10 Best Backyard Patio Ideas
Your backyard is a personal oasis where you and your family will spend time together. It’s a place to play with the kids, play fetch with Fido, and a place to enjoy the occasional BBQ. In other words, it’s the place where memories are forged — memories that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives. It’s such an important space, we know that it needs some extra care. It’s the reason why we decided to list the following backyard patio designs. We think that the following are the 10 best backyard patio designs available and should give everyone some good ideas on how their backyard space should be used.
1. Patio Kitchen For Year-Round Outdoor Cooking
Right out of the gate, we thought that we’d go with one of the priciest options for a backyard patio and that option is the patio kitchen. An outdoor kitchen places everything that a home cook needs to have to cook a meal in their backyard. Top line setups include ovens, sinks, storage space, and sometimes even a pizza oven. There are less expensive models as well that include fewer appliances and may be more affordable. Of course, a patio kitchen can be started with a barebones setup and then expanded as time goes by.
2. Multi-Level Patio With A Waterfall
Another option that people have is a multi-level patio that’s equipped with a waterfall or some other water feature. This creates a great effect that really isn’t all that expensive. All it takes is some grading, and a few supplies such as rocks, pond lining, a pool pump, and maybe some poured concrete. And that is really all there is to it. This is a stunning backyard patio that people will definitely notice when they come over to the house to visit.
3. Think About A Paved Patio
Most people use poured concrete for their patio because that is the cheaper option. However, for a little bit more expensive on the front end of the job, you can have a really beautiful concrete paved patio that really isn’t too much more expensive. What makes paved concrete patios great is they have a nice slick look to them and they tend to last longer than stamped and poured concrete. Concrete pavers can also be used in a variety of configurations to give the patio a unique look. Of course, there are other patio ideas below, but a paved patio is generally one of the better options for most homeowners.
4. Pep Up The Patio With A Pergola
A pergola is definitely another option that you might want to think about when you’re designing your patio space. This set piece extends the living space and can provide you with enough shade to handle even the warmest summer day — if they have a shade installed on it. They are most often installed on brick or paved patios and they can really add a sense of style to the space. There are open-top, vinyl, steel, and sail pergolas available for people to buy. Smaller ones can also be set up with a hammock, but we’ll talk about those later.
5. Create A More Zen Patio Space
So far, we’ve gone over some pretty conventional patio ideas. Places where you could BBQ, sip sweet tea, or simply hang out with friends and family members. However, we understand that some people may want a patio space that is a little different than the average patio. And for these people, we would like to present the zen patio. Yes, this is a place to relax and become one with your thoughts. This motif isn’t that hard to set up either. All that’s required are some plants and some candles. Voila! It’s now a zen paradise.
6. Terracotta Creates A Rustic And Inviting Patio
One of our favorite patios is the terracotta patio. Although using terracotta isn’t as inexpensive as using poured concrete, it’s not all that expensive anyway. The great thing about terracotta is that once it’s laid it lasts a lifetime and it really imparts that rustic look to the space. Since it can be used for both indoor and outdoor spaces, it can be used to create a sense of continuity between the home and the patio. We think terracotta is a rustic option that gives outdoor spaces that Old World appeal.
7. A Cowboy Cauldron For The Urban Cowboy
Okay, you don’t have to be an urban cowboy, or even a cowboy at all, to enjoy this patio setup. Cauldrons are coming back in a big way because they have a nice design to them, can be used for fire pits (or big pots of chili) and they’re not too expensive to set up. The main cost of setting up this minimalist patio is the cauldron—which can cost anywhere from $1,000 all the way up to over $3,000. It all depends on the size of the cauldron and the materials that are used to make it.
8. The Perfect Place For Naptime
We said that we would come back to the humble pergola and we have. One way to use a pergola is to install a smaller one and use an outdoor swing. See, not every patio has to be used for cooking, sitting, or barbecues. Setting up a hammock in this way can help turn an ordinary outdoor space into a personal oasis. Of course, if you can’t afford the pergola, you can always string your hammock between two stakes or trees. However it’s done, it’s a great way to enjoy your outdoor spaces.
9. The Humble Built-In Firepit
Another option that you have with your patio or outdoor backyard space is to build a built-in firepit. Installing a firepit permanently doesn’t require that much more effort than setting one up, so you may want to consider whether that’s an option for you or not. We personally love the look of a firepit set in stone, or even better, made out of stone. We think it really elevates the patio area, especially when it’s used with a multi-level patio.
10. A Grass & Brick Patio
The last option we’d like to talk about is the good ‘ole brick and grass patio. This is the least expensive option for most people and requires very few tools. All you really need is a shovel and a supply of bricks. With a little bit of effort and a little bit of imagination, everyone can have a simple backyard that didn’t cost a fortune but still has that manicured look. Or, if a person really doesn’t need a patio, they can always turn the area into a pool area. Doesn’t that look like the perfect place to set up an above-ground pool? We think so.
