Paving Stone Patios - Helpful Tips to Create the Hardscape of Your Dreams

Paving Stone Patios - Helpful Tips to Create the Hardscape of Your Dreams

Design Considerations For Your New Patio

Patio Designs no longer need to be the boring slab of concrete attached to the back of a house. No matter where you live, you can fashion a stylish patio garden. That's an intimate getaway right outside your back door. Patios are much like decks in the planning stages. You must make a few basic decisions before the design process can begin.

Design with Purpose

Imagine the purpose you want for your outdoor living space. Will your patio be used for an outdoor dining or sitting room? Do you plan to entertain guests there? Decide the kinds of activities that will take place on your patio and how each space will accommodate them. You'll need to consider your personal likes and preferences and how they'll impact your design.

Consider Home Strengths

Work with, not against the architecture of your house and its relation to your property. An outdoor retreat should compliment the particular angles and accents your home offers. Grade changes for example can offer an elevated section for cooking. Create a harmonious indoor and outdoor connection by incorporating colors from your home into your hardscape design.

Define the Space

Structures help define a patio as a room. Adding an overhead structures gives the sense of a ceiling and a sense of privacy. It also gives you shade in a full sun situation. Allow your patio breathing room space. After you have chosen a patio table and chairs, think of the space needed when the chairs are pulled out. Account for “mingling space” when you have guests or a party.

Capture a Focal Point

A patio should grab your eye and draw people in. The sight line from the back of your house should lead to a beautiful flowering tree, an intimate sitting area or a vine covered gazebo. Look out onto the terrace from the house and think of what you want to see from those windows. Focal points guide the eye around your beautifully created hardscape.

Include What You Love

You're much more likely to spend time in a room if it includes elements you love, such as your favorite color or favorite painting. That goes for patios, too. While there are many elements to consider when planning for a well designed hardscape, personal preferences and the goal of your outdoor space take importance. If you are interested in a paving stone patio, Autumn Leaf Landscape offers helpful hardscaping design hints to keep homeowners in-the-know.