Home | Bonsai For Beginners | Growing Roses | Growing Grapes | Hydroponic Gardening | Organic Gardening
Fruit Trees | Frog Collectibles | Aromatherapy | Contact
In the Garden



Patio Design - How to Expand Your Home Outdoors




Extend you home into the outdoors with a backyard patio...

Adding a patio can be like adding another room to your house. Effective patio design can increase the floor space of your home, by creating an outside room. where you can entertain, barbecue or just enly the weather. A patio can be as simple as a rectangular slab of cement with some plastic chairs and grill, but it can also be so much more!

 

What picture comes to your mind when you think of a patio?

 

With a good patio design you can build an outside living area - an expansion of your house - for celebrating or relaxing all year round. For instance, people who like to entertain may want to construct a patio with an undercover kitchen and dining area. Or just try adding a barbecue grill, an apartment (small) fridge and some quality outdoor furniture.

 

Consider textures, colors, and materials before starting

 

When designing a new patio, keep in mind that your new outdoor entertaining area does not need to be expensive. There are a variety of different patio surfaces to fit a particular style or budget, including concrete pavers (a kind of interlocking tile), natural clay stones and bricks. You can vary the type of paving or surface - to create different vidual effects. Pebbles, gravels, bricks and tiles, can all be incorporated. A contrasting brick edge can also be effective, creating boundary lines and divisions within the patio area. Similarly, patio shades need not be extensive, just enough to cover the main cooking and eating areas; after all, why spoil the view of your gorgeous garden in the midday sun or block out the stars in the sky on a clear night.

 

Another important element in patio design is landscaping. Plants help to soften the hard surface of a patio floor by providing color, texture and fragrance. The right plants can set the mood for your outdoor living space. Consider placing potted plants that are an extension or a contrast to your garden. Additionally, think about rotating plants on your patio that fit the season of the year or reflect a Holiday or special occassions.

 

Another way to affect the atmosphere or mood of your patio is by adding a water feature. This can be an eleborate fountain or one of those small portable water falls where a tiny pump splashes water over a bowl of rocks. Maybe a bird bath on one corner of the patio? Lighting, too, should be incoroporated. Some soft low voltage lighting, Chinese Lanterns or candles, can create a stunning patio setting for night time entertaining.

patio design
Enjoy Your Patio!

 

Finally, selecting the right furniture is the final key to the perfect patio design. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on the right setting. Concentrate on selecting furniture that is durable, basic in color and rich in style and sophistication. Check out resin coated wicker or rattan pieces that can be dressed up with different cushions and throw rugs. For more suggestions about buying furniture check out this in-the-garden.org article:  Easy Ways to Get the Best Discount Patio Furniture.

 

A patio can be designed as elaborately or as straightforward as you want. Patios can be constructed in any shape and size and can be rearranged regularly just like the interior of your home. With a little thought, planning and imagination, you can design and build a patio where you can relax and entertain family and friends while enjoying the outdoor elements of your home!

About the author":  Nicholas webb is the owner of  http://www.allabout-patio.com a site that provides user-friendly patio furniture and patio accessories consumer tips and buying advice for the outdoor lover. 











News about Patio Design


PatioConnections.com Announces ~ Beautiful Artistic Design Creations Pages for ...
Online PR News (press release)
"We wanted to give people a chance to really get creative with their patio sets and design. Sometimes it is hard to know what you want to do with a space ...

and more »


GROUND BREAKING: Walk with me to explore your dream space
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
You guessed it; those who design from the back steps or who never look outside or plan. The worst possible thing is to build your patio, sit in your power ...

and more »


Volunteers Brave Rain to Erect Tiny Parks Throughout City
SF Weekly (blog)
This project consisted of a hardwood patio similar to what one might find at a Silicon Valley estate. Earlier this week, workers put barriers around two ...

and more »


New York Times

Museum and Gallery Listings
New York Times
On a 10-year loan from France, the legless, armless boy with a yearning expression is in the Met's bright and airy Vélez Blanco Patio, where viewers may ...

and more »


New steakhouse coming soon at El Paseo Village
The Desert Sun
The commission also voted unanimously to approve design plans for a patio expansion at the city-owned Desert Willow Golf Resort, at 38-995 Desert Willow ...

and more »


New company offers all-season patio solutions
River Falls Journal
Soon he hired an engineer to work on a design. What emerged is a line of outdoor patio structures that extend patio use for three seasons, if not all year. ...



St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Libraries are the hot community gathering spot
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The design of the new, $5 million St. Peters branch will evoke an English pub with wood wall panels, architectural arches and cove moulding. ...

and more »


William F. Cody AIA - A Comment on Architecture
Palm Springs Life
"We find this influence in shade areas surrounding our present structures in the enclosed patio concept...which the Spaniards originally borrowed from Roman ...



Clean, Versatile and Eco-Conscious Fireplaces and Stoves Heat up the Market
PR Newswire (press release)
The hottest trends and designs are showcased at this year's Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association's (HPBA's) HPBExpo in Orlando from March 11-13. ...

and more »


AZoBuild

Thermal Industries Celebrates 50th Anniversary
TransWorldNews (press release)
... its 50 th anniversary this year as a leader and innovator for the design and manufacture of energy saving vinyl replacement windows and patio doors. ...
Thermal Industries Celebrates 50 Years as a Window Industry PioneerEarthtimes (press release)

all 9 news articles »

Google News


home | site map | Privacy Policy
Copyright © In-the-garden.org | Contact | General Partners | Disclosure Policy