why not consider a more natural design using slices of trunking and branches sunk into sand or bark chippings? The unique size and shape of each individual piece allows to create marvellously free-form design, ideal for limited space or unusual shapes, whilst the multi-coloured rings of each section provide a beautiful effect. Complement this with planting that reflects the glorious diversity of a woodland setting, using mosses and low-growing ground cover.
A hint of Asian beauty
To bring a taste of Asia to your patio, combine the classic elements of Indonesian design using natural materials such as stone and dark wood. A polished stone base is the perfect setting for adding a curving bale-style covering, featuring terracotta tiling and cane roofing. A dark metal pergola is the ideal frame for scrambling climbers to roam, whilst discreet planting areas around the edge soften the straight lines. Rattan furniture complete with plump cushions and a central rug match this look perfectly.
Stylish bi folding patio doors
There are some wonderfully designed doors to adjoin your home to your outside patio area, bi folding doors allow you to create a wide opening in your exterior wall which is useful for social gatherings and letting air circulate your living space. They can come in a variety of finishes and colours built using the materials aluminium clad, oak hardwood, plastic uPVC and sizes can often range from as small as 6ft up to wider than 16ft so with plenty of options, there is often a style that can be found to match your style, taste and budget.
Strikingly modern minimalism
In total contrast, an almost monochrome palette combined with simple modern furniture gives a modern twist to this minimalist design. White floor tiles are picked up in the house décor, featuring white patio doors with clear reflecting glass and wooden cladding. White tables and chairs gives an open feel to this patio. Subtle bamboo planting at the edges allows a little softness to creep in, whilst a single splash of colour merely serves to emphasis the cool simplicity with a touch of 60s chic.
Classical architecture
Reminiscent of classical Greek architecture, a symmetrical design including pillars and pediments is a great choice for those seeking some opulent flair. Sporting 'marble' features including columns flanked by small rooms, wide shallow steps and large flagstones, this lavish design speaks of luxury and sophistication. A central patio area housing comfortable furniture is backed by classic trellis for climbing plants, whilst the steps lead naturally to the pool. Planters housing topiary and Mediterranean plants add further appeal.
Vintage Shaker style
Perfect for tiny areas, especially nestled next to your house, a Shaker-style patio brings a spirit of homeliness and vintage nostalgia. Bleached or stained decking brings authenticity to the setting, and the addition of white balustrades and timber roofing emphasise the stateside ambience. Shaker-style accessories such as cane furniture and patchwork soft furnishings and rugs using a vintage colour palette make this a lovely option for those who like period charm.
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