Designing a patio is a long-lasting addition to your home that will increase its value and make it more comfortable and fun to use. It’s also a large and often expensive project, so you’ll need to approach it with a plan and a clear budget.
Have in mind that not all the work needs to be done at once and as long as you have an idea and aesthetic in mind, you can add new features when you have the resources and the opportunity to do so.
Placement
The first decision to make is the placement of the patio within your yard. This is an essential decision to make because it will decide how much you can expand it and in what direction. It also very much depends on the quality of the terrain and the amount of sunlight you get.
It’s also important to take into account how you plan to use the patio. If it’s just a place to entertain guests and enjoy your free time with your family, the placement is less important. However, if it’s supposed to be an outdoor dining room, you’ll need to keep it closer to the kitchen to make things easier for you.
Color and ambiance
Once you know the place and the size of your patio, you should decide on the ambiance you want to create. The biggest part of it is the color for the whole porch that the rest of the furniture needs to be compatible with.
It’s best to hire quality painting services since it’s a job that only needs to be done once in a couple of years and you want to make sure that it’s done right. Many choose natural and soothing tones for their patio, but there’s no need to limit yourself in this regard.
Seating area
The central part of a patio is usually a seating area. It needs to be large and comfortable. It’s usually set up similarly to the one you have in your living room with a few large pieces of furniture and a table in between, but there are countless other options as well.
For instance, many decide to add a swing for one or a couple of people to their patio since it’s a perfect way to spend lazy summer days. If you do so, make sure your roof is able to hold it and those who use it at the same time.
Lights
Porch lights don’t need to be that strong or that noticeable but it’s important to consider them and to plan for them during the construction. Depending on where your patio is located, you might even consider installing a fire pit which takes a bit of maintenance but looks quite stunning.
If not, you should probably hang a few accents lights and make it possible for them to be switched on and off separately from one another. Use LED lights to cut costs and make sure you’re having the best quality for the price.
Budget
In the end, it’s important to take into account how much it will cost to add the patio and how much it will increase the value of your property. Once you decide on what you want to make and how much of it you could do yourself, make sure to leave 10 or 15 percent as a hedge in case something goes wrong as it often does during construction.
It’s also possible to separate the project into phases so that a patio is useable if not quite complete yet. That way, you can pay for it in a few installments as well.
Designing a patio isn’t that difficult and it could really improve your property. The key is to decide on the broad features and add the details later on.
