It won’t be an exaggeration if the patio is termed as an extension of the home. In fact, they can be designed to serve as your second home as well. But how? In this article, we will look at 6 patio ideas that are sure to adorn your outdoor space.
Patio outside a home. Image source: Pinterest (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov1)
Not all of us are blessed with an outdoor space and the ones among us who are, they seldom know how to make that beautiful. Do you find your backyard ugly? Are you thinking of ways to make them useful? A patio may be helpful. Derived from a Spanish word patio, it is used to describe an extension or addition to outdoor living space that can be used for relaxation, dining or just for having a little space outside where you can throw parties or organize social gatherings. They come in different styles and shapes. Many a time they are accompanied by gazebos, tents or canopies. They can be either covered at the tops or may remain open. Are you confusing it with deck or porch? Unlike decks which are mostly made of wood or wood-like materials, Patio can be made from brick, flagstone, pavers, stone etc.
In this post, we will look at 6 patio ideas that are absolute stunners. Given their varieties and utility, they can serve as a valuable addition to your already beautiful, sweet home. Read on.
- Detached Patio
Are you fond of nature? Do you feel like taking a retreat from the noise and chatter of your house to enjoy a moment of solace? Then detached patio is the way. They are most suited for those outdoor spaces that are spacious or large. If there’s an attractive landscape or garden surrounding your house, then a detached patio can be a valuable addition.
Since these are constructed in large outdoor spaces, it’s better to connect them to your house entrance with a garden path or a walkway. They are mostly accompanied by a gazebo, tensile roof, furniture etc. Sometimes, a water feature with cover can also be included with it. After all, you don’t want yourself getting roasted in the sun, do you? In the image below, you can see a freestanding or detached patio with solid roof and a water feature.
Freestanding patio with a solid roof. Credit: Houzz.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov2)
- L – Shaped Patio
Do you want to have a patio which is accessible directly from your other rooms as well, along with your entrance? L-shaped patios are designed in such a way so as to provide natural transitions from at least a couple of rooms. They can also serve as extensions of your entrances. Many a time, they are designed in such a way so as to serve as a complementary feature to detached patio. (Blink! They can be designed to look like garden paths). An artist impression of one such patio type has been shown below. It is of course just a representational image.
Representational image: L-shaped patio. Credit: mypatiodesign.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov3)
- U – shaped Patio
Though similar in concept as an L-shaped patio, U-shaped patios are designed to serve an additional purpose. Other than serving as a natural extension and transition of your house, they are designed in such a way so as to be accessible from three sides, with your home or your cool swimming pool serving as the fourth side. While gazebos, canopies, and tents are the preferred choices of ‘additions’, many a time these are accompanied by a set of outside furniture.
A well designed U-shaped patio can work wonders for your private events, parties or social gatherings. They are not just useful from the utility point of view but are also exquisitely beautiful. An illustration of its quality can be seen in the image below. It shows a u-shaped patio with a swimming pool serving as its fourth side. You can also see clearly that it is directly accessible from more than one room. In fact, it appears as if the patio is hugging the house.
Though there’s no strict guideline on the choice of material, mainly flagstone and concrete issued. Even while constructing a gazebo over it, it is more appealing to use a wooden one instead of a tensile fabric or metal one.
U-shaped patio. Credit: houzz.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov4)
- Wraparound Patio
Have you seen or heard about a wraparound porch? A shallow verandah enclosing two or more sides of a house, it is a common feature in most European houses. But we are not talking about a porch, we are talking about a patio. While a porch is a vertical or horizontal structure, not necessarily connected to the ground, a wraparound patio is a tiled structure made of flagstone, concrete, pavers etc. Unlike the former, the latter is usually suited for a large outdoor space and rarely covered.
They are generally attached at the back of a house to serve as an additional living space. Since they are enclosed on two or more sides, it provides you with plenty of opportunities to carve ornate designs and shapes. The roof of a wraparound patio, if there’s any, can also be fitted with chandeliers to give it a vintage appearance. An image below shows one such patio. It’s impossible to look at them and not gasp at their brilliance.
Wraparound covered patio. Credit: Zillow.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov5)
- Multilevel patio
While it’s relatively easy to design a patio for your home which is at the same level as its outdoor space, it is slightly tricky to do so for a home that is perched on a slope or large lot. For such scenarios, generally, a multilevel patio is preferred. In appearance, they are just like other patios with the only difference being that these are constructed in the form of steps (and hence the name) to bring the house on a slope in level with its backyard.
The choice of material and supplements is similar to the ones used in the construction of detached, L-shaped or U-shaped patio. These too, are adorned with gazebos, tents or outside furniture. Generally, a tiled outlay made from pavers is preferred. The multilevel patio also offers you the advantage of a potential view, if there’s one, while not compromising on your outdoor entertainment and relaxation space.
Multilevel Patio with umbrella gazebo. Credit: v2artdecor.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov6)
- Entry patio
A patio is not just about adorning a distant outdoor space. Sometimes they can be used as a means to provide a little seclusion in front of your home. Are you thinking of ways to transform your water thirsty front yard into something soberer? Do you wish to have a little privacy to your enjoyment while relaxing in your yard? An entry patio does that and a little more. They can be kept enclosed or open depending on the degree of privacy that you wish to have. They can also be supplemented with paving, fountain or a privacy wall to add aesthetics to a utility.
The design procedure and choice of materials are similar to any other patio. The enclosures, if any, can be made from wood to make it more amenable to ornate carvings.
Entry patio. Credit: cybball.com (http://bit.ly/Patio24nov7)
If designed with care and foresight, a patio can easily help you extend your living space into your backyard and transform your dull outdoor space in an oasis. The right choice of aestheticism and flooring materials is critical in maintaining the harmony and consistency of your new patio with your existing home. If present beside your kitchen, it could easily enlarge your cooking and dining space. Want a space to relax and entertain? Connect your patio to your living room. Want to enjoy the nature in all its glory, away from the usual din of your house? Get yourself a detached patio.
You can also furnish your patio with outdoor furniture and associated stuff to serve as a makeshift office and studio. Nothing matches the exuberance of working under the shades of nature. A patio can easily be made to run along the length and breadth of your house, meander around its curves and open into an outside swimming pool. Depending on how you intend to use it and what’s the expanse of outdoor space, you can choose a small or a large patio.
No comments:
Post a Comment