Imagine sitting outside on a balmy weekend afternoon, sipping on a Shirley Temple while chatting with your best girlfriends. Is the sun too bright? You simply unroll your outdoor blinds. Meanwhile, your children are playing and having fun in the pool. Your and your friends’ husbands are shooting the breeze while they flip burgers and cook steak on the grill.

It’s a nice thought and picture, isn’t it? That’s why you have decided it’s time to finally build that patio in the backyard. Now, you can spend time creating the patio design of your dreams. Let the fun begin! 

If you need help figuring out where to start, read on for five patio types and design ideas you can try. 

  1. A Split-Level Patio

If you have a natural slope in your back garden, you can opt for a split-level patio. This is an excellent idea, especially if you want to add a unique backyard feature to your home.

Having two or more levels is a surefire way to create a more contemporary outdoor area. It’s also a convenient way to divide your space into different sections. You can put your outdoor dining area on one level and a lounge on another.

  1. A Square Patio

The square patio is the most common type, as it is the most cost-effective design. Square patios are especially great when you have a limited space.

This shape is particularly suitable if you want a patio you can use for entertaining. If you need an efficient solution for concrete pouring, you can also arrange a consultation with a concrete pump hire service firm.

  1. A Stone Patio 

Some homeowners don’t want to go with a typical concrete patio, no matter the shape. Concrete simply does not appeal to them, so they want a different material.

A stone patio is an excellent alternative if you’re one of these homeowners. Stone patio materials include slate, quartzite, bluestone, limestone, and flagstone.

Natural stone needs to be quarried. As such, it is a lot more expensive than concrete. Its high cost aside, stone makes for a beautiful patio material. It can help you create a magical outdoor oasis.

  1. A Free-Form Patio 

A free-form patio is a good option for creative homeowners who need something different. This is particularly recommended if you have an irregularly shaped lot.

Free-form patios are typically asymmetrical and are suitable for unique or original garden design ideas. Give your patio any shape you want. It can have sweeping curves or sharp angles. It can be longer on one side and shorter on another. Let your imagination run.

A free-form patio allows you to design your patio according to more specific needs and tastes. Maybe you want to include a fire pit at one end and a pool at the other end. You can give one section a mosaic floor and turn another into a green area with live plants and flowers. You can also build an outdoor kitchen and bar. A free-form patio is the most flexible type, allowing you to design your patio any way you want.

  1. A Mixed-Design Patio 

If you like the sound of all these designs or want a hybrid of a couple of styles, then a mixed-design patio may be the one for you.

You can have a square patio with a marquee at the heart of your backyard. On one side, attached to your home, you can build a circular mosaic patio. Alternatively, you can install a brick-work perimeter around a split-level patio made of concrete slabs. There’s no limit to the creative possibilities!

Patio Design Ideas and Tips

After you have decided on a patio type to install, you must plan and design your patio space. Check out these tips for patio design ideas:

  1. Shade

A patio can be a wonderful oasis of peace and relaxation, but outdoor conditions are not always ideal. If it’s too bright or there are too many bugs, you need outdoor blinds to keep the sun and the insects out.

  1. Themed Levels and Areas

Are you planning a split-level patio? How about multiple smaller patio areas?

Having separate levels and patio areas allows for more design leeway and provides you with more opportunities to display your creativity. You can give each level or area its own theme. You can put some colourful flowering plants on one, evergreens on another, etc. A split-level or multi-area patio can be quite interesting to design.

  1. Smaller Patios

If you have a lush garden in your backyard, you can build a small patio in the midst of it. A smaller patio can be quite enchanting.

It can have just enough space for some comfortable lounge chairs. Since you have limited space, you need to be more discerning about what you put in it.

  1. Colours

You can use colours to design your patio. Put splashes of vivid colours in strategic places. Do you have grey exterior walls? A mix of bright greens and blues is one of the best colour combinations in this case.

  1. Furniture

Do you have a square or rectangular patio? You can maximise your space by choosing furniture that suits your patio shape. It can look more organised and less chaotic if you align your patio furniture to your patio shape.

That said, feel free to experiment and buck convention. You’ll have many more options if space efficiency is not your priority.

  1. Nature

If you want to incorporate elements from nature into your patio, go for a simple, soothing design. Consider pairing your stone patio with the perfect house plants, a green wall, sitting areas and maybe even a water feature.

A Patio of Your Own

Are you considering building a patio? You can build a concrete patio, a split-level patio, a stone patio, and a free-form patio, among others. Feel free to execute the design that appeals most to you. Treat the above as suggestions and build your patio to fit your requirements and preferences.