This article will get you started in designing a beautiful paver patio with 6 things to begin thinking about. Here we'll outline the first things that should be considered to give you the best functioning and best looking outdoor living space possible.
6 Things to consider when planning a patio:
- How many people will be using the space at any one time? your immediate family, a group of 10-12 friends? 20-30 people?
- Do you entertain on a regular basis?
- Do you want separate areas for eating, visiting, lounging, food prep and grilling?
- Do you have furniture already? How big is it? Table for 4 or a table for 8?
- How does traffic flow from the house to the yard? from the patio door across the patio?
- Does the patio need to connect to other areas of the property with walkways, steps or paths?
These 6 questions begin to suggest several things. One is how large your patio needs to be in order to be usable. Another is how many different areas need to be included. Once these items are determined you can begin to play with the actual shape, design and layout of your paver patio.
This is a great time to be collecting images of patios, patio features and outdoor living areas that you like. Search for images online and keep a file for those that strike your fancy. Clip photos from magazines. Take photos of your friend's patio.
Once you have a collection of images take a look and see if there are any themes, trends or attributes that the images have in common. Is there a similar texture or color that seems to be appealing to you? Or do you like the way that sitting wall curls around that end of the patio? Oh, how about incorporating a fire pit - [Not exactly like the one in the photo, but do I really want a fire pit in my backyard. They're a lot of fun!] Take a look and see what you find out about what's appealing to you.
The next step is to begin working with a designer or start laying out the pieces of the images you've gathered. A good designer will help you organize all of the information you have and create a patio and outdoor living experience that fits you, your family and how you live.