Inspiration for your dream patio

There’s nothing more satisfying in a garden than a beautiful patio. It’s the perfect platform for entertaining, relaxing and admiring your wonderful planting, not to mention your interesting garden features.

No matter what size your garden, a patio is a great way to make a design statement and increase the value of your home, and you’ll be sure to spend more time outside in the fresh air, so there are health benefits too.

So where do you start when it comes to designing the perfect patio for your home? There is so much scope when it comes to patio design. To ensure your patio is everything you want it to be and more, it’s a good idea to do plenty of research. You’ll need to think about size and colour scheme and how easy it will be to maintain, as well as position in your garden (it doesn’t have to be right next to your house). End of garden patios are a great idea.

Think about whether you want an intricate pattern or a minimalist, modern design? And you’ll need to decide on which materials you’d like to use, such as stone, pavers, bricks, flagstone or concrete. Don’t feel you have to stick with one monotonous material. If you are planning a large patio, you could break up areas with smaller units.

Perhaps you want to hire a professional or are you keen to take on the patio as a DIY project? These are all decisions you’ll need to make before you can bring your dream patio to life.

Here’s just the inspiration you need to iron out your ideas!

Source: Great Ormond Street by Andy Sturgeon

Think big, scale small

Take a look at some bigger projects by high-end garden designers for inspiration. It’s a great way to gather interesting ideas. Not all of the paving ideas will be suitable for a small project, but many will. Even discovering materials and bold colour schemes can be inspirational enough to set you on your own design path.

Source: House Beautiful

If you want a more modern take on the patio, why not replicate your kitchen flooring to create an outdoor kitchen and patio?

Source: Backyard Miranda Magazine

These tiled areas look modern, chic and add real interest to any contemporary garden. It proves that anything is possible! Patterned tiles, sawn limestone and polished concrete work well for modern patio schemes. For great tile options check out Topps Tiles, if you can stretch your budget we love Bert & May.

Gather ideas

Gather as many ideas as you can from home improvement and gardening magazines and websites. You can find some unique inspiration from others by using image sharing platforms like Pinterest. Start to build a picture of the type of patio style you would like and how you would like to use it. Will you be using your patio just as a platform for a couple of deck chairs? Or is your plan to have a dining table, outdoor kitchen and outdoor lounge?

Here are some great patio ideas to get you started:

Source: Pinterest

This large patio has been made with reclaimed slabs which makes a great feature with a bit more of a rustic feel if that is the look you are going for. Reclaimed weathered paving flags are another great idea if you would prefer your patio to look worn in than brand new.

Source: Home Designing

This simple but expansive patio is divided by lawn into zones. And what a great idea to have one zone covered with a pergola to provide privacy and shade! See more creative ways to cover your patio here.

Source: House Curious designed by Shelly Hugh-Jones

Sometimes it’s all about the view. This simple concrete patio sets the scene. Anything more intricate would detract from the gorgeous landscape beyond.

Source : Houzz

This pretty and cosy outdoor area includes an amazing firepit, which is just perfect for gathering around on cooler summer evenings.

Source: Tuindesign

This delightful patio combines lush planting and a central water feature to make the setting both more serene and interesting. A water feature nestling into the patio is a great design feature. It creates a truly relaxing and meditative space to escape to and enjoy and is sure to wow your guests too.

Don’t forget to take inspiration from family and friends if they have patios. Garden shows are also a great source for inspiration. Good luck with the patio of your dreams!

Words by Annie Button.