Patio Layout Ideas
- Utilize waterfront views to enable stress-free moments.table by the sea image by Colin Buckland from Fotolia.com
Extend your indoor living comfort to an outdoor space regardless of the size of your yard. Whether you plan to use the area for annual family reunions, lively summer entertaining or personal daily meditation, proper planning and preparation will ensure your intended goals get met. Plant trees, bushes and flowers and watch the area shift and change over time. Install a pond and add koi fish to establish and anchor a relaxing theme. - If you have a smaller lawn available for your outdoor living area but long to maximize your space, a single-circle patio design may suit your needs. A simple circle layout allows homeowners to dictate exactly where the patio space will be located. Take into consideration whether or not you wish to have direct sunlight hit the area or prefer a shaded environment when mapping off the space in your yard. Various options are available when it comes to utilizing the space. For example, a single dining table and four chairs placed in the center would occupy the bulk of the zone, or you can opt to place a two-person bistro-style table on the outside perimeter and open up the rest of the area to a fire pit and lounge chairs or a stone wall with a built-in bench.
- If you have room to spare in the backyard, split areas up into different zones with separate themes that complement one another. Create a patio that curves in an "S" shape or offers extensive length. The correct furniture will maximize your enjoyment of each zone. For example, at one end of the patio place full-body lounging chairs with a large umbrella and table in between the two chairs. Adding a wicker or rattan folding screen as well offers privacy for sunbathing. Install a self-sustaining fire pit in a different area, complete with chairs or a bench for barbecues and night-time outdoor parties. A third area might require a bar that you can construct personally in your wood shop or head to the home store and purchase. Don't forget bar stools and tiki lanterns, or string lights for atmospheric lighting purposes. Pull all three zones together with similar color families and by paying attention to details in the accessories you use.
- Whether your outdoor area is large or small, utilizing nature in various ways allows multiple opportunities for escaping into a relaxing retreat. Keep in mind that the more trees, bushes and flowering plants you're surrounded by, the less hectic and uncontrollable the zone feels. For example, if you don't already enjoy the luxury of having large trees planted on your property, construct a few wooden trellises or a gazebo as a focal point. Intertwine plants that will continue to weave in and out of trellis openings, or hang plants from the top and rims of the gazebo to replicate this all-encompassing effect. Next, make sure lounging chairs as well as sit-up dining ones are available for use. A bird bath or water fountain creates a soft, relaxing sound. Welcome animals into the environment by hanging a bird feeder, and plant a vegetable garden within visual proximity of the seating area. Install a large stone pathway and feel yourself leaving the busy day behind you with every step.
